On 31 July, the attendees of Hong Kong 2050 is Now Young Environment Ambassador Programme visited Pak Nai, Yuen Long – an area rich with oyster reefs, mudflats, mangroves, and precious organisms like horseshoe crabs!
Our visit was facilitated by staff members from The Nature Conservancy (TNC). The TNC staff explained their conservation work in Pak Nai to the students, which includes working on the mudflats in Pak Nai, oyster reef restoration, and ecological monitoring of the surroundings. The TNC staff also brought our attendees on an eco-tour, where the YEA attendees learned about Pak Nai’s rich biodiversity.
Following this the YEA attendees participated in a hands-on conservation experience. This involved restoring the oyster reefs in the Pak Nai mudflats by reconfiguring abandoned oyster farms. Oyster reefs have faced increasing degradation due to over-harvesting, decline in sustainable, traditional oyster farming practices, and coastal reclamation. Since oyster reefs provide many ecosystem services (e.g. acting as filter-feeders that improve water quality, and stabilising shorelines), their degradation results in the decline of the surrounding biodiversity. By helping to restore the oyster reefs, our YEA attendees have taken action to make Pak Nai a better environment for the organisms that inhabit the area.
We would like to thank the staff at The Nature Conservancy for their time and expertise, through which our YEA attendees have improved their environmental awareness of the biodiversity, aquaculture practices and conservation efforts in Hong Kong!
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