ENG-2004 — Page 527

Recreation, Sport and the Arts | 457

promotion on wetland conservation. Phase 2 of HKWP, comprising a 10 000 square- metre Visitor Centre and a 60-hectare Wetland Reserve, is a new eco-tourism initiative to showcase the functions and values of wetlands. Phase 2 is under construction and the entire project will be completed in late 2005 or early 2006.

Green Promotion/Initiatives

Green Hong Kong Campaign

To enhance public awareness of the importance of 'greening' the environment, various community involvement projects and educational activities were organised in 2004. These included the Green Volunteer Scheme, Community Planting Day, Greening Hong Kong Activities Subsidy Scheme, Best Landscape Award for Private Property Development, theme flower shows and greening promotional talks. The Greening School Subsidy Scheme was also organised to promote greening initiatives at schools and attracted the participation of 700 schools and kindergartens. In addition, 40 schools took part in the 'School Planting Plot in Park' scheme and made arrangements for some of their students to practise gardening under the guidance of LCSD staff and their teachers. Some 330 000 students from 1000 schools participated in the 'One Person, One Flower' programme in which Begonia seedlings were distributed to students for growing at home or in schools. The Community Garden Programme was launched in February to encourage the public to participate in greening activities at community level and to adopt greening activities as part of their daily life. Six community gardens were established in 2004 for organising gardening courses.

Hong Kong Flower Show

The Hong Kong Flower Show is a major event organised by the LCSD to promote horticulture and the awareness of greening. Every year, it provides a good opportunity for hundreds of thousands of local citizens and horticulture lovers all over the world to appreciate the beauty of flowers and share their experiences in flower cultivation. Participants to the show range from horticultural associations and floral art clubs both local and from the Mainland - to green groups, District Councils, schools and the public. The show has been growing in size, content and popularity every year. Apart from numerous pleasing

numerous pleasing landscape displays, artistic floral arrangements and colourful horticultural exhibits, a rich diversity of educational and recreational fringe activities was organised for the enjoyment of visitors of all ages. They included student drawing competition, photo competition, exhibit competition, music and cultural performances, floral art demonstrations, plant maintenance workshops, green stalls, guided visits, recreation programmes and fun games. Various types of plants and horticultural products were put on sale in commercial stalls inside the showground. More than 180 local and overseas horticultural organisations from 17 countries took part in the 2004 show held in March at Victoria Park, attracting a record attendance of over 555 000 visitors. The main features of the overseas participants centred upon floral art, tree craft and folk dance. Among these participants were floral art masters from Japan, Malaysia, Australia, Thailand and Norway, arboriculturists from England and folk dancers from South Africa and the