ENG-1960 — Page 118

PRIMARY PRODUCTION

89

gradual changing pattern of land use. Using the same classification of land use, the following data are now accepted:

Approximate Percentage

Class

Area (square miles)

Remarks

of whole

(i) Built-up (urban areas)

22

5

Includes roads and railways

(ii) Steep country

111

28

(iii) Woodlands

13

3

(iv) Grass & scrub lands

173

44

Rocky, precipitous hillsides incapable of plant establish- ment

Natural and established woodlands

Natural grass and scrub

(v) Eroded lands

20

5

Stripped of cover. Granite

country. Capable of re- generation

8

2

Capable of reclamation

51

13

Includes orchards and market gardens

(vi) Swamp & mangrove

lands

(vii) Arable

Natural topography largely decides the use which can be made of land in Hong Kong. From a farmer's viewpoint, all the readily cultivable land is already being exploited and what is left, apart from land alienated to industrial and urban use, is marginal. Pressure comes on the land from two directions, the continued and steady demand for land for industry and the need to meet the growing needs of the rural community. It is important to remember that_82% of the total area of the territory is marginal land, in differing degrees of sub-grade character. The arable land already exploited comprises only, 13% of the total area and the expanding urban areas, the remaining 5%, tend to encroach more directly upon arable rather than open marginal land. However the New Territories Administration tries to preserve a proper balance between these conflicting needs, and wherever possible land is reclaimed for industry from the sea, as has been done at Tsuen Wan. But market towns such as Yuen Long, Tai Po and Sha Tin must expand and it is unavoidable that fields will be lost to agriculture, or at least that agriculture in such areas will be confined to market gardens.

In 1937 it was estimated that the total forest cover, both natural and established woodland, was 103 square miles. During the Japanese occupation most of this timber was stripped from the hillsides and catchment areas. The afforestation policy is to replace