MANAGEMENT PLAN FOR THE MAI PO MARSHES WILDLIFE EDUCATION CENTRE AND NATURE RESERVE 2006 - 2010 Mai Po Management Plan 2006 – 2010 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ................................................................................VI PART 1 DESCRIPTION ................................................................................................ 1 CHAPTER 1.1 GENERAL INFORMATION........................................................... 1 1.1.1 Location ..........................................................................................................1 1.1.2 Access ............................................................................................................2 1.1.3 Land tenure.....................................................................................................3 1.1.4 Management infrastructure.............................................................................5 1.1.4.1 Staffing...............................................................................................6 1.1.4.2 Facilities:............................................................................................7 1.1.5 Map coverage .................................................................................................9 1.1.6 Photographic coverage...................................................................................9 CHAPTER 1.2 ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION....................................... 11 1.2.1 Physical ........................................................................................................11 1.2.1.1 Climate ...............................................................................................11 1.2.1.2 Hydrology ........................................................................................12 1.2.1.3 Geology............................................................................................13 1.2.1.4 Geomorphology ...............................................................................14 1.2.1.5 Soils..................................................................................................15 1.2.2 Biological ......................................................................................................15 1.2.2.1 Flora .................................................................................................15 1.2.2.2 Fauna................................................................................................17 1.2.2.3 Communities ....................................................................................21 1.2.3 Cultural .........................................................................................................21 1.2.3.1 Archaeology/Past land use ...............................................................21 1.2.3.2 Present land use................................................................................22 1.2.3.3 Past management for nature conservation .......................................23 1.2.3.4 Public interest...................................................................................24 1.2.3.5 Landscape.........................................................................................24 1.2.4 Ecological relationships and implications for management ..........................25 PART 2 EVALUATION AND OBJECTIVES ............................................................... 26 CHAPTER 2.1 CONSERVATION STATUS OF THE SITE............................... 26 2.1.1 Historic..........................................................................................................26 2.1.2 Present .........................................................................................................36 2.1.3 Site definition and boundaries ......................................................................38 CHAPTER 2.2 EVALUATION OF FEATURES ................................................... 39 2.2.1 Evaluation .....................................................................................................39 2.2.1.1 Size...................................................................................................39 2.2.1.2 Diversity...........................................................................................40 2.2.1.3 Naturalness.......................................................................................40 2.2.1.4 Rarity................................................................................................41 2.2.1.5 Fragility............................................................................................41 i Mai Po Management Plan 2006 – 2010 2.2.1.6 Typicalness.......................................................................................42 2.2.1.7 Recorded history ..............................................................................42 2.2.1.8 Position in an ecological unit ...........................................................43 2.2.1.9 Relationship of species to local/ National / International populations ........................................................................................................................44 2.2.1.10 Potential value................................................................................44 2.2.1.11 Intrinsic appeal...............................................................................44 2.2.1.12 Public access ..................................................................................44 2.2.1.13 Education .......................................................................................45 2.2.1.14 Monitoring and Research ...............................................................45 2.2.2 Identification/Confirmation of important features ..........................................48 2.2.3 The site in wider perspective and implications for management. .................50 2.2.4 Ideal management objectives .......................................................................51 2.2.5 Specified limits..............................................................................................52 CHAPTER 2.3 FACTORS INFLUENCING MANAGEMENT ......................... 54 2.3.1 Natural trends ...............................................................................................54 2.3.2 Man-induced trends ......................................................................................55 2.3.3 External factors.............................................................................................55 2.3.4 Obligations....................................................................................................60 2.3.5 Legal constraints...........................................................................................61 2.3.6 Resources.....................................................................................................61 2.3.7 Impact assessment.......................................................................................62 CHAPTER 2.4 RATIONALE, MANAGEMENT GOALS AND MANAGEMENT OBJECTIVES ............................................................................................................ 63 2.4.1 Introduction ...................................................................................................63 2.4.2 Management Goals for Mai Po Nature Reserve...........................................67 2.4.3 Management Objectives to achieve Goal 1 ..................................................67 2.4.4 Management Objectives to achieve Goal 2 ..................................................68 2.4.5 Management Objectives to achieve Goal 3 ..................................................68 2.4.6 Management Objectives to achieve Goal 4 ..................................................68 2.4.7 Management Objectives to achieve Goal 5 ..................................................68 PART 3 PRESCRIPTIONS TO ACHIEVE MANAGEMENT GOALS .......................... 69 CHAPTER 3.1 PERSCRIPTIONS TO ACHIEVE MANAGEMENT GOAL 1 . 69 3.1.1 Goal 1.1 - To provide suitable roosting and feeding habitats for Black-faced Spoonbills ..............................................................................................................69 3.1.2 Goal 1.2 - To provide high tide roosting sites for the shorebirds in Deep Bay71 3.1.3 Goal 1.3 – To provide suitable roosting and feeding sites for the wintering waterfowl in Deep Bay. ..........................................................................................77 3.1.4 Goal 1.4 - To maintain and manage the mangrove habitats.........................81 3.1.5 Goal 1.5 - To maintain and manage the reedbed habitats ...........................84 3.1.6 Goal 1.6 - To develop and manage a diversity of freshwater habitats..........85 3.1.7 Goal 1.7 - Maintain the traditional operation and landscape of the gei wai habitat ....................................................................................................................88 3.1.8 Goal 1.8 - Identify and maintain habitats for other focal key species and species groups.......................................................................................................89 3.1.9 Goal 1.9 - Carry out additional management to support achievement of the above objectives. ...................................................................................................90 ii Mai Po Management Plan 2006 – 2010 3.1.10 Goal 1.10 - To develop monitoring programmes that will contribute to the above objectives. ...................................................................................................92