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Following is a question by the Hon Raymond Ho and a reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Transport and Works, Dr Sarah Liao, in the Legislative Council meeting today (July 5) :
Question:
It has been reported that some studies have found that eucalypts are ineffective in retaining subsoil water and conserving soil, poor in self-regeneration, inhospitable to the local species planted on foreign lands and easily turn lands barren; and the areas surrounding the upstream of Dongjiang are densely planted with eucalypts. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council of:
(a) the areas in Hong Kong where eucalypts are planted, and whether such trees have adversely affected the vegetation and ecology there;
(b) the ecological benefits and harms caused by eucalypts, and whether the authorities will consider excluding eucalypts from their future afforestation programmes; and
(c) the measures taken by the authorities to monitor if the pesticides for eucalypts have affected the quality of Dongjiang water supplied to Hong Kong?
Reply:
Madam President,
(a)&(b) Eucalypts are exotic species in Hong Kong. We have been planting eucalypts in Hong Kong since 1950's. Some studies in the Mainland indicate that eucalypts, when used as economic crops in the agriculture and forestry industry, may adversely affect other vegetation or crops in the areas they are planted. However, the situation in Hong Kong is different, because eucalypts are used for afforestation, not as economic crops, and they will not be harvested after planting.
Because of their fast-growing characteristics and adaptability to harsh environment, eucalypts are planted in Hong Kong as pioneer trees to control soil erosion and washout on barren hills. They could improve the overall environment, facilitate the growth of local vegetation and enhance the habitats for local fauna. Eucalypts have been used as aforestation species in Hong Kong for over 50 years. We normally use eucalypts for mixed planting with other native species, which is an effective approach to control soil erosion. We have not found any adverse impact on the local vegetation or ecology caused by eucalypts. We therefore have no plan to plant fewer eucalypts.
(c) The Hong Kong Water Supplies Department conducts close and stringent monitoring on the quality of Dongjiang water by collecting water samples regularly at the Muk Wu Pumping Station. These water samples are tested for 33 pesticides, including DDT, Chlordane, Atrazine, according to the World Health Organization (WHO) Guidelines for Drinking-water Quality. The monitoring results indicated that the pesticide contents of Dongjiang water were either far below the WHO guideline values or remained at undetectable level, thereby proving that Dongjiang water has not been contaminated by pesticides.
Ends/Wednesday, July 5, 2006
Issued at HKT 14:36
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