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Woodside, also known as the Red House, located at 50 Mount Parker Road, Quarry Bay, has been revitalised into an education centre specialising in Hong Kong's rich biodiversity.
Standing on a hill just outside Tai Tam Country Park, Woodside was built in the 1920s as a residence for senior staff of the Taikoo Sugar Refinery. After the closure of the refinery, the building became the property of the Government in 1976 and from 1985 to 2001 it was leased to the Institute of Cultural Affairs for exhibitions and concerts. It was declared a Grade II historic building in 1998.
Following restoration work with the support of the Eastern District Council and technical assistance from the Architectural Services Department, Woodside was handed over to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department to become the first biodiversity education centre in Hong Kong with the key aim of promoting nature conservation.
Officiating at the opening ceremony of the Woodside Biodiversity Education Centre today (June 1), the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Edward Yau, was pleased to note the adaptive re-use of Hong Kong's built heritage. "This 90-year-old historical building has been revitalised after restoration. Woodside is an example of a happy marriage between nature conservation and heritage conservation with the concerted efforts of the local community and government departments," he said.
Though widely known as a compact urban centre, Hong Kong has thousands of square kilometres of rugged coastline, mountain ranges and country parks, so not surprisingly it is home to an impressive range of wildlife. Straddling the transitional zone between the tropics and the temperate region, its biodiversity is greater than is usually found in such a small area. About 3 100 varieties of vascular plants including over 300 native tree species, around 510 species of birds, over 50 species of mammals, over 100 species of amphibians and reptiles, 236 species of butterflies and 117 species of dragonflies are found here.
The centre has three exhibition galleries on the ground floor to showcase the beauty of Hong Kong's natural environment and wildlife. The first gallery introduces the functions and values of biodiversity with a high-definition film featuring the diverse animal and plant species found in Hong Kong. The second galley comprises four sections covering woodlands, rivers and streams, the marine environment and mangroves. Here visitors can learn more about the close relationship between habitat and species diversity through display panels, video clips and interactive games. Live specimens of our native species such as Romer's tree frog, the Hong Kong newt, fiddler crab and mudskipper are also displayed for visitors to observe the species closely. The third gallery displays examples of ecological studies and nature conservation work in Hong Kong.
A multi-function room and two activity rooms on the first floor will be used for various education programmes for students and the general public. Film shows, public seminars, workshops and guided tours will be held regularly. Visitors may also join the Quarry Bay Tree Walk outside the building to appreciate the native tree species.
Admission to the centre is free. Opening hours are from 9.30am to 4.30pm every day except Tuesdays and the first two days of the Lunar New Year. The outdoor garden is open from 6am to 6pm daily all year round.
Ends/Friday, June 1, 2012
Issued at HKT 15:54
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