FRIDAY, JULY 15, 1977
ABERDEEN COUNTRY PARK ****
A FAVOURITE SOJOURN OF THE BLACK-EARED KITE AS WELL AS ONE FOR HIKERS AND MORNING WALKERS HAS BEEN PROPOSED AS A COUNTRY PARK.
THE ABERDEEN COUNTRY PARK WHICH IS GAZETTED TODAY COMPRISES 410 HECTARES (1,012 ACRES) OF NATURAL WOODLAND, FORESTRY PLANTATION, SHRUBLAND, AND 13 HECTARES (33 ACRES) OF WATER.
IT LIES ON THE SOUTHERN SLOPES OF HONG KONG ISLAND BETWEEN THE ABERDEEN AND WONG CHUK HANG HOUSING ESTATES TO THE IMMEDIATE SOUTH AND WAN CHAI GAP TO THE NORTH.
IT WILL BE A BACK GARDEN' TO THE TWO BELTS OF URBAN DEVELOPMENT ON THE TWO SIDES OF THE ISLAND.
THE PARK IS READILY ACCESSIBLE FROM MANY DIRECTIONS BECAUSE OF ITS CLOSENESS TO INHABITED AREAS: FROM ABERDEEN, MAGAZINE GAP AND WAN CHAI GAP VIA ABERDEEN RESERVOIR ROAD, FROM WONG NEI CHUNG GAP AND WAN CHAI GAP VIA BLACK'S LINK, AND FROM THE PEAK AREA AND ABERDEEN VIA PEEL RISE.
IT HAS ALREADY BEEN UNDER RECREATIONAL DEVELOPMENT FOR SOME YEARS AND NOW HAS 13 PICNIC SPOTS WITHIN ITS BOUNDARIES. THESE ARE EQUIPPED WITH BARBECUE PITS, TABLES AND BENCHES, RAIN SHELTERS, INFORMATION BOARDS AND CHILDREN'S PLAY EQUIPMENT.
A NEW MANAGEMENT CENTRE HAS OPENED EARLIER THIS YEAR, PROVIDING A BASE FOR FORESTRY AND CONSERVATION WORKERS OF THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT.
AS IN TAI TAM COUNTRY PARK TO THE EAST, MOST OF THE TREES IN THE AREA SUFFERED RAVAGES DURING THE JAPANESE OCCUPATION WHEN THEY WERE CUT DOWN FOR FUEL.
THE WELL-SHADED WOODS PICNICKERS NOW ENJOY ARE THE RESULT OF REAFFORESTATION AFTER THE WAR AS WELL AS NATURAL REGENERATION OF MANY OF THE BROADLEAVED SPECIES. THE MORE COMMON OF THE TREES SEEN ARE THE CHINA RED PINE, BRISBANE BOX, SCHIMA, GORDONIA, IVY TREE AND ROSE MYRTLE,
THESE WOODS ARE FREQUENTED BY BIRDS SUCH AS THE GREATER CONCAL, HWAMEI, MAGPIE-ROBIN, MAGPIE, CRESTED MYNAH AND KINGFISHER, BESIDES THE BLACK-EARED KITE WHICH ARE OFTEN SEEN FLYING AROUND THE ABERDEEN UPPER AND LOWER RESERVOIRS.
OCCASIONALLY, THE UNOBTRUSIVE VISITOR MAY ALSO CATCH A GLIMPSE OF THE BARKING DEER, FERRET-BADGER, PANGOLIN, OR SQUIRREL, OR EVEN ENCOUNTER A PYTHON,
THE AREA IS PLEASANT FOR WALKING AND HIKING. PARTICULARLY DURING SPRING WHEN THE HILLSIDES ARE FLUSH WITH RED AND BRIGHT GREEN FOLIAGE.
/A WIDE
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