TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1983
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DUKE OF EDINBURGH VISITS MAI PO MARSHES
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HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS, THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH, STARTED HIS BUSY PROGRAMME EARLY THIS (TUESDAY) MORNING WITH A VISIT TO MAI PO MARSHES NATURE RESERVE NEAR YUEN LONG WHERE A RECREATIONAL AND WILDLIFE EDUCATION PROJECT IS BEING IMPLEMENTED.
HE WAS ACCOMPANIED BY THE GOVERNOR, SIR EDWARD YOUDE, THE DIRECTOR-GENERAL OF WORLD WILDLIFE FUND INTERNATIONAL, MR CHARLES DE HAES, AND THE CHAIRMAN OF WORLD WILDLIFE FUND HONG KONG, DR PHILIP KWOK.
ON ARRIVAL, HE WAS INTRODUCED BY DR KWOK TO THE PRESIDENT OF THE HONG KONG BIRDWATCHING SOCIETY, MR CLIVE VINEY.
HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS TOURED THE RESERVE WHERE HE ALSO SAW VARIOUS FACILITIES UNDER CONSTRUCTION, INCLUDING OBSERVATION TOWERS, A TEMPORARY WILDLIFE EDUCATION CENTRE, FOOTPATHS, A BOARDWALK INTO THE RESERVE'S MANGROVE AREA AND CAR PARKS.
THE CONSTRUCTION COST OF ABOUT $3.5 MILLION IS BEING BORNE BY WORLD WILDLIFE FUND HONG KONG.
THE MAI PO MARSHES, LOCATED ON THE EASTERN SHORE OF DEEP BAY, COMPRISE 208 HECTARES OF SHALLOW SHRIMP PONDS AND 85 HECTARES OF A MANGROVE STRIP.
THE DUKE LEARNT THAT MANGROVE IS A RARITY IN HONG KONG, SUPPORTING A RICH DIVERSITY OF PLANT AND ANIMAL LIFE AT THE MARSHES.
AS THE NATURE RESERVE IS ALSO A RESTING PLACE FOR BIRDS ON MIGRATORY PASSAGE ALONG THE SOUTH CHINA COAST, IT IS IDEAL FOR ORNITHOLOGICAL STUDIES.
CAMP RENAMED AFTER DUKE OF EDINBURGH
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HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS PRINCE PHILIP TODAY (TUESDAY) UNVEILED A PLAQUE TO MARK THE RENAMING OF STOKES CAMP AT TA! PO AS THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH TRAINING CAMP.
THE CAMP IS IMPORTANT TO THE OPERATION OF THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH'S AWARD SCHEME IN HONG KONG AS IT PROVIDES AN EXPEDITION TRAINING GROUND FOR SCHEME PARTICIPANTS AND ADULT HELPERS.
ON ARRIVAL AT THE CAMP WITH THE SECRETARY FOR DISTRICT ADMINISTRATION, MR DAVID AKERS-JONES, HIS ROYAL HIGHNESS WAS WELCOMED BY SCHOOL CHILDREN AND BY THE CHAIRMAN OF THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH'S AWARD COMMITTEE, MR ALEX WU.
MR WU THEN PRESENTED TO THE DUKE THE VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE AWARD COMMITTEE, MR J.P. LEE, THE CAMP WARDEN, MR RAYMOND LAM, AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE.
/AFTER UNVEILING