XN000022-1990-06-17 — Page 6

SUNDAY, JUNE 17, 1990

5

BIG STRIDE IN COUNTRYSIDE EDUCATION PROMOTION

*

THE

DEVELOPMENT OF HONG KONG'S FIRST NATURE EDUCATION CENTRE HAS MOVED A STEP CLOSER TO REALISATION WITH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A FOUNDATION FOR THIS PURPOSE.

UNDERTAKEN BY THE

AGRICULTURE AND

THE PROJECT IS BEING FISHERIES DEPARTMENT WITH THE SPONSORSHIP OF THE LIONS CLUBS INTERNATIONAL, DISTRICT 303 HONG KONG AND MACAU.

—

SPEAKING AT A PRESS CONFERENCE TO ANNOUNCE THE DEVELOPMENT PLAN AND' THE SETTING UP OF THE LIONS NATURE EDUCATION FOUNDATION TODAY (SUNDAY), THE DIRECTOR OF AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES, DR LAWRENCE LEE, SAID THE DEPARTMENT BELIEVED THAT IF THE PUBLIC KNEW THE COUNTRYSIDE BETTER, THEY WOULD NOT ONLY DERIVE MORE ENJOYMENT DURING THEIR VISIT BUT ALSO HAVE MORE CONCERN IN PROTECTING IT.

"AS HONG KONG BECOMES MORE AND MORE URBANISED, THERE IS AN INCREASING NEED FOR A NATURE EDUCATION CENTRE то ENHANCE OUR COUNTRYSIDE EDUCATION PROGRAMME AND FOR PEOPLE TO APPRECIATE OUR RURAL HERITAGE, HE SAID.

DR LEE NOTED THAT IT HAD LONG BEEN THE PLAN OF HIS DEPARTMENT DEVELOP THE FORMER SAI KUNG FARM INTO A NATURE EDUCATION CENTRE, THE PROGRESS OF THE PROJECT HAD BEEN SLOW BECAUSE OF FUNDING CONSTRAINTS.

TO BUT

UP

"IT IS INDEED FORTUNATE THAT THE LIONS CLUBS INTERNATIONAL, DISTRICT 303 HONG KONG AND MACAU, HAS GENEROUSLY AGREED TO TAKE THE PROJECT FOR THE BENEFIT OF THE COMMUNITY,

"I AM VERY IMPRESSED BY THE LIONS' ENTHUSIASM IN THIS PROJECT. WITH A FEW MONTHS' PLANNING AND FUND RAISING, A LARGE SUM OF MONEY HAS BEEN SECURED AND THE PROJECT IS NOW IN FULL SWING, HE SAID.

[

DR LEE TOLD THE PRESS CONFERENCE THAT THE LIONS NATURE EDUCATION CENTRE, WHEN COMPLETED, WOULD PROVIDE LIVING SPECIMENS AND STATIC DISPLAYS TO HELP VISITORS UNDERSTAND AND APPRECIATE LOCAL WILDLIFE, VEGETATION AND OTHER NATURAL RESOURCES, то STIMULATE THEM TO EXPLORE BEYOND HONG KONG'S "CONCRETE JUNGLE" AND TO AROUSE THEIR CONCERN FOR COUNTRYSIDE CONSERVATION.

SPECIAL FEATURES OF THE CENTRE WOULD INCLUDE A RICH FRUIT TREE COLLECTION AND DISPLAYS ON THE EVOLUTION OF THE AGRICULTURE AND FISHERIES INDUSTRIES.

DR LEE STRESSED THAT LIONS CLUBS' PARTICULAR MEANING TO THIS PROJECT.

INVOLVEMENT HAD ADDED

"IT REFLECTS THE COMMUNITY'S DEMAND AND SUPPORT FOR MORE NATURE EDUCATION," HE SAID.

GOVERNOR, SIR

IT WAS VERY ENCOURAGING, DR LEE SAID, THAT THE DAVID WILSON, HAD AGREED TO BE THE PATRON OF THE FOUNDATION AND MR ALLEN LEE, SENIOR MEMBER OF THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL, AND MR PETER TSAO, SECRETARY FOR HOME AFFAIRS, HAD AGREED TO BE VICE PATRONS.

/MOREOVER, A