RAS-1974 — Page 195

RASHKB Journal 皇家亞洲學會香港分會學刊 All AI Reviewed

NOTES AND QUERIES

189

Woodlands forming a part of the "Fung Shui" of a village are jealously guarded by the villagers, and the destructive influence of man is thus reduced to a minimum. The happy result of this has been the preservation of a series of mature and well-developed areas of natural woodland which must surely otherwise have been destroyed.

It is likely, then, that these woodlands are remnants of the natural forest type which might have been expected to cover a large area of the Colony if a similar standard of protection had been applied over the whole territory. A study of a well-developed "Fung Shui" woodland may be expected therefore to furnish information on the physiognomy, structure, and floristic composition of this vegetation type which may then form the basis for comparisons with other similar woodlands elsewhere in Hong Kong.

Such a study has been carried out in a well-developed "Fung Shui" woodland near the north-eastern end of Jubilee Reservoir. This woodland was related to the existence of a village which was evacuated in 1929 as part of the water catchment scheme in the area. Having enjoyed good protection since this date, there are few other places in the Colony which exhibit, in a compact area, such dense, tall, natural plant cover with such an interesting collection of hardwood trees.

The study, which will be written up fully in due course, gives an indication of the complexity of the floristic composition of the area, where 3,100 trees all over 4" in diameter and of 76 different species were recorded in an area of 3.5 acres of woodland.

In modern parlance, these "Fung Shui" woodlands are really "Village Shelter Belts". Historically, they were also of importance to the villagers as a place where many materials were collected for a variety of uses—culinary, medicinal, ceremonial, structural, and so on—in addition to the normal collection of fruits. It is emphasised, however, that it was the natural "increase" and "produce" from the trees which was collected. The trees themselves were carefully guarded against abuse, children and strangers being severely dealt with if they caused harm to the woodland grove.

D. C. SHEN

This article first appeared in Wildlife Conservation Newsletter No. 14 (October 1971) published by the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Department of the Hong Kong Government, and is reproduced here with the kind permission of the Director.

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NOTES AND QUERIES 189 Woodlands forming a part of the "Fung Shui" of a village are jealously guarded by the villagers, and the destructive influence of man is thus reduced to a minimum. The happy result of this has been the preservation of a series of mature and well-developed areas of natural woodland which must surely otherwise have been destroyed. It is likely, then, that these woodlands are remnants of the natural forest type which might have been expected to cover a large area of the Colony if a similar standard of protection had been applied over the whole territory. A study of a well-developed "Fung Shui" woodland may be expected therefore to furnish information on the physiognomy, structure, and floristic composition of this vegetation type which may then form the basis for comparisons with other similar woodlands elsewhere in Hong Kong. Such a study has been carried out in a well-developed "Fung Shui" woodland near the north-eastern end of Jubilee Reservoir. This woodland was related to the existence of a village which was evacuated in 1929 as part of the water catchment scheme in the area. Having enjoyed good protection since this date, there are few other places in the Colony which exhibit, in a compact area, such dense, tall, natural plant cover with such an interesting collection of hardwood trees. The study, which will be written up fully in due course, gives an indication of the complexity of the floristic composition of the area, where 3,100 trees all over 4" in diameter and of 76 different species were recorded in an area of 3.5 acres of woodland. In modern parlance, these "Fung Shui" woodlands are really "Village Shelter Belts". Historically, they were also of importance to the villagers as a place where many materials were collected for a variety of uses—culinary, medicinal, ceremonial, structural, and so on—in addition to the normal collection of fruits. It is emphasised, however, that it was the natural "increase" and "produce" from the trees which was collected. The trees themselves were carefully guarded against abuse, children and strangers being severely dealt with if they caused harm to the woodland grove. D. C. SHEN This article first appeared in Wildlife Conservation Newsletter No. 14 (October 1971) published by the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Department of the Hong Kong Government, and is reproduced here with the kind permission of the Director. Page 195 Page 196

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NOTES AND QUERIES 189 Woodlands forming a part of the "Fung Shui" of a village are jealously guarded by the villagers, and the destructive influence of man is thus reduced to a minimum. The happy result of this has been the preservation of a series of mature and well developed areas of natural woodland which must surely otherwise have been destroyed. It is likely, then, that these woodlands are remnants of the natural forest type which might have been expected to cover a large area of the Colony if a similar standard of protection had been applied over the whole territory. A study of a well developed "Fung Shui" woodland may be expected therefore to furnish in- formation on the physiognomy, structure and floristic composition of this vegetation type which may then form the basis for compari- sons with other similar woodlands elsewhere in Hong Kong. Such a study has been carried out in a well developed “Fung Shui" woodland near the north eastern end of Jubilee Reservoir. This woodland was related to the existence of a village which was evacuated in 1929 as part of the water catchment scheme in the area. Having enjoyed good protection since this date, there are few other places in the Colony which exhibit, in a compact area, such dense, tall, natural plant cover with such an interesting collection of hardwood trees. The study which will be written up fully in due course gives an indication of the complexity of the floristic composition of the area, where 3,100 trees all over 4" in diameter and of 76 different species were recorded in an area of 3.5 acres of woodland. In modern parlance, these "Fung Shui" woodlands are really "Village Shelter Belts", Historically they were also of importance to the villagers as a place where many materials were collected for a variety of uses-culinary, medicinal, ceremonial, structural and so on in addition to the normal collection of fruits. It is emphasised, however, that it was the natural "increase" and "produce" from the trees which was collected. The trees themselves were carefully guarded against abuse, children and strangers being severely dealt with if they caused harm to the woodland grove. D. C. SHEN This article first appeared in Wildlife Conservation Newsletter No. 14 (October 1971) published by the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Department of the Hong Kong Government, and is re- produced here with the kind permission of the Director. Page 195Page 196

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NOTES AND QUERIES

189

Woodlands forming a part of the "Fung Shui" of a village are jealously guarded by the villagers, and the destructive influence of man is thus reduced to a minimum. The happy result of this has been the preservation of a series of mature and well developed areas of natural woodland which must surely otherwise have been destroyed.

It is likely, then, that these woodlands are remnants of the natural forest type which might have been expected to cover a large area of the Colony if a similar standard of protection had been applied over the whole territory. A study of a well developed "Fung Shui" woodland may be expected therefore to furnish in- formation on the physiognomy, structure and floristic composition of this vegetation type which may then form the basis for compari- sons with other similar woodlands elsewhere in Hong Kong.

Such a study has been carried out in a well developed “Fung Shui" woodland near the north eastern end of Jubilee Reservoir. This woodland was related to the existence of a village which was evacuated in 1929 as part of the water catchment scheme in the area. Having enjoyed good protection since this date, there are few other places in the Colony which exhibit, in a compact area, such dense, tall, natural plant cover with such an interesting collection of hardwood trees.

The study which will be written up fully in due course gives an indication of the complexity of the floristic composition of the area, where 3,100 trees all over 4" in diameter and of 76 different species were recorded in an area of 3.5 acres of woodland.

In modern parlance, these "Fung Shui" woodlands are really "Village Shelter Belts", Historically they were also of importance to the villagers as a place where many materials were collected for a variety of uses-culinary, medicinal, ceremonial, structural and so on in addition to the normal collection of fruits. It is emphasised, however, that it was the natural "increase" and "produce" from the trees which was collected. The trees themselves were carefully guarded against abuse, children and strangers being severely dealt with if they caused harm to the woodland grove.

D. C. SHEN

This article first appeared in Wildlife Conservation Newsletter No. 14 (October 1971) published by the Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Department of the Hong Kong Government, and is re- produced here with the kind permission of the Director.

RAS-1974 — Page 195

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