Loop Group Anti-Development Country Park refused to attend the consultation meeting – Hong Kong Economic Times – TOPick – News – Company

HKHS commissioned a consulting firm to conduct ecological studies on two adjoining areas of Tai Lam National Park and Ma On Shan National Park. He was invited yesterday to invite the community to comment on ecological research methods. At the consultation meeting, 17 groups refused to participate and issued a joint statement today, stating that the development of the national park project was unaware of the legislation and pre-consultation, so they refused to participate. attend the consultation meeting. The environmental protection group yesterday expressed dissatisfaction with the government's proposal to develop a national park and accused it of ignoring the national park. The functions of the Ordinance and the National Parks and Marine Parks Committee also undermine the protection of the protected area system and the consultation of the Government, which has tasked the Land Supply Working Group. to conduct public consultations and seek consensus. National parks reflect the fact that the government has always wanted to develop national parks. Hu Mingchuan, director of bird conservation in Hong Kong, said the government was using the word Bentham to deceive the public: the word is easy to confuse, thinking that it's only about the limit National Park and Low Ecological Value Zone. She believes that the government's intention to develop national parks is a dangerous idea, as the central areas of today can become a frontier zone of her time, undermining the system of protection and security. the scope of national parks. Gradually decreasing, it will have an irreversible impact on the value of recreation and landscape.

Hu Mingchuan, senior conservation director of the Hong Kong Birdwatching Association, said the boundary zone mentioned by the HS was essentially within the reach of national parks. (Photo: Zhang Yongkang)

Zheng Yuqi, director of green energy, said that national parks are protected by the ordinance on national parks, that national parks should be used for recreation and the protection of animals and plants. The statutory procedure confers on a consulting firm the task of carrying out research in such a way as to violate the spirit of the law and the rule of law, and the government often uses words to conceal and not to mention the law.

Zhu Jiang, director of the Greenpeace project, said that there were more than 700 hectares of brownfields in Hong Kong, but that there were only 44 hectares of national parks, the government felt that national parks did not belong to them. However, national parks are all residents of Hong Kong and they point out that national parks have not reached the point where they can not be developed, and if the government is planning a brownfield it will be more than enough .

The HS responded that at the end of April this year, a consulting firm had been appointed to conduct relevant research. The consulting firm is developing a research approach and a strategic plan for public participation, hoping to absorb the professional opinions of environmental groups at this stage on ecological research methods and to take the initiative to meet and proceed. informal consultations. When the study is officially launched, the consultants will conduct formal public engagement activities and expect to hear the views of stakeholders through different channels.

The HS reiterates that there is no established position on the development of rural parks for land-use planning purposes.After the end of the study, the report will be submitted to the government for consideration and should provide objective information to the community for future discussion. .