WWF is Committed to Conservation in Deep Bay

Dear Supporter:

You may have come across a story in the news recently about WWF-Hong Kong and the Fung Lok Wai area of wetland in Deep Bay.

WWF's global mission is to stop the degradation of the planet's natural environment and to build a future in which humans live in harmony with nature. We believe one method to achieve this mission is by conserving the world's biological diversity wherever and whenever possible.

Fung Lok Wai is an area of fish ponds of high ecological value in Deep Bay. This privately-owned land area is now occupied by 56 fish ponds. These fish ponds are still leased to local farmers for commercial fish farming, but many of them are not actively managed. In order to preserve and enhance its ecological value as an integral part of the greater Deep Bay ecosystem long term and active management is required.

In 2005, WWF-Hong Kong signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Mutual Luck Investment Limited to ensure that the Fung Lok Wai project complies with the Public-Private Partnership approach (PPP), in which 5% of the site area would be used for a housing development, and the remaining 95% of the land would be turned into a Wetland Nature Reserve (WNR), with long term funding by the project proponent. WWF-Hong Kong will offer advice to the project proponent on the planning, construction and operation of the Wetland Nature Reserve and other aspects of the project relating to nature conservation

WWF is always looking for the most ideal conservation solutions, but they must be feasible. We entered into this partnership because we are convinced it is a viable solution to conserve and manage the critical Deep Bay wetlands. If no action is taken, environmental degradation will almost certainly worsen.

Regarding the newly-discovered firefly species, we have expressed our concern about the potential impacts of the Fung Lok Wai project on the species, Pteroptyx maipo to the project proponent. In 2010, AFCD announced that they discovered an unidentified species of firefly in the Hong Kong Wetland Park in Tin Shui Wai and in 2011 the species was confirmed as unique to Hong Kong. WWF-Hong Kong has requested the project proponent to conduct a supplementary study to further investigate the potential impact and also to carry out mitigation measures to protect the species. The project proponent has decided to defer the Town Planning Board application and undertake a survey of the site. As an advisor, WWF will continue monitoring and advise the appropriate mitigation measures to be adopted to protect the species.

One of the cornerstones of WWF's conservation strategy is to engage all stakeholders to seek solutions for a sustainable future.It is only by working constructively together that we can achieve a solution for all parties involved. WWF-Hong Kong's interest in the Fung Lok Wai project is solely conservation, and a natural extension of our wetland management work at the Mai PoNature Reserve. We are confident the project will result in a net conservation benefit for the area. We contend that our involvement as an active participant will serve to increase the likelihood of a successful conservation outcome.

To read more about the Fung Lok Wai project and our position, please click the following link. http://wwf.org.hk/en/news/?5541/WWF-Hong-Kongs-position-on-the-Fung-Lok-Wai-project

Eric Bohm
CEO
WWF-Hong Kong