Hung Lung Hang Forest Plot

Native Species Reforestation Experiments in Hong Kong: The Case of Hung Lung Hang, Ta Kwu Ling

In the history of Hong Kong, lush subtropical woodlands have been burned and logged due to crop cultivation and wars,resulting in Hong Kong often being described as a “barren rock without trees”. Today, most of Hong Kong’s forests are secondary forests that have gradually afforested after the end of World War II. In the 1960s, fast-growing plants, including exotic species such as Taiwan Acacia, were extensively used in the afforestation projects in Hong Kong. This helped prevent soil erosion and established a canopy quickly, but it also suppressed the development of native plant communities and reduced the territory’s biodiversity. Moving into the 21st century, the Hong Kong government launched various plantation enrichment programs aimed at thinning out aging exotic tree species and planting native tree seedlings. Restoring native forests in Hong Kong remains a complicated project, both theortically and technically. How can ecologists and landscape designers best collaborate on this long-term project?