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WELCOMING THE DUKE, PROF MORTON SAID ALL CONCERNED WITH THE PROJECT WERE GRATEFUL FOR HIS SUPPORT.
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PROF MORTON SAID: +PROTECTION OF THIS IMPORTANT WETLAND PLACE FOR THE WILDLIFE IT CONTAINS IS OUR PRIMARY CONCERN, BUT WE ALSO KNOW THAT ITS CONTINUED PROTECTION BY GENERATIONS TO COME MUST BE THROUGH EDUCATION. EDUCATION AT ALL LEVELS BUT ESPECIALLY OF OUR CHILDREN SO THAT THEY WILL ALSO CHERISH WHAT WE ALL VALUE SO HIGHLY.
+MAI PO IS HONG KONG'S FIRST TRUE NATURE RESERVE AND THIS BUILDING, ITS HEART, HAS BEEN BUILT WITH AN ESPECIALLY GENEROUS GRANT FROM THE ROYAL HONG KONG JOCKEY CLUB. THIS GRANT HAS, HOWEVER, BEEN MATCHED BY THE DEDICATION OF WWF HONG KONG'S EMPLOYEES AND VOLUNTEERS AND BY THE GENEROUS TIME, WORK AND EFFORT PUT INTO THE PHYSICAL PLANNING AND CONSTRUCTION OF THE CENTRE BY MEMBERS OF THE MAI PO MARSHES TECHNICAL COMMITTEE, CHAIRED BY SIR DAVID AKERS-JONES, AND BY MEMBERS OF MY OWN MAI PO MARSHES EDUCATION COMMITTEE. IN THE SPACE OF A FEW YEARS, THE UNSTINTING EFFORT OF MANY PEOPLE HAS BROUGHT THEIR DREAM INTO FRUITION.+
PROF MORTON SAID THE OPENING OF THE CENTRE WAS NOT THE END OF THE PROJECT BUT THE BEGINNING.
+WE HOPE THAT THE EXPANSION OF THE RESERVE WILL CONTINUE UNTIL ALL THE MARSH IS FULLY PROTECTED, HE SAID.
+ JUST ACROSS THE BORDER IS OUR SISTER FUTIEN NATURE RESERVE AND IT IS OUR HOPE THAT ONE DAY THESE TWO FLEDGLING RESERVES WILL BE UNITED BOTH PHYSICALLY AND IN MANAGEMENT TO CREATE A TRULY SIGNIFICANT RESERVE SPREADING OUT BEFORE US FROM THIS EDUCATION CENTRE.+
LATER, ACCOMPANIED BY MR MELVILLE AND PROF MORTON, PRINCE PHILIP WALKED ALONG THE BOARDWALK TO A FLOATING HIDE IN THE SHENZHEN RIVER WHERE HE WAS ABLE TO OBSERVE BIRDS AND OTHER WILDLIFE ON THE MARSHES.
PRINCE PHILIP FLEW BACK TO HONG KONG ISLAND BY HELICOPTER.
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