ENG-1961 — Page 120

PRIMARY PRODUCTION

91

Approximate

Percentage

Class

Area (square miles)

Remarks

of whole

(i) Built-up (urban areas)

22.5

(ii) Steep country

111.0

5.5

28.0

Includes roads and railways

Rocky, precipitous hillsides incapable of plant estab- lishment

(iii) Woodlands

20.5

5.2

Natural and established woodlands

(iv) Grass & scrub lands

164.0

41.2

Natural grass and scrub

(v) Eroded lands

20.0

5.0

Stripped of cover. Granite

country. Capable of re- generation

(vi) Swamp & mangrove

lands

(vii) Arable

7.5

1.9

Capable of reclamation

52.5

13.2

Includes orchards and mar- ket gardens

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 81.3% of the total area of the territory is marginal land, in differing degrees of sub-grade character. The arable land already exploited comprises only 13.2% of the total area, and the expand- ing urban areas (the remaining 5.5%) tend to encroach more directly upon arable rather than upon marginal land. It is necessary to preserve a proper balance between these conflicting needs, and, wherever possible, land is reclaimed for industry from the sea, as for instance at Tsuen Wan. On the other hand market towns such as Yuen Long, Tai Po and Sha Tin must expand and it is un- avoidable that fields will be lost to agriculture, or at least that agriculture in such areas will be confined to market gardens. This trend is, however, being offset by more intensive production and by development of marginal land.

In 1937 it was estimated that the total forest cover, both natural and established woodland, was 103 square miles. During the Japanese occupation much of this timber was stripped from the hillsides and catchment areas. The afforestation policy is to replace these lost woodlands, not only to safeguard water catchments and

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