XN000022-1993-09-24 — Page 12

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FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 24, 1993

WHICH

STRETCHES

OVER

FOUR

THE ΤΑΙ TONG NATURE TRAIL, KILOMETRES, IS THE LONGEST ONE OF ITS KIND IN THE TERRITORY. IT TAKES AN AVERAGE HIKER ABOUT TWO HOURS TO FOLLOW THOROUGHLY.

MR YEUNG POINTED OUT THAT THE TAI TONG AREA WAS FORMERLY A BORROW AREA AND ALMOST ALL THE TREES FOUND IN THE AREAS WERE RESULTS OF AFFORESTATION.

THE NATURE TRAIL, WHICH BEGINS FROM A POPULAR BARBECUE SITE AT TAI TONG ROAD, RUNS THROUGH MANY HEAVILY ERODED PLACES AND IS AN IDEAL LOCATION FOR STUDYING EROSION CONTROL AND AFFORESTATION.

SINCE PART OF THE ROUTE ARE RUGGED AND SLIPPERY, IT IS ONLY SUITABLE FOR THE WELL-PREPARED HIKERS.

MR YEUNG SAID INTERPRETATION LABELS HAD BEEN ERECTED ALONG THE TWO NEW TRAILS TO HELP EASY UNDERSTANDING AND BETTER APPRECIATION OF THE SPECIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TRAILS.

STUDY.

VISITORS MAY ALSO BRING ALONG OFFICIAL GUIDEBOOKS FOR DETAILED

ON THE ESTABLISHMENT OF NATURE TRAILS AT COUNTRY PARKS, MR YEUNG SAID THE IDEA DATED BACK TO THE MID-1970'S WHEN THE FIRST NATURE TRAIL, PINEAPPLE DAM, WAS SET UP IN SHING MUN.

THE MAIN OBJECTIVE WAS ΤΟ HELP COUNTRY UNDERSTAND FLORA AND FAUNA AS WELL AS VILLAGE LIFE.

PARK VISITORS

IT ALSO AIMED AT PROVIDING MORE ENJOYMENT FOR COUNTRY PARK VISITORS AND DEVELOPING A POSITIVE ATTITUDE ON COUNTRYSIDE PROTECTION.

HE SAID NATURE TRAILS WERE BASICALLY SELF-GUIDED WALKS. VISITORS CAN MOVE AT THEIR CHOSEN SPEED AND TAKE AS MUCH TIME AS THEY LIKE AT EACH STOP.

THE NINE NATURE TRAILS TOGETHER OFFER A GREAT VARIETY OF CHOICES FOR VISITORS. EACH ONE IS MARKED BY INDIVIDUAL HIGHLIGHTS, SUCH AS RESERVOIRS AND CATCHMENT AREAS AT ABERDEEN; MONKEYS AND CHANGING LANDSCAPE AT EAGLE'S NEST; WOODLAND AND STREAM AT BRIDE'S POOL AND INTERESTING GEOGRAPHICAL NATURE AT PAT SIN LENG.

ALTERNATIVELY, VISITORS CAN EXPECT BETTER SUNSHINE SHADE AT THE BEAUTIFUL TAI PO KAU NATURE TRAIL WHICH TAKES LESS THAN AN HOUR TO COMPLETE.

PUBLICATIONS AND PUBLICITY LEAFLETS ON THESE NATURE TRAILS CAN BE BOUGHT OR OBTAINED FROM VISITOR CENTRES AND GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS COUNTERS.

FOR THE ENJOYMENT OF

OTHER VISITORS, MR YEUNG REMINDED

VISITORS NOT TO COLLECT PLANT SPECIMENS OR NATURAL HABITATS ALONG EACH TRAIL.

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