【Interview with expert at Rocks Net-Chan Lung Sang】
UNESCO started to implement the geopark plan at the beginning of this century, aiming to select and protect valuable geological landscapes. There are 57 geoparks in the world until now, with 20 ones in China. Hong Kong Government intends to have a series of peculiar rock landscapes in the east New Territories approved as a geopark through the Chinese Central Government. Delimiting the geopark is an important step for the conservation of natural landforms. Meanwhile, Chan Lung Sang, a professor of the Department of Earth Sciences of the University of Hong Kong, proposes that the plan should be implemented prudently.
"Valuable for primitiveness, happy in nature."Chan Lung Sang took that as the basic principle for the implementation of the geopark plan. He said, "I don't completely object to the concept of geopark plan. However, according to our past experience, many natural landscapes are regarded as tourism projects once after they are earmarked as geoparks, deviating from the original intent to protect nature and conserve landforms."
Natural conservation includes preservation, namely preserving nature as it is, and conservation, namely regulated development. Chan Lung Sang said the dominant principle for nature conservation is a constant debate in the international community, but he prefers preservation, advocating total preservation of nature as it is.
He is worried that any development on the natural landforms may damage them. For example, many natural scenic spots in the Mainland attract more and more tourists after they are announced as geoparks. Then, to facilitate tourists, many facilities like cable cars, lifts, roads and shops are added in succession. Some geoparks even introduce artificial lighting ornaments and arrange performances. Tourists don't really appreciate nature, so the original intent to promote contact between people and nature is not achieved.
More seriously, many natural scenic sites in the Mainland which should be free of charge become commercial parks that collect admission fee after they are announced as geoparks. Chan Lung Sang hopes the future geopark in Hong Kong won't develop in that direction. He listed 8 principles for promoting the geopark:
The geopark should prioritize environmental conservation and public education. The establishment of the geopark should not change the original forms of beautiful rocks, and the public may better understand the natural resources in Hong Kong through the geopark.
Consider whether the ecology of the natural regions can bear human impacts. For example, Port Island has high ecological value, but too many tourists may destroy geological forms. Therefore, areas like Port Island should be listed as forbidden areas to restrict tourists every day.
The geopark is largely located around Plover Cove Reservoir and High Island Reservoir. More tourists may pollute water source, so the relevant authorities should study how to prevent the drinking water source from pollution.
Don't set large artificial facilities. I don't want to see cable cars carry people up Sharp Peak, beautiful Sai Kung bay become a holiday spa resort, or several wharfs built on the natural seashores.
Ensure the current free places are also free of charge in future; the geopark should not become a charging project.
Tourism facilities like hotels and shops should not be built in the country parks. All real estate and tourism development projects should not be developed in the geopark.
Concrete roads and stairs should not be laid in the geopark or country parks; if roads and stairs are necessary for tourists, wood and stone blocks should be used.
Magazines supporting geopark education should be accurate in content and in the charge of professionals.
Chan Lung Sang said those suggestions are not groundless academic views. Many natural places of interest around the world have taken strict measures to prevent human disturbance. He has been to Yushan National Park in Taiwan, where only 80 tourists are allowed to tour the hiking trail in it each day. The key to natural conservation is to control the number of tourists, which Hong Kong should take into account in establishing the geopark in future.
The developed countries conserve nature by not disturbing natural processes. Once at the Petrified Forest National Park in Arizona, USA, Chan Lung Sang saw the management authority of the Park supported a dilapidated fossil wood with a concrete column, which seems to be appropriate. However, field officers said the idea was different now and erosion of natural fossils is also part of the natural cycle and should not be disturbed by humans. Likewise, we should also not force our ideas on the conservation of the geological landforms of nature, because the disturbed sceneries on the earth cannot be restored. John Muir, a famous conservation expert of USA devotes his whole life to natural environment protection. At the beginning of the 20th century, the US Government intended to build a dam at Hetch Hetchy Valley. John Muir strongly objected to that and even wrote a letter to Roosevelt, the then president of USA. However, the US Government still built the dam as scheduled. As a result, the ecology of Hetch Hetchy Valley was greatly spoiled. Other developed countries have learnt a lesson, and do not build large dams indiscreetly.
Developing natural landscapes into tourist resorts can really bring temporary revenues. The evolution of the special landscapes at Bluff Head, Ma Shi CHau and Tung Ping Chau took over 100 million years. If the stones there are destroyed to make way for a road, they can not be restored for ever. It is unwise to seek short-term interests at the cost of the precious treasures.
Chan Lung Sang encourages people who love Hong Kong and outing to go out and blend into nature rather than change the natural landforms to cater to man. He said, "I hope Hong Kong people a century later can still see the same geological landscapes as we see today, without any additional cableway or archaising market beside the primitive rock group."
