The effectiveness on implementing management agreement (MA) programme on land of private ownership with high ecological conservation value in Hong Kong

Abstract

The New Nature Conservation Policy was released by The Environment, Transport and Works Bureau (ETWB) (now the Environment Bureau) of the Hong Kong government has set a new direction with an aim to conserve ecologically important sites under private ownership. It is proposed to achieve it by through the Management Agreement (MA) scheme and the Private-Public Partnership (PPP) scheme.

The MA projects in prioritized sites were first launched in 2005. Over the past seven years, the Environment and Conservation Fund (ECF) had been granting funding to Conservancy Assoication (CA), Hong Kong Bird Watching Society (HKBWS) and Tai Po Environmental Association (TPEA) for the long-term management and conservation of the Long Valley and Ho Sheung Heung areas, Fung Yuen and Fishpond in Ramsar Site and Deep Bay Wetland outside Ramsar Site.

The study aims at evaluating the policy of Management Agreement, examining the progress of implementation, scheme effectiveness, merits and inadequacies, and giving suggestions for improvement. Examination on the progress of the MA projects shown that they were well implemented since their implementation and the effectiveness were high in terms of increased ecological value (both habitat and species value), expected gain and merits involving social and educational factors were also added. Case studies of Long Valley and Fung Yuen projects revealed major concerns on the requirement of sustainable financial support and a long term plan on the priority sites by the government, future threats including unpredictable impact from nearby development, illegal activities and human disturbance, etc.

It is conclude that though Management Agreement may be effective tools yet not sustainable for sites in prioritized sites, extended MA sites and future possible sites requiring active management on ecological conservation. A more comprehensive conservation plan should be established to pave sustainable development way in Hong Kong.