Having gone through the Lok Ma Chau (LMC) Loop development plan and the queries raised, it sounds to me a few different environment aspects are involved. Some of the points I do not fully concur with but, as a bird watcher speaking on bird discussion forum, I share the concern of habitat fragmentation in view of its potential detrimental effect on wetland birds.
Habitat Fragmentation
If you have luck to have chance visiting the fishpond area from LMC east to Hoo Hok Wai(HHW) and Ma Tso Lung (MTL), you would realize the contiguous fishponds is rather tranquil and natural under the background of fishpond landscape, compared with those fishponds in Mai Po and Tai Sang Wai. As you may expect, it is not lack of important waterbirds and wetland-dependant bird. I can recall a few raptors such as Imperial Eagle, Bonelli’s Eagle and Crested Serpent Eagle flying over the area and perching on adjacent woodland and rare species such as Black Bittern, Black-faced Spoonbill and a group of seven Pied Kingfishers (a scene I still have not seen in other place in Hong Kong). All were found in HHW/MTL fishpond area. I am sure if you ask other birdwatcher/ bird surveyor whom regularly visit or count bird there, they must also have a long list of interesting and important bird species.
This valuable patch of wetland is connected to Mai Po Inner Deep Bay Ramsar Site via a narrow fringe of fishpond in San Tin (ST) and Lok Ma Chau (LMC). It is well believed and proven that the waterbirds in Mai Po Ramsar Site also use the fishponds in Hoo Hok Wai and Ma Tso Lung. Although I do not think the LMC loop itself is high in ecological importance and wildlife usage, its undeveloped nature facilitate the flyway amongst the fishponds, which is equally important from a wetland conservation perspective. Even without detailed developed plan, we can still figure out the future LMC Loop would greatly obstruct the flight pathway between Ramsar Site at west and fishponds at east and reduce the likelihood of waterbirds using HHW/MTL wetland.
Worst still, we expect the LMC loop development would not isolate itself as an island, instead more associated facilities and utilities will come along the fringe of the loop. Such cluster of development would totally isolate the valuable HKW/MTL wetland at east. Meanwhile the LMC associated development would further extend to east toward HKW/MTL direction and encroach onto the degraded fishpond (after open of FCA). If you see further east, it is Long Valley (LV) /Ho Sheung Heung (HSH) area. No need to mention, this area is also important to waterbirds, including some are from MP Ramsar Site such as the 11 Black-faced Spoonbill recorded last years. It is believed that the birds come from NW wetland through he ST-LMC-MTC flyway. In fact, I can’t figure out where they come from if not through the ST-LMC-MTL flyway. If the passageway is obstructed, the bird communities in HSH/LV would also be detrimentally affected, no matter how successful you manage to preserve the LV.
This is what I mostly concern.
Conservation
Aside from objecting the project as a whole, I would think of what we/ the authority can do to alleviate the impact. I think firstly the authority should recognize the importance of wetland in HHW/MTL and its extension to HSH/LV and formulate conservation plan/scheme to protect the area. My view is if we can sustain a good local ecosystem in HHW/MTL - HSH/LV and adjacent woodland, it can attract more bird localize in the area which eventually minimize the need for frequent exchange between the Ramsar Site and HHW/MTL. In fact, the landscape features in HHW/MTL provide a good setting from conservation design - wetland in north and woodland in south. It gives some wetland-dependent bird good foraging opportunity at fishpond and roosting habitat at woodland. Zoning the HKW/MTL - HSH/LV as conservation area or, more aggressively, a nature reserve is the most conservation favorable act. Meanwhile the wetland alongside the edge of LMC loop should be strictly preserved to maintain a flyway for wetland birds. This is what I can figure out. This is not only crucial to LMC, but also HKW, MTL, HSH and the future of the sacred Long Valley.
Gary
