Nature Works – Students Join Hands in Oyster Reefs Restoration in Pak Nai

As part of the Nature Works Programme, international school students surveyed Pak Nai on Saturday, 31st July 2021, through intertidal and river trekking activities. The field trip was led by environmental organisation Nature Conservancy and the English Schools Foundation.

Sam Hui (12W), Ginny Park (11W), and Hannah Wu (11D) and the Nature Works team engaged in hands-on conservation work. They learnt about the environmental importance of oyster reefs and the cultural history of oyster aquaculture in Hong Kong.

The participants saw firsthand the endangered “living fossil” horseshoe crab, which has lived on Earth for 450 million years. Although horseshoe crabs were prolific in Hong Kong, pollution and development has reduced their numbers drastically. Students also collected and relocated oyster shells on raw bars in the mudflats of Ha Pak Nai to areas with less exposure to the sea so that they could be dried out and restored in other areas.

This trip was part of the Nature Works Programme, which challenges students to develop real-world environmental initiatives following leadership and entrepreneurial training. Students are currently testing their projects and in October 2021 they will present their plan to the judging panel committee.

Sam Hui (12W), “This was a rewarding and exciting tour of Hong Kong’s vibrant ecosystems. I really enjoyed this experience as we learned about the unique characteristics and features of different species and were actually able to engage with them. Let’s continue to protect and preserve our diverse and ubiquitous wildlife so that our future generations can appreciate the beauty of nature in the same way we do!”

WANBO is looking to recruit new student volunteers. If you would like to volunteer, please contact Ross Burrough (ross.burrough@online.island.edu.hk).

For more regular updates and announcements on ongoing initiatives, as well as opportunities for students to get involved in WANBO’s initiatives, please email your campus WANBO Leaders.

Sha Tin Wai: kimberley.ng@online.island.edu.hk or ethan.yap@online.island.edu.hk

Tai Wai: clement.kwan@online.island.edu.hk, ginny.park@online.island.edu.hk or hannah.wu@online.island.edu.hk

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