[China Dialogue] Guardians of the Pearl River Delta
Yim Tin Mangrove Forest, Hong Kong – 12 September 2020 - Between...READ ON
Yim Tin Mangrove Forest, Hong Kong – 12 September 2020 - Between 2005-2007, mangroves were planted in the Yim Tin Mangrove Forest near the coastal stilt houses of Tai O to replace the abandoned salt pans of the past, protecting the village from sea erosion and complimenting the local fishing industry. Intended to be a robust ecological habitat, the mangroves provide a feeding ground for local fauna and nursery ground for juvenile fish and organisms, contributing to the local fisheries industry.
Yim Tin Mangrove Forest, Hong Kong – 12 September 2020 - In these...READ ON
Yim Tin Mangrove Forest, Hong Kong – 12 September 2020 - In these mangrove patches, a crab can be seen illuminated by sunlight in a patch of mangrove forest. In Hong Kong, more than 60 species of crabs can be found in the inter-tidal areas. Early mornings and dusk during the low-tide in summer are the best times to observe crabs in mangrove sites, as this is when they are most active.
Guardians of the Pearl River Delta
Nestled deep within one of the many bays of the Pearl River delta, a rare patch of mangrove forest can be found hidden between the towering skyscrapers on the Hong Kong–Shenzhen border. Egrets laze in the sun as small crabs scuttle at their feet, a mountainous skyline of construction cranes looming behind them.
Mangroves are small trees that grow along the coastlines of more than 100 countries in tropical and subtropical regions. They were once widespread on the Pearl River delta and around the inlets and islands of the neighbouring Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (SAR). Now there are only about 60 small patches remaining in Hong Kong – each of varying sizes and levels of protection.
After years of degradation, a recent survey conducted by Dr Stefano Cannicci from Hong Kong University’s Integrated Mangrove Ecology Lab found that mangroves are now making a gradual recovery in the region - albeit at an inconsistent and uneven scale.
Tai O, Hong Kong – 12 September 2020 - Salted fish and shrimp paste...READ ON
Tai O, Hong Kong – 12 September 2020 - Salted fish and shrimp paste were traditionally produced in Tai O, a small fishing village on the western coast of Lantau in Hong Kong. Though the fishing lifestyle has mostly evaporated and no longer provides a sustainable income, many local residents continue to fish recreationally and to create salted fish for tourists.
Tai O, Hong Kong – 12 September 2020 - A grandmother talks about how...READ ON
Tai O, Hong Kong – 12 September 2020 - A grandmother talks about how she gets her fish from 3 nearby boats to salt and dry for selling. Business has declined heavily over the past year, and she is only able to sell about a third of what she used to on a good day. "But I have enough to eat," she says.
On the other side of Hong Kong about an hour's drive away, a small beach and nearby cove respectively called "Starfish Bay" and "Three Fathoms Cove" can be found. Originally named after the little crabs and starfish that could be found here, starfish can no longer be easily found on the beach due to rapid urban development. Though Starfish Bay is still considered a marine ecological hotspot in Hong Kong, it has not been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and is therefore not protected.
Mangrove associates can be seen nearby for now, which serves as an ecological home for wildlife such as fish and crabs, prevents coastal erosion, protects typhoon damage, purifies water, and stores carbon. At high tide, the water level would reach all the way up to the mangroves, with the main road and buildings on the other side.
Starfish Bay, Hong Kong – 19 September 2020 - A family huddles under...READ ON
Starfish Bay, Hong Kong – 19 September 2020 - A family huddles under blue umbrellas on a stormy day at Starfish Bay A newly built complex can be seen behind them, separated by a row of mangrove associates. At high tide, the water level would reach all the way up to the mangroves. Starfish Bay originally got its name from the little crabs and starfish that could be found here - however, due to rapid urban development, starfish can no longer be easily found on the beach. Though Starfish Bay is still considered a marine ecological hotspot in Hong Kong, it has not been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI), and is therefore not protected.
Starfish Bay, Hong Kong – 19 September 2020 - Mr. So, a resident of...READ ON
Starfish Bay, Hong Kong – 19 September 2020 - Mr. So, a resident of Starfish Bay, untangles a fishing net. "There are not as many fish now, much less than a few decades ago. Some have even disappeared completely. There's too much pollution, and look at all these new buildings that have been constructed nearby. It's changed so much."
Three Fathoms Cove, Hong Kong – 19 September 2021 - A floating house in...READ ON
Three Fathoms Cove, Hong Kong – 19 September 2021 - A floating house in a fishing farm village, a bus ride away from Starfish Bay, can be seen. Water flows from small, fresh streams on Ma On Shan into Three Fathoms Cove, which features diverse mangroves, open mudflats, and sandy shores. Though the mangroves in Three Fathoms Cove are recognized as a Kei Ling Ha Mangal Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and have some protection, they remain vulnerable due to the limited capacity for monitoring and enforcement.
Three Fathoms Cove, Hong Kong – 19 September 2020 - A local fisherman...READ ON
Three Fathoms Cove, Hong Kong – 19 September 2020 - A local fisherman is out fishing on a stormy day, protected by a bright pink rain jacket. Mangroves provide a rich ecological habitat for fish, providing shelter and food for crabs, birds, shrimp, and more. Aquaculture and agriculture can be drivers of pollution, overfishing, and mangrove deforestation when wetlands are converted into areas for fisheries, shrimp farming, rice fields, or palm oil, but they can also be mutually beneficial when sustainable aquaculture is practiced.
Three Fathoms Cove, Hong Kong – 19 September 2020 - Bartosz Majcher, a...READ ON
Three Fathoms Cove, Hong Kong – 19 September 2020 - Bartosz Majcher, a tropical ecologist PhD student at the University of Hong Kong, gently cradles a growing mangrove sapling. Mangroves grow where land and water meet, mostly found on muddy soil but also grow in sand, peat, and coral rock. They live in water up to 100 times saltier than most other plants can tolerate. They thrive despite twice-daily flooding by ocean tides, bearing the brunt of ocean-borne storms and hurricanes.
Mai Po, at the head of Deep Bay (also known as Shenzhen Bay), is the largest patch of mangroves in the Pearl River Delta.
Protected by the Mai Po Nature Reserve, this mangrove forest and the surrounding mudflats has been designated as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention since 1995. It is part of a Hong Kong success story, albeit a limited one.
After years of degradation, a recent survey conducted by Dr Stefano Cannicci from Hong Kong University’s Integrated Mangrove Ecology Lab found that mangroves are now making a recovery in the region.
Hong Kong Wetland Park, Hong Kong - 13 June 2020 - The construction of 19...READ ON
Hong Kong Wetland Park, Hong Kong - 13 June 2020 - The construction of 19 residential towers with nearly 2,000 flats can be seen near the Hong Kong Wetland Park, adjacent to the Mai Po Marshes. The construction of these residential buildings has been met with controversy, with academics and environmental groups warning that they can potentially threaten the habitat of birds and other wildlife due to its close proximity to the wetland conservation area. More recently, an environmentalist won a judicial review in September 2020, challenging a major developer's controversial plans to further develop the nearby area of Fung Lok Wai.
Mai Po, Hong Kong – 18 September 2020 – A worker with a raincoat...READ ON
Mai Po, Hong Kong – 18 September 2020 – A worker with a raincoat and umbrella walks away from a “Gei Wai” shrimp pond (which translates to “a pond enclosed by bunds). The land in the middle is dug up every few years to prevent the walkways from being overgrown. Gei Wais arrived in Hong Kong during the mid-1940s, introduced by a wave of migrants from mainland China. Constructed by creating water channels around mangroves, mud is then used to build bunds to enclose the water and mangroves. Gates are built into the sea-facing borders, allowing for the inflow and outflow of water and shrimp. The last remaining Gei Wais in Hong Kong can be found in Mai Po, though they are no longer in use and kept only for educational and historical preservation purposes.
Mai Po, Hong Kong – 18 September 2020 – A researcher from the...READ ON
Mai Po, Hong Kong – 18 September 2020 – A researcher from the Chinese University of Hong Kong collects samples of mangroves and mud. She is studying the food systems of mangrove crabs, an ecologically significant part of the mangrove ecosystem. Researchers from different disciplines and universities regularly conduct research here, given the rich biodiversity in this protected area.
Mai Po, Hong Kong – 18 September 2020 – A Black-faced Spoonbill...READ ON
Mai Po, Hong Kong – 18 September 2020 – A Black-faced Spoonbill (Platalea minor) can be seen through a telescope from a birding lookout at the Mai Po marshes. A large white wading bird with a distinctive beak shaped like a spoon, the Black-faced Spoonbill migrated from the western coast of the Korean Peninsula. Feeding on fish and shrimp, the Black-faced Spoonbill dips its head in the water and shakes it back and forth to catch its meals. This particular bird can be seen tagged with a black and yellow leg ring, which allows citizen scientists to report sightings and scientists to track its movements. Every year, an estimate of 60,000 birds make their annual winter migration to roost in Deep Bay.
Mai Po, Hong Kong – 18 September 2020 – A private fish farm can...READ ON
Mai Po, Hong Kong – 18 September 2020 – A private fish farm can be found next to the protected area of the Mai Po marshes. A water mill runs in the middle to ensure that the water is sufficiently oxygenated for the fish. Nearby mangroves help purify the water, while the ponds form a buffer zone around the ecologically sensitive conservation area. Aquaculture and agriculture can be major drivers of mangrove deforestation when wetlands are converted into areas for fisheries, shrimp farming, rice fields, or palm oil, but they can also be mutually beneficial when sustainable aquaculture is practiced.
Mai Po, Hong Kong – 18 September 2020 – Dr. Xianji Wen, the WWF...READ ON
Mai Po, Hong Kong – 18 September 2020 – Dr. Xianji Wen, the WWF Director of the Mai Po Nature Reserve and Regional Wetlands, holds a bundle of fresh grass that he has prepared as a snack for nearby water buffalos. The male buffalo is called “Sai Dee,” a name chosen by the public through a contest on Facebook. The incorporation of these large mammals was part of an experimental initiative to encourage biodiversity growth, where the buffalos gently harvest the vegetation from their grazing and create small watery mud holes for birds and fish from their walking.
Mai Po, Hong Kong – 18 September 2020 – Increasing coastal...READ ON
Mai Po, Hong Kong – 18 September 2020 – Increasing coastal urbanization and the growth of an invasive species of mangroves have led to the dangers of the wetland being turned into dry land. The Sonneratia caseolaris, commonly known as Mangrove Apple, is an exotic mangrove species that can be seen on the right hand side. Fast-growing and highly reproductive, these species were originally planted at the Futian Nature Reserve on the Shenzhen side of Deep Bay to quickly regrow their mangrove forests, and drifted over to the Hong Kong side. Given its invasive nature, WWF staff need to regularly clear the mangroves to prevent it from overtaking native mangrove species. WWF-HK is working with the HKSAR government and academic institutions to address this issue, and cooperation between the Futian Nature Reserve and Mai Po Nature Reserve regularly takes place in the form of data exchange and workshops.
To read the complete article and see more of the images, please visit China Dialogue.
Guardians of the Pearl River Delta Nestled deep within one of the many bays of the Pearl River delta, a rare patch of mangrove forest can be found hidden between the towering skyscrapers on the Hong Kong–Shenzhen border. Egrets laze in the sun as s...
On the other side of Hong Kong about an hour's drive away, a small beach and nearby cove respectively called "Starfish Bay" and "Three Fathoms Cove" can be found. Originally named after the little crabs and starfish that could be fo...
Mai Po, at the head of Deep Bay (also known as Shenzhen Bay), is the largest patch of mangroves in the Pearl River Delta. Protected by the Mai Po Nature Reserve, this mangrove forest and the surrounding mudflats has been designated as a Wetland of Interna...
To read the complete article and see more of the images, please visit China Dialogue .
Katherine KY Cheng
Katherine Cheng is a documentary photographer and videojournalist based between Toronto and Hong Kong, covering breaking news, daily events, and feature stories.