Two green groups on Thursday urged the government to prioritise the conservation of wetland when developing the Northern Metropolis, after their study found that about 80 hectares of these ecologically diverse areas had been damaged.

The Conservancy Association and Greenpeace inspected four sites earmarked for wetland parks, Nam Sang Wai, Sam Po Shue, Hoo Hok Wai and an extension of the Hong Kong Wetland Park, totalling about 1,500 hectares.

They said the worst affected area was Hoo Hok Wai.

Greenpeace senior campaigner Chan Hall-sion blamed the damage on illegal dumping and excavation, and criticised the government for prioritising development over wetland conservation.

"When the government first proposed the Northern Metropolis plan, they claimed they need to do some proactive conservation in the area as well, besides the development. For example, the conservation parks were proposed by the government," she told RTHK.

"We welcome that if they do it well, but now they just prioritise the development plan only, which left the conservation plan much behind schedule."

She stressed the importance of conserving wetland before undertaking development projects, citing the example of San Tin Technopole.

"After the San Tin Technopole is built, it's very difficult to do the conservation part because the ecosystem will be damaged already and the ecospecies around it, for example, the birds may have already found a new home and may not come back," she said.

The groups are calling on the government to immediately publish the timetable and conservation plans for the proposed wetland parks.

The Environmental Protection Department, in response, said it has received 121 complaints regarding illegal dumping of construction waste near fish ponds and wetlands of the Northern Metropolis in the past three years, including in areas near Hoo Hok Wai, San Tin and Sam Po Shue.

It said there's been 19 successful prosecutions against illegal dumping so far, with fines totalling around HK$70,000.
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Last updated: 2024-01-18 HKT 21:51