YEA 4th Edition, Day 6: Human Library Insights and Oyster Reef Restoration Spark Environmental Passion

After a sudden shift to an online class for our face-to-face training on Tuesday, 8 August greeted us with bright sunshine and clear skies — the perfect setting for the Young Environment Ambassador (YEA) programme to proceed successfully. The day combined enriching conversations with passionate environmental leaders in a Human Library session, followed by an immersive outdoor experience at Pak Nai, where students participated in an oyster reef restoration workshop.

The day began with an exciting Human Library session featuring nine distinguished guests from a wide range of environmental organisations in Hong Kong. Our speakers included Ms Kelly Chan, Project Officer from Drink Without Waste; Mr Roy Ng, Campaign Manager from The Conservancy Association; Ms Suet Mei Wong, Senior Conservation Officer from Hong Kong Bird Watching Society; Ms Karen Ho, Head of Corporate and Community Sustainability from World Wildlife Fund-Hong Kong; Mr Gomen See, Marine Science Programme Manager from Hong Kong Maritime Museum; Mr Wendell Chan, Senior Officer from Friends of the Earth; Mr Ken Lee, CEO of Wu Zhi Qiao and others.

The Human Library fostered intimate group discussions, where three students at a time engaged collectively with one speaker for about ten minutes. After each session, a different speaker would join the same group of three students, allowing them to explore a variety of environmental career paths together. This format encouraged rich exchanges of ideas and provided tailored advice to support the students’ project development.

As the session drew to a close, the speakers offered inspiring and interconnected final remarks that helped tie together their guidance for the students’ benefit. Mr Gomen See began by emphasising the importance of setting clear, measurable targets, such as defining how many students and teachers a school-based project should engage to ensure meaningful impact.

Ms Kelly Chan reinforced these points by highlighting sustainability, suggesting that students design campaigns that can be carried forward by others, ensuring their longevity. Ms Suet Mei Wong complemented this by encouraging students to start their efforts locally, focusing on the immediate community rather than attempting broad-scale projects from the outset, while also tapping into their creativity for innovative solutions. Ms Karen Ho emphasised the importance of engaging with various stakeholders for valuable insights.

Highlighting the power of collaboration, Mr Ken Lee encouraged students not to work in isolation but to connect with wider groups and to undertake thorough research, drawing on diverse stakeholder insights to strengthen their projects. Mr Wendell Chan echoed the emphasis on knowing the target audience and pointed out the valuable resources that schools can offer to support such initiatives.

Finally, Mr Roy Ng inspired the students to approach their projects with confidence, reminding them that even if similar campaigns exist, there is always room for improvement and innovation. He stressed that convincing their target audience remains key to success.

In the afternoon, students travelled to Pak Nai to take part in an oyster reef restoration workshop organised by The Nature Conservancy. After an introductory talk explaining the ecological importance of oyster reefs, the students donned special protective shoes designed to safeguard their feet from sharp oyster shells, allowing them to explore the site safely. As they walked through the reef area, Ms Jennifer Cheng from the TNC team introduced them to various marine species dependent on this habitat.

The students then actively engaged in oyster reef restoration by using shovels. Throughout the activity, Ms Jennifer explained how oyster reefs improve water quality by filtering the water and provide shelter for many aquatic organisms, as well as other ecosystem services. Despite the heat of the sun and physical exertion, the students were proud and joyful, their smiles reflecting the satisfaction of contributing directly to environmental restoration.

We at Civic Exchange would like to express our heartfelt thanks to all the guest speakers and The Nature Conservancy for generously sharing their expertise and making this day an unforgettable experience for our Young Environment Ambassadors. We believe that the knowledge and hands-on insights gained will inspire and empower these young leaders to develop and implement meaningful environmental projects in the future.