Slice of city named national geopark

A 49-square-kilometre tract of some of Kong Kong's most rugged land and seascapes has been designated China's 183rd national geopark in a move that officials hope will boost tourism and lead to World Heritage status as early as next year.
The park boasts one of the world's biggest collections of hexagonal rock columns, formed by volcanic activity, among eight distinctive features.

Speaking at a ceremony, Chief Executive Donald Tsang Yam-kuen said gaining national status meant the city's geological resources were unique and world-class, and that legal and administrative systems to protect and manage the park were adequate.

"I hope that when people think about Hong Kong, they will not only admire our skyscrapers and be attracted to our busy shopping areas, but also the unique geological formations and natural beauty," he said at the ceremony at the High Island reservoir, site of the hexagonal columns.

Recognition follows an application to mainland authorities earlier this year. Next step, the government said, was to seek World Heritage status from the United Nations next year for the park, the two sections of which stretch from Tung Ping Chau in the north to the Ninepins in the south.

Tourism Board chairman James Tien Pei-chun said the park had great potential to attract visitors but, having spent half an hour travelling from Central, he said transport arrangements needed to be improved to make it easier for people to get there.

"Natural attractions aren't a great source of income, but they diversify the activities for tourists in Hong Kong," he said.

Senior geopark officer Dr Yeung Ka-ming said the park was not very big but was "the largest in the world in terms of the number and the diameter of hexagonal rock columns". The columns were formed 140 million years ago when volcanoes erupted. The volcanoes eventually collapsed, leaving vast depressions called calderas that eroded over millions of years to their appearance today.

The park's features will be covered by three zones - core protection, special protection and comprehensive protection - with different levels of access. Sensitive or hazardous areas will be restricted to boat trips, while hiking trails will be provided in others, such as Tung Ping Chau, Tolo Channel and High and Sharp islands.

Yeung said more work had to be done before an application could be made for the park to join Unesco's network of geoparks. "More than HK$1 million will have to be spent on finding a competent management team that puts conservation before anything else, and on raising Hongkongers' interest in earth science before we will stand a chance," he said.

No new law was required as the geopark areas would be protected by the Country and Marine Parks Ordinance by next year, Yeung said.

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department is organising educational activities, including guided tours on Sundays and public holidays, from later this month to March, and "rock classroom" activities will be held for schoolchildren at the Lions Nature Education Centre in Tsiu Hang, Sai Kung.

Department director Alan Wong Chi-kong said 20 staff would be hired to manage the park and prepare for world geopark status next year. The department had already provided training and guidelines to the tourism sector. "The park offers the city a chance to keep up its international status," Wong said. "Eco-tourism can boost the economy, as a shopping paradise might no longer be attractive enough to mainland visitors."

The Tourism Board will promote the park overseas, including Japan, as the city's eco-tourism attraction.

SCMP. Nov 4, 2009.