Understanding Cultural Landscapes – Fishpond landscape in Hong Kong Tai Sang Wai (大生圍) & Ma Tso Lung (馬草壟) Guided Tour

Event Date:

26/11/2022

Event Time:

9:30 am

Event Location:

CPD Event: Understanding Cultural Landscapes –Fishpond landscape in Hong Kong Tai Sang Wai (大生圍) & Ma Tso Lung (馬草壟) Guided Tour
Date: 26 November 2022 (Saturday)
Time: 9:30am – 2:30pm
Speakers:

Katie Chick and Martin Wong (Hong Kong Bird Watching Society)

Venue: Tai Sang Wai and Ma Tso Lung, Deep Bay
CPD Points: 3 CPD hours
Language: English (supplemented by Cantonese)
Fee: HK$ 180 for HKICON Member; HK$ 200 for Non-HKICON Member;

Limited to 25 participants

Supporting Organisations:

The American Institute of Architects Hong Kong

 

Professional Green Building Council

 

The Hong Kong Institute of Landscape Architects

 

The Conservancy Association Centre for Heritage

Remarks: Precautions

Please arrive at the assembly point on time;

To avoid mosquito and snake bites, it is recommended to wear long-sleeved tops, trousers, sports shoes or hiking shoes, not sandals;

Pay attention to personal safety and be careful of dogs in the fishpond area;

Please bring at least 500ml of drinking water and waterproof gear;

The fishponds are private land, no damage to any objects, littering is allowed;

Please keep quiet and do not startle birds or any animals;

Do not photograph the interior of the villagers’ houses or leave the tour without authorization;

The conference will provide sterilized binoculars for participants to use by rotation; and

The conference will purchase HK$100,000 life insurance and HK$2,000 medical insurance for the participants.

Severe Weather Arrangements 

If the Red or Black Rainstorm Warning or Tropical Cyclone Warning Signal No. 8 or above is issued by the Hong Kong Observatory two hours before departure, the activity will be cancelled. The tour will be changed or cancelled according to the actual situation.

Special Circumstances – Epidemic Arrangements 

In view of the fact that the novel coronavirus epidemic has not been fully controlled in Hong Kong, the HKBWS  or HKICON will formulate guidelines in accordance with the latest anti-epidemic measures announced by the government for participants to follow, and decide whether to cancel or not according to the prevailing situation. 

On the day of the activity, the activity will be carried out in small groups, with a distance of 1.5 meters between each group;

To protect participants, we will provide hand sanitizer during the event to reduce the risk of spreading the virus; 

Participants are required to bring their own masks and wear them during the activity; they also need to measure their body temperature before going out and when gathering, and fill in a health declaration form; and

If there are symptoms such as fever or cough, the Association reserves the right to refuse participants to continue the activity.

About the Site Visit

 

There are more than 1,000 hectares of fishponds in Deep Bay area. Most of the fishponds are managed by local fishermen using traditional methods of raising freshwater fish. It is the most extensive cultural landscape existing in Hong Kong that is still undergoing organic evolution. In addition to providing fresh fish products for local market, it is also an important foraging and breeding habitats for local biodiversity, particularly for birds. 

 

This tour will visit the Tai Sang Wai fishponds which were originally Gei-wais (基圍) in the 1950s and turned into fishponds during 1970s. The tour will also visit Ma Tso Lung, the northeasternmost fishponds in Deep Bay area. Ma Tso Lung is adjacent to Shenzhen River. It used to be a frontier closed area and has been opened up since 2013. The opening up has brought about significant environmental changes. In addition to the new development plan of the Lau Ma Chau Loop and surrounding areas, the fishpond landscape of Ma Tso Lung is suffering from various alternations and damages. 

 

This guided tour includes the history, culture and ecology of freshwater fish farming, and also the threats and landscape changes in the Deep Bay, etc. It is led by Katie Chick, a local expert on agricultural cultural landscapes, and Martin Wong, a tour guide from the Hong Kong Bird Watching Society which is operating conservation management works in the Deep Bay area. Fishermen from Tai Sang Wai is also being invited to share their story and demonstrate the operation of fishponds.

 

Itinerary

Itinerary  Location / Venue Content 
0930– 1030  Kowloon Tong MTR Station Exit D / Kowloon Tong Public Transport Interchange – Assembly of participants (Please arrive 15 mins prior to the event starts for registration)

– Heading towards Tai Sang Wai by coach

1030 – 1200  Tai Sang Wai – Briefing on tour routes and miscellaneous matters

– Tai Sang Wai fishmen sharing and demonstration

– Understanding the history and culture of freshwater fish farming

– Fishpond visit and bird watching

1200 – 1230  Heading towards Ma Tso Lung by coach
1230 – 1330  Ma Tso Lung – Passing by Maijing Pottery Bunker 

– Observing topographic changes and urban development from a height

1330 – 1430  Returning to Kowloon Tong MTR Station
  • End of tour

 

About the Speakers

 

Katie Chick

Katie is currently the Assistant Director of the Centre for Civil Society and Governance at the University of Hong Kong. She is an academically trained conservation professional of natural and cultural resources. She has been responsible for various cultural landscape projects in Hong Kong, including Long Valley, Lai Chi Wo, Mui Tsz Lam and Kop Tong, among which the Lai Chi Wo project was awarded the “UNESCO Asia-Pacific Cultural Heritage – Conservation Award for Special Contribution to Sustainable Development” in 2020.

 

Martin Wong

Martin is a tour guide from Hong Kong Bird Watching Society. He has many years of experience in guiding ecological and cultural tours. He graduated in Anthropology in the late 80s. And since 2011, Martin has devoted himself for learning local ecology and started to participate in guiding historical, cultural, ecological tours, hoping to discover more interesting things of Hong Kong and share with others.

 

Sorry, Event Expired

Event Location:

Total Seats: 24

By: HKICON

Event Schedule Details

  • 26/11/2022
    9:30 am - 2:30 pm
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