Sustainable Lai Chi Wo Living Water & Community Revitalization - An Agricultural-led Action, Engagement and Incubation Programme at Lai Chi Wo This photo story book is part of the Sustainable Lai Chi Wo programme. It is a record of the programme development and participant stories in 2013-2017. Initiated by: Supported by: Co-organised with: Contents Foreword I 06 Chapter 2 The Bittersweet Experience of Farming Gaining Far More than Expected 117 Professor Peter Mathieson, Fiona Kae Patty Harmony with Nature 42 Vice-Chancellor and President, Farming Gold on Abandoned Lands? Katie Chick, Project Manager, Policy for Sustainability Lab Passing on Traditional Craftsmanship 118 The University of Hong Kong Story of Lai Chi Wo Ginger Woody Leung (April 2014 - January 2018) Teaming Up with Nature 44 May Chan, Farm Manager; Memories of Lai Chi Wo Villagers Jamie Wan and Ka-Sing Wong, The Young Man Who Made Biochar 119 Foreword II 07 Farm Officers, Policy for Sustainability Lab Anson Wong Diana Cesar, Chief Executive, Hong Kong, HSBC Nature and Culture Intertwined in a Village Ecosystem 50 An Interview with the Lai Chi Wo Ecology Research Team of First Taste of Village Life 120 The Story Begins 09 The University of Hong Kong: Chapter 4 Rosa Chan Professor Wai-Fung Lam, Dr Billy Hau, School of Biological Sciences; Ryan Leung, Rural-Urban Interaction 96 Director, Policy for Sustainability Lab 121 Senior Project Officer, Policy for Sustainability Lab; Sianna Yiu, Project Officer, Policy for Sustainability Lab The Lai Chi Wo Doggies and Dr Winnie Law, May Chan Wing-Fung Lo, PhD Student, Faculty of Social Sciences and Associate Director, Policy for Sustainability Lab Pioneer Villager in Farming Rehabilitation 98 Ying-Kin So, PhD Student, School of Biological Sciences An Interview with David Tsang, Indigenous Villager “Fu Yong” Fields 122 Programme Milestones 12 Teresa Leung The Living Lai Chi Wo: A Perfect School of Nature 56 of Lai Chi Wo Dr Angie Ng, Conservation Manager, The Conservancy 123 Passing on Hakka Traditions 101 Repurposing Scrap Timber Chapter 1 Association An Interview with Susan Wong, Indigenous Villager An Interview with Woodcraft Artisan Chi Lam Multifaceted Collaborations 16 60 of Lai Chi Wo Dr Winnie Law, Associate Director, Touching the Earth: Environmental Art Workshops Lai Chi Wo – Adding Colours to My Creative Life 124 at Lai Chi Wo Policy for Sustainability Lab Let our Son be a Peasant Boy 106 Christina Chan An Interview with Environmental Artist Monti Lai, Adley Tsang, Maria Wan, and Zachariah Tsang 126 A Multitude of Collaborative Efforts 22 New Settler in Lai Chi Wo Land Art in Lai Chi Wo towards Village Revitalization Support by Backing Up 108 An Interview with Vincci Mak, Kam-Sing Wong, Secretary for the Environment, HKSAR Daisy M Li Division of Landscape Architecture, Chapter 3 Faculty of Architecture, Striving Together with Villagers for Village Revival 24 Restoration of Abandoned Farmland 66 Joining the “Very Ginger” Processing Team 109 The University of Hong Kong Chiu-Ying Lam, Chairman, The Hong Kong Countryside Vivian Leung, Project Officer, Policy for Sustainability Lab Teresa Tsui 128 Foundation Building Village Infrastructure The Journey of Farming Rehabilitation 68 In Search of a Way Out for Rural Development 110 An Interview with the Industrial Centre Team, Building Mutual Trust through Collaborations 28 The Hong Kong Countryside Foundation Raymond Wong The Hong Kong Polytechnic University: with Indigenous Villagers Engineer Wai-Che Lee, Executive Officer Sally Chan, Reconciling Agriculture and Conservation 74 Appreciating Village Culture and Wisdom 112 Dr Cho-Nam Ng, Department of Geography, Assistant Technical Officer Calvin Poon, Produce Green Foundation Annie Ng The University of Hong Kong and students Tsz-Yu Wan and Ho-Yin Shing Water is the Lifeblood of Agriculture 80 Promoting Conservation through Soil Art 114 Firm Action with Patience; Consensus on Urban 30 An Interview with Dr Ji Chen and Dr Qian Xu, Ivy Wong and Rural Development 133 Department of Civil Engineering The Story Continues An Interview with Lai Chi Wo Village Chiefs 115 Professor Wai-Fung Lam, and Dr Mervyn Peart, Department of Geography, Fascinated by Hakka Embroidered Bands Ah-Chat Tsang and Wai-Yip Tsang Helen Leung Director, Policy for Sustainability Lab The University of Hong Kong Passing the Torch of Promoting Sustainable 36 Unforgettable Time in the Village 116 “Three Dous” Community Farming 84 Development to Future Generations Regan Li Acknowledgement 138 Natural Space The Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited Keith Mak and Eugenia Pang 4 5 Foreword I Foreword II Hong Kong was popularly known as the “Pearl of the Orient” From its foundation in Hong Kong more than 150 years for its astonishing city view at night and for its round-the- ago, HSBC has remained committed to bringing about all- clock vibrancy. Beyond the famous Victoria Harbour are the round well-being to the Hong Kong community. We have hidden gems in the walled villages, natural coasts, farming established a strong reciprocal relationship with Hong Kong landscape and the Fung Shui Woods, where the culture, local people and we have grown and developed together with wisdom and indigenous fauna and flora can be found. These our society. Through supporting community development, rich capitals have made Hong Kong unique from the rest of we have actively contributed to the building of a better and the world. sustainable future for Hong Kong. Hong Kong is one of the very few places in the world that We are grateful to collaborate with The University of Hong you may escape from the hustle and bustle of the urban Kong, The Hong Kong Countryside Foundation, Produce areas and dive into the wilderness within just minutes of Green Foundation, and The Conservancy Association to carry travelling. As a nature lover myself, on the rare occasions out the Sustainable Lai Chi Wo Programme. It illustrates when I have any spare time, I wander into the countryside how we adhere to the idea of sustainable development for the scenery, fresh air and the peace of mind. and are committed to the healthy development of local communities. Sustainable Lai Chi Wo Programme is one of the University’s flagship projects in recent years that integrate research, Like many nature lovers, I have experienced the village teaching and knowledge exchange on the issues of culture and natural landscape of Lai Chi Wo. The Programme sustainable development. With the support from The puts the concept of sustainable development into practice Hongkong and Shanghai Banking Corporation Limited, the and brings the sustainable lifestyle to our community, University, through the Faculty of Social Sciences’ Policy for offering other choices for our living. Sustainability Lab, initiated the Programme with the aim to contribute to the attainment of sustainability through We are so pleased that the Programme has shown the result forging evidence-based innovative solutions to inform policy of a joint effort between the Lai Chi Wo villagers, academia, deliberation and community action towards revitalization the business sector, community organisations, and the wider models for rural areas. Hong Kong citizens in contributing to Hong Kong’s cultural heritage and nature conservation. It is a big step forward May I congratulate the colleagues and the community for Hong Kong’s sustainable development. With this book, partners for your impactful work over the past four years. we hope to share with you the story of the Programme’s This book celebrates not only the successful revitalization development over the past four years and together, we look of the Lai Chi Wo village, but also the collaborative to a better future. effort between many sectors of the Hong Kong society in the realisation of an important agenda of sustainable development. Diana Cesar Chief Executive, Hong Kong, HSBC Professor Peter Mathieson Vice-Chancellor and President The University of Hong Kong (April 2014 - January 2018) 6 7 The Story Begins Professor Wai-Fung Lam, Director, Policy for Sustainability Lab and Dr Winnie Law, Associate Director, Policy for Sustainability Lab Hong Kong is usually regarded as a bustling metropolis with highly developed urban landscapes and vibrant economic activities. What has often been overlooked though, is that over 75 percent of the land in the territory is actually covered by rural areas, including more than 700 indigenous and non-indigenous villages therein. These rural areas and the traditional agricultural village culture are an integral part of the socio- ecological landscape of Hong Kong, defining the historical and cultural characteristics of the city. In the past decades, however, we have witnessed a rapid decline of the rural areas amid rapid urbanisation. The pre-revitalized Lai Chi Wo is a typical case in point. The 300-odd-year-old Lai Chi Wo Hakka village is situated in the north-eastern corner of the territory. It is one of the largest remaining traditional Hakka villages in Hong Kong. The village had had a long history of paddy farming but since the 1950s, villagers began to abandon farming and move out to the urban areas or European countries to earn a living. Desertion of the village led to a loss in traditional culture, and changed the natural environment due to a lack of active management. In the late 70s, a substantial part of the surrounding woodland was designated as part of the Plover Cove Country Park. The village was isolated as it was inaccessible by vehicles. With no foreseeable options for the village, the last villager moved out in the 90s. Rural-urban coexistence is not a new concept. It is commonplace worldwide to find villages located in suburbs, and even nestled in national parks. These villages have retained most of its rural landscape and original layout. Other than engaging in agricultural activities, the locals also provide various tourism activities to visitors, thus introducing new elements to the traditional village economy.