The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) announced today (March 17) that the AFCD and Friends of the Country Parks will hold the Country Parks Hiking and Planting Day on three Sundays in March and April. Members of the public are welcome to take part in the activity.

     The Country Parks Hiking and Planting Day will be held at the following locations according to the schedule below:
 

March 26	Lantau Trail Section 3, Lautau South Country Park
April 16	Pat Sin Leng Nature Trail, Pat Sin Leng Country Park
April 23	Pak Tam Chung Family Walk, Sai Kung West Country Park

     Members of the public should enrol in person at the registration point from 9am to 10.30am on the event day. Pre-registration is not required. The AFCD will provide seedlings and planting tools. If all seedlings are given out, participants are welcome to join the hiking activity.

     An AFCD spokesman said, "The event aims to promote messages related to caring for nature and tree preservation via public engagement activities. AFCD staff and volunteers will share information on the seedlings, and promote hiking etiquette to enhance participants' awareness of nature conservation."
 
     The spokesman reminded members of the public to choose a suitable planting location and hiking route according to their physical strength and hiking experience. It takes about 25 to 45 minutes for participants to get to a planting site on a slope. After tree planting, participants may continue hiking along the recommended route or follow the same route back. The AFCD encourages members of the public to go hiking with their friends or family members, and help conserve the countryside by practising proper hiking etiquette, for example by bringing along reusable water bottles and towels, and "Take Your Litter Home".

     Seedlings for the tree planting activities were raised in Tai Tong Nursery of the AFCD in Yuen Long. The department has been planting local species in country parks to enhance the biodiversity and ecological value of country parks in recent years. About 250 000 tree seedlings were planted in country parks last year by AFCD staff and various organisations.

      Details of the activities and latest information are available on the Nature in Touch website (www.natureintouch.gov.hk/) or the Hong Kong Country Parks Facebook page (www.facebook.com/hongkongcountryparks/). For enquiries about the Country Parks Hiking and Planting Day, please call 1823 or email nature@afcd.gov.hk.

Ends/Friday, March 17, 2023
Issued at HKT 12:00

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