Urban Survival Digs Lantau Diversity

‘Urban Survival’ Elements students have been finding out about Hong Kong’s forest diversity by joining in a local tree biodiversity project run by Lantau based conservationist Paul Melsom.

On the day of their trip students trekked up a Lantau hillside to the tree project carrying materials. Mr Melsom told the group about the importance of maintaining the ‘firebreak’ and students helped to maintain the tree guards.

Melsom explained that the project comprises of over 200 species of native trees, shrubs and herbs and it is a valuable ecological resource. Melsom said, “The native tree project is helping to restore a very degraded hillside which is subject to hill fires. The project aims to stop erosion, increase native biodiversity and beautify the landscape. A very noticeable increase in fauna has been seen as a result of the variety of the addition of native plants.”