Name: TrailWatch x Conservancy Association – Lantau Tomorrow: The Artificial Islands
Date: 2 June 2019 (Sun)
Route: Discovery Bay to Mui Wo
We departed from Discovery Bay and headed towards Mui Wo via Nim Shue Wan and Our Lady of Joy Abbey. We stopped at the top to have a panoramic view of the South Lantau waters. The participants were invited to record their route using TrailWatch app. Here are some highlights of the day are recorded by the participants on TrailWatch
https://www.trailwatch.hk/app/?t=activities&aid=295921 @Wan Lung
https://www.trailwatch.hk/app/?t=activities&aid=295898 @Chun Wai Cheung
The beaches of Nim Shue Wan still show the damage caused by the super typhoon Mangkhut in September, 2018. The footpath was smashed and light poles were felled, a clear reminder to us that human development remains vulnerable to the forces of nature.
Despite the unpredictable weather conditions in May and June, we were blessed with a sunny day for the hike. The sunshine, the summer breeze, the interesting interpretation given by Kami and Roy from The Conservation Association (“CA”) made it an enjoyable hike.
A short visit was paid to the landmark of the route, Our Lady of Joy Abbey, which is a Catholic monastery with the mix of Chinese and Western architecture. The monastery which was set up in 1950, was once home to the famous Trappist Dairy. Even the production of the dairy had long moved to the New Territories, today visitors can still see the disused cattle houses along the way.
Once we arrived at the top, we were stunned by the spectacular view of Hong Kong. The sky was particularly clear on the day, we can see the skyline of Hong Kong island and Kowloon. “Can you imagine the sea in front of us to be filled with skyscrapers and man-made islands in the near future?” asked Kami. Using the map of Save Lantau Alliance, Roy explained how the Lantau Tomorrow Vision will change the whole landscape of Lantau and beyond. Being at the top of the hill overlooking the spectacular view of Hong Kong and discussing the impact of the Tomorrow Lantau Vision, gave us a different perspective of what this project means to our city and the environment.
The voices of the residents of the outlying islands, including those of Peng Chu, Mui Wo, Cheung Chau, etc. are always being ignored; so is the valuable underwater ecologies in Tai Kau Yi Chau, Siu Kau Yi Chau. The proposal of Tomorrow Lantau has been imposed on Hong Kong people without thorough research and assessment on the impact of local ecologies, let alone the evaluation on the environmental and social impact of sand mining at global scale.
Although we have come to the end of the Lantau series, this is just the beginning of our journey to understand the scale and impact of our desire for continuous economic development to Lantau and surrounding areas. The Lantau Tomorrow Vision is a project that will have long term impact on our society and environment of Hong Kong and we hope to continue the dialogue on this through our activities. Keep an eye on our Facebook page and website for the latest news and discussion of Lantau and other issues concerning our country side.
The Conservation Association : www.cahk.org.hk/