XN000022-1982-11-02 — Page 6

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TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 1982

THERE ARE COUNTRY PARK RANGERS PERFORMING LAW ENFORCEMENT, AS WELL AS EDUCATIONAL AND GUIDE DUTIES FOR VISITORS.

AMONG THE MORE SERIOUS PROBLEMS STAFF HAVE TO DEAL WITH ARE LITTERING AND FIRES, MR FU POINTED OUT.

LAST YEAR THE STAFF DISPOSED OF 3 000 TONNES OF LITTER LEFT BEHIND BY VISITORS, MANY OF WHOM DID NOT USE THE 4 500 LITTER BINS PROVIDED. BUT OFFENDERS HAVE BEEN FINED UP TO $350.

+WITHOUT LITTERING, THE STAFF COULD HAVE BETTER EMPLOYED THEIR TIME IN PROVIDING MORE AND BETTER RECREATION FACILTIES OR IN IMPROVING THE COUNTRYSIDE ENVIRONMENT GENERALLY, MR TU SAID.

HILL FIRES IN HONG KONG HAVE BEEN MAINLY THE RESULT OF HUMAN CARELESSNESS. NATURAL CAUSES LIKE LIGHTNING STRIKES AND SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION ARE VIRTUALLY UNKNOWN HERE, ACCORDING TO MR IU.

OVER THE LAST TEN YEARS, FIRE OUTBREAKS IN COUNTRY PARKS HAVE AVERAGED MORE THAN 500 A YEAR.

+ IT IS IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND THAT ALL HILL FIRES START SMALL AND ANY OUTBREAK COULD DEVELOP INTO THE SORT OF CONFLAGRATION WE HAD IN NOVEMBER 1979, WHICH BURNED FOR 29 HOURS, DAMAGING 500 HECTARES OF LAND AND 250 000 TREES, HE CAUTIONED.

AT WORST, A FIRE COULD MAKE A WOODLAND INCAPABLE OF SUPPORTING THE LIVES OF PLANTS, BIRDS, OR EVEN BUTTERFLIES AND OTHER INSECTS. IT COULD ALSO REMOVÉ VEGETATION GROWTH WHICH IS ESSENTIAL FOR THE PREVENTION OF SOIL EROSION AND THE PREVENTION OF SILT BEING WASHED INTO RESERVOIRS AND CATCHWATERS, MR IU EXPLAINED.

HE URGED VISITORS TO OBSERVE THE COUNTRY CODE, SUMMAR ISED INTO FIVE +DON'TS+1

* DO NOT DESTROY ANYTHING BY FIRE OR VANDALISM.

* DO NOT SPOIL THE COUNTRYSIDE WITH LITTER AND

DIRT.

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DO NOT POLLUTE WATER CATCHMENT AREAS, WATER COURSES AND RESERVOIRS.

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DO NOT DESTROY VEGETATION AND WILDLIFE.

* DO NOT DAMAGE CROPS.

MR 1U WARNED THAT THE MAXIMUM PENALTIES UNDER THE COUNTRY PARK ORDINANCE ARE A $5 000 FINE AND ONE YEAR'S IMPRISONMENT FOR STARTING A FIRE ILLEGALLY, AND A $2 000 FINE AND THREE MONTHS' IMPRISONMENT FOR LITTERING.

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