XN000022-1979-02-16 — Page 3

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 1979

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THREE MORE COUNTRY PARKS GAZETTED

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THREE MORE COUNTRY PARKS INCORPORATING A NUMBER OF ISLANDS HAVE BEEN GAZETTED FOR PUBLIC CONSULTATION.

THE PARKS IN TODAY'S (FRIDAY) GOVERNMENT GAZETTE INCLUDE THE PLOVER COVE (EXTENSION) COUNTRY PARK, KIU TSUI (SHARP ISLAND) COUNTRY PARK AND CLEAR WATER BAY COUNTRY PARK,

THESE WILL BE THE LAST COUNTRY PARKS IN THE NEW TERRITORIES TO BE GAZETTED, A SPOKESMAN FOR THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES DEPARTMENT SAID.

OF THE 18 COUNTRY PARKS GAZETTED SINCE 1976 11 HAVE BEEN FORMALLY DESIGNATED. THE TAI PO KAU SPECIAL AREA HAS ALSO BEEN DESIGNATED UNDER THE PROGRAMME.

THE PLOVER COVE (EXTENSION) COUNTRY PARK COVERS AN AREA OF 630 HECTARES AND INCLUDES SOME OF THE MOST HIGHLY SCENIC COASTLINE IN HONG KONG, ISLANDS IN THE PROPOSED PARK INCLUDE MOST OF KAT Ô CHÂU (CROOKED ISLAND), TUI MIN CHÂU, NGO MEI CHÂU (CRESENT ISLAND), WONG WAN CHAU (DOUBLE ISLAND), WU YEUNG CHAU, PING CHAU AND CHEK CHAU (PORT ISLAND). EXISTING VILLAGES AND THE IR FUTURE EXPANSION AREAS HAVE NOT BEEN INCLUDED IN THE PARK.

MANAGEMENT OF THE COUNTRY PARK WILL AIM PRIMARILY AT THE PROVISION FOR BARBECUE AND CAMPING ACTIVITIES BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC, AND TO A LESSER EXTENT BY HIKERS.

VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE ARE TO BE PROTECTED AND SPECIAL ATTENTION WILL BE PAID TO CONSERVE THE UNSPOILT LANDSCAPE AND SCENIC VALUES OF THE AREA.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT LIMITED FERRY SERVICES AND +KAI-DOS+ SERVE THE LARGER ISLANDS AND THESE WILL BE IMPROVED TO A LEVEL COMPATIBLE WITH THE CAPACITY OF THE ISLANDS FOR RECREATION.

THE KIU TSUI (SHARP ISLAND) COUNTRY PARK WILL BE THE SMALLEST IN THE PROGRAMME, COVERING ONLY 100 HECTARES. INCLUDED IN ITS PROPOSED BOUNDARIES ARE PAK SHA CHAU, CHAM TAU CHAU, KIU TAU, TUEN TAU CHAU, HAM LUN KOK, TWO SMALL UNNAMED ISLANDS ́AND MOST OF KIU TSUI CHAU ITSELF.

THE AREA PREDOMINANTLY COMPRISES GRASSY HILLS WITH SOME WOODLANDS ON THE LOWER SLOPES AND A ROCKY SHORELINE.

MANAGEMENT OF THE PARK WILL AIM PRIMARILY AT THE PROVISION FOR BARBECUE AND PICNIC ACTIVITIES BY THE GENERAL PUBLIC TOGETHER WITH SOME USE BY HIKERS AND TO A LESSER EXTENT, CAMPERS.

THE ISLAND ARE SERVED BY +KAI-DOS+ WHILE KIU TSUI CHAU IS VISITED BY EXCURSION FERRIES FROM HONG KONG ISLAND,

/THE 660