MONDAY, JANUARY 11, 1993
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DEVELOPMENT AND NATURE CONSERVATION CAN PROCEED IN TANDEM
WITH
THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, DR LAWRENCE LEE,SAID PROPER PLANNING AND CAREFUL EXECUTION, THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TERRITORY'S PRIMARY INDUSTRIES AND NATURE CONSERVATION CAN PROCEED IN TANDEM.
SPEAKING AT THE ANNUAL MEET-THE-MEDIA SESSION AT THE TAI MO SHAN COUNTRY PARK VISITOR CENTRE THIS (MONDAY) AFTERNOON, DR LEE SAID HIS DEPARTMENT, WHILE ON ONE HAND PROMOTED THE DEVELOPMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, ON THE OTHER TOOK CARE OF THE ENVIRONMENT.
HE POINTED OUT THAT THE NAME AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DID NOT FULLY REFLECT THE DEPARTMENT'S MAIN AREAS OF WORK, AS IT HAD DEPLOYED MORE THAN 50 PER CENT OF ITS RESOURCES ON NATURE CONSERVATION AND COUNTRY PARKS-RELATED WORK.
THE DEPARTMENT WAS ALSO THE ENFORCEMENT AUTHORITY OF SOME 20 PIECES OF LEGISLATION, RANGING FROM THE PROMOTION OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, PROTECTION AND MANAGEMENT OF COUNTRY PARKS, PROTECTION OF ENDANGERED SPECIES AND WILD ANIMALS TO THE SAFE USE AND TRADING OF PESTICIDES AS WELL AS CONCERN OVER ANIMAL WELFARE.
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ON NATURE CONSERVATION, DR LEE SAID THROUGH THE MANAGEMENT 21
COUNTRY PARKS AND 14 SPECIAL AREAS, THE DEPARTMENT HAD
ALL ALONG BEEN TAKING ACTIVE STEPS TO CONSERVE THE TERRITORY'S FLORA, FAUNA AND NATURAL HABITATS.
"IT HAS ALSO MANAGED TO REHABILITATE A NUMBER OF DEGRADED ECOSYSTEMS IN COUNTRY PARKS AND TO PROMOTE THE RECOVERY OF THREATENED SPECIES.
"DUR LNG THE YEAR, THE WELD ANIMALS PROTECTION ORDINANCE HAS BEEN AMENDED TO EXTEND PROTECTION TO COVER THE RARE LOCAL WILD ANIMAL SPECIES OF ROMER'S TREE FROG, HONG KONG CASCADE FROG, WATER MONITOR AND ALL MONGOOSES.
COUNCIL
A BILL HAS ALSO BEEN INTRODUCED INTO THE LEGISLATIVE TO AMEND THE FORESTS AND COUNTRYSIDE ORDINANCE FOR GREATER PROTECTION OF FORESTS AND PLANTS IN THE COUNTRYSIDE," HE SAID.
WALKS ON THE EDUCATION SIDE, THE DEPARTMENT HAD SET UP 10 TREE IN COUNTRY PARKS THROUGHOUT THE TERRITORY IN ADDITION TO ITS MANY PUBLICITY AND COMMUNITY ACTIVITIES ORGANISED TO ENHANCE THE PUBLIC AWARENESS OF COUNTRYSIDE CONSERVATION.
TO
THE
FURTHER ACHIEVE THE OBJECTIVES OF NATURE CONSERVATION, AFD IS ACTIVELY CONSIDERING EXTENDING SOME COUNTRY PARIS, DEVELOPING MARINE PARKS AND A MARINE RESERVE AS WELL AS EXTENDING THE RESTRICTED AREA AT INNER DEEP BAY, HE SAID.
AREAS BEING CONSIDERED FOR INCORPORATION INTO COUNTRY PARKS INCLUDED THE WAN TSAI PENINSULA NEAR HOT HA WAN IN SAT KUNG AND TAI TONG WEST.
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