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Following is a question by the Hon Choy So Yuk and a written reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, at the Legislative Council meeting today (March 1) :
Question:
On curbing the proliferation of Mikania micrantha, a climbing plant also known as "the plant killer", will the Government inform this Council:
(a) of the locations and total area of the land where Mikania micrantha proliferated last year; and the respective areas of land covered by Mikania micrantha within the jurisdiction of various departments at present;
(b) whether the relevant departments have designated staff to remove the Mikania micrantha growing in the areas within their jurisdiction; if so, of the current number of such staff in each department, and the respective areas of land in which Mikania micrantha is usually removed each month; if not, the reasons for that;
(c) whether Mikania micrantha removal operations were conducted on lands within the jurisdiction of the Lands Department and the Highways Department over the past three years; if so, of the number of such operations and the area of land covered each year; if not, the reasons for that;
(d) whether the authorities have conducted Mikania micrantha removal operations on private lands over the past three years; if so, of the number of such operations and the area of land covered each year; if not, the reasons for that, and how it will prevent damage caused by Mikania micrantha to the trees on such lands;
(e) as it indicated at the end of 2004 that it would consider using extensively the herbicide "Sulfometuron-methyl" to kill Mikania micrantha, of the current position on the use of such herbicide to remove Mikania micrantha; and
(f) whether it has explored alternatives to curb the proliferation of Mikania micrantha; if it has, of the outcome?
Reply:
Madam President,
Mikania micrantha is found mainly at derelict fields, abandoned fishponds, hillsides and woodland fringe in Tai Po, Yuen Long and the North Districts. So far, it has not been found in urban landscaped areas managed by Government departments. The spreading of Mikania micrantha in country parks and other ecologically sensitive areas has also been kept under control. Government departments remove Mikania micrantha from land areas under their jurisdiction on a regular basis. We have no statistics on the total area of land where Mikania micrantha proliferated last year and the areas of land covered by Mikania micrantha at present.
About 500 staff in the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) are involved in the management of country parks. Weeding of Mikania micrantha is part of their routine duties. In the past three years, AFCD cleared a total of 76 hectares of lands with Mikania micrantha in country parks and other ecologically sensitive areas. Removal of this plant is also part of the routine horticultural maintenance work, and clearance work in public works sites controlled by Government departments. Government departments may either deploy their staff or contractors to remove Mikania micrantha. We find the existing arrangement cost effective.
The Lands Department and the Highways Department together removed Mikania micrantha on 12 hectares of lands under their jurisdiction in the past three years. As the removal of this plant was carried out as part of their routine horticultural maintenance duties, no separate statistics is kept on the number of clearing operations.
The Government does not have the right to enter private lands to clear Mikania micrantha therein. AFCD will assist landowners to control Mikania micrantha in private land by offering professional advice on the clearing methods.
In 2004, AFCD and the Forestry Bureau of Guangdong Province completed a study on measures to prevent and control the growth of Mikania micrantha. In the study, Sulfometuron-methyl was identified as an effective herbicide. Field trials have been carried out in country parks and the results have been satisfactory. However, application of herbicide to clear Mikania micrantha is not suitable for sites near water sources or active agricultural lands.
Researches have been carried out overseas to explore other alternative measures to control Mikania micrantha. However, no conclusive results are available at this stage.
Ends/Wednesday, March 1, 2006
Issued at HKT 13:06
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