ENG-2015 — Page 371

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Recreation, Sport, Culture and the Arts

Visitors can enjoy and learn about the beauty and diversity of local marine life at four marine parks and one marine reserve. The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department manages the country parks, special areas, marine parks, marine reserve, the Hong Kong Wetland Park and Hong Kong Global Geopark of China.

Hong Kong Wetland Park

The 61-hectare Hong Kong Wetland Park, stretching from the northern part of Tin Shui Wai to the southern tip of the Mai Po Inner Deep Bay Ramsar Site, is a special area designated under the Country Parks Ordinance. It promotes wetland conservation, education and ecotourism in the territory, giving visitors the opportunity to appreciate wetlands and local wildlife in an open and natural setting. In 2015, the park attracted about 460,000 visitors. It also organised education and publicity programmes to cultivate awareness of wetland conservation.

Hong Kong Global Geopark of China

The Hong Kong Global Geopark of China, located in northeast Hong Kong, comprises two regions: the Sai Kung Volcanic Rock Region, which contains spectacular hexagonal volcanic rock columns of a size and composition rarely found elsewhere in the world; and the Northeast New Territories Sedimentary Rock Region, whose rocks are formed over 400 million years ago, making them of great geological and educational interest.

The Hong Kong Global Geopark Volcano Discovery Centre at Sai Kung Waterfront Park, opened on 15 July 2014, is accessible by a wide range of public transport and is an ideal point to start a visit to the Hong Kong Geopark.

In collaboration with the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong and the Association for Geoconservation, Hong Kong, the Hong Kong Geopark operates an accredited geopark guide system to ensure the quality of the interpretation and guide services for visitors.

Green Hong Kong Campaign

The LCSD provides at least one community garden in each of the 18 districts. More than 12,000 participants attended the 55 gardening courses conducted in 2015, and over 4,800 people took part in 18 community planting activities organised by the districts.

Various activities were organised in 2015 to promote public awareness of the importance of greening the environment. More than 350 local celebrities joined the Green Ambassador Scheme, over 6,200 people joined the Green Volunteer Scheme to promote community greening, and more than 877 schools and kindergartens took part in a Greening School Subsidy Scheme to promote environmentally friendly initiatives. About 361,280 students from over 1,129 schools participated in a 'One Person, One Flower' programme. They received seedlings to plant at home or school.

Hong Kong Flower Show

This annual event provides an opportunity for hundreds of thousands of Hong Kong people and horticulture lovers from around the world to enjoy the beauty and diversity of flowers and to share their experiences in flower cultivation. A total of 217 horticultural organisations from 18

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