XN000022-1977-02-07 — Page 7

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 7, 1977

TWO MORE COUNTRY PARKS TO BE GAZETTED

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TWO MORE COUNTRY PARKS, ONE IN THE ABERDEEN RESERVOIRS COMPLEX AND THE OTHER AT TYTAM IN WONG NEI CHONG, ARE EXPECTED TO BE GAZETTED SOON, THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES,

MR. E.H. NICHOLS, SAID IN A LUNCHEON TALK TO THE ROTARY CLUB OF VICTORIA TODAY.

THE TWO AREAS WILL BE THE FIRST COUNTRY PARKS ON HONG KONG ISLAND AND ARE ALREADY DEVELOPED AND SERVED BY MANAGEMENT SERVICES.

+LOOKING FURTHER AHEAD,+ MR. NICHOLS WENT ON, +PLANNING IS WELL ADVANCED FOR THE SAI KUNG PENINSULA, WHICH IS INCREASINGLY BECOMING THE MOST IMPORTANT OF ALL OUR RECREATIONAL AREAS.+

HE SAID THE FIRST NEW MANAGEMENT SERVICES FOR THIS AREA WERE ALREADY IN PLACE, AND A MANAGEMENT CENTRE AT PAK TAM CHUNG WOULD BE COMPLETED A LITTLE LATER THIS YEAR.

GROUNDWORK FOR GAZETTING THE AREA IS IN HAND BUT IS COMPLEX BECAUSE THE LAND TENURE PROBLEMS HAS TO BE RESOLVED.

+ALSO CONTINUING OF COURSE IS THE PROCESS OF GRADUALLY DESIGNATING OTHER AREAS CURRENTLY MANAGED AS COUNTRY PARKS, PRINCIPALLY WESTWARDS FROM SHING MUN TOWARDS CASTLE PEAK AND IN THE VICINITY OF BRIDE'S POOL, HE SAID.

MR. NICHOLS SAID ALTHOUGH UP TO DATE ONLY THREE COUNTRY PARKS LION ROCK, KAM SHAN AND SHING MUN, TOTALLING SLIGHTLY LESS THAN NINE SQUARE MILES HAD BEEN GAZETTED NEARLY 100 SQUARE MILES OF COUNTRYSIDE WERE CURRENTLY BEING PROTECTED AND MANAGED AS SUCH.

HE EXPLAINED THAT BECAUSE IT TOOK TIME TO PROCESS LAND ADMINISTRATIVELY AND LEGALLY FOR DESIGNATION AS COUNTRY PARKS, IT WAS INTENDED TO PRESS AHEAD WITH PROVIDING MORE AND IMPROVED MANAGEMENT SERVICES BOTH IN NEW AREAS SUCH AS THE SAI KUNG PENINSULA, AND IN OLDER AREAS NOT YET WELL PROVIDED FOR, SUCH AS LANTAU ISLAND AND THE PAT SIN LING, IN ADVANCE OF DESIGNATION.

HE SAID: +WHILST IT IS HIGHLY DESIRABLE TO HAVE COUNTRY PARKS LEGALLY DESIGNATED, SO THAT ADDITIONAL LEGAL PROTECTION AND AUTHORITY CAN GOVERN THE USAGE, THERE IS ENOUGH ADMINISTRATIVE CONTROL PRESENTLY AVAILABLE TO JUSTIFY PUSHING AHEAD WITH THE DEVELOPMENT AND MANAGEMENT PROGRAMME, AND SO PREVENT FURTHER DETERIORATION OF SCENIC AREAS WHICH ARE BEING USED AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE NEEDED FOR SUCH RECREATIONAL PURSUITS.+

HE POINTED OUT THAT THE COUNTRY PARK BY DEFINITION, AND AT LAW, SETS ASIDE SPECIFIC AREAS OF SCENIC LAND FOR PUBLIC USE BUT DID NOT MEAN THAT THE PUBLIC HAD COMPLETE AND UNRESTRICTED USE TO ALL LAND WITHIN THE PARK AREA.