Following the implementation of the Greening Master Plans (GMPs) in the urban areas, the formulation of GMPs for various districts in the New Territories has been launched in phases. As the New Territories cover an extensive area, the district-based GMPs for the New Territories will focus on the densely populated areas, tourist attractions and areas along major transportation routes in order to enhance the greening effect.

As with the urban areas, in the early stages of formulating the GMPs in the New Territories we have taken into account the existing representative plants and distinctive features of each district so as to work out an appropriate greening theme. The preliminary proposals were discussed by the District Participation Groups comprising local District Council members, as well as representatives of the Rural Committees and the government departments concerned. The proposals were also introduced at community forums to canvass views from the local community and other stakeholders. Moreover, our colleagues in the Civil Engineering and Development Department have taken the initiative to arrange for District Council members and Rural Committee representatives to visit greening locations and carry out discussions at the local level.

The GMP designs for each New Territories district all comply with the underlying principle of the “right tree for the right place”. It is recommended that native species and those common in the rural areas be planted to blend in with the local scenery and landscape. We will plant native species, for example flowering shrubs like the Rhododendron simsii (Red Azalea) and Ixora chinensis (Chinese Ixora) at the appropriate locations, which not only promotes biodiversity and ecological conservation, but also enhances public knowledge of our native plants.

While designing the GMPs for the New Territories, we drew on our experience in formulating the GMPs for the urban areas, especially in the choice of species for planting. I would like to share our experience here. First, we try to plant species with different flowering periods and seasonal leaf colours, such as Liquidambar formosana (Sweet Gum), Lagerstroemia speciosa (Queen Crape Myrtle) and trees of the Terminalia genus.  Furthermore, we choose shrubs with colourful or variegated leaves, such as the Loropetalum chinense f. rubrum (Red Strap Flower), Ficus microcarpa “Golden Leaf” (Golden Leaves Fig), Alpinia zerumbet ‘Variegata’ (Variegated Shell Ginger) and various cultivars of Duranta erecta (Golden Dewdrops), which not only beautify the cityscape, but are also cost-effective in terms of maintenance.

For the pavements, we prefer tree species with an upright trunk, and that is why the Hibiscus tiliaceus (Cuban Bast) in its naturally aslant form is not recommended. Experience tells us that the evergreen Cinnamomum burmannii (Batavia Cinnamon) not only provides shade, but also minimises the risk of damaging the pavements thanks to the non-intrusive nature of its roots.  Similarly, for places of high pedestrian flow, we avoid planting species that attract insects or birds, and will not recommend species with a tree in aslant form along the pavements. On Wan Po Road in Tseung Kwan O, for instance, we have chosen Wodyetia bifurcata (Foxtail Palm), which is highly pollution-tolerant and has non-intrusive roots.

At the same time, we also give due regard to the environmental and ecological factors of the locations concerned. For semi-shady areas, we will consider plants with shade tolerance, such as different cultivars of Schefflera arboricola (Miniature Umbrella Plant). For beaches or coastal areas, trees which are wind and salt-tolerant will be given preference, such as trees of the Terminalia genus. Planting trees in decurrent form with wide-spreading crowns, buttresses or aerial roots, such as Delonix regia (Flame Tree) and Ficus microcarpa (Chinese Banyan) would be considered in open areas. In windy locations, wind-tolerant species such as Terminalia catappa (Indian Almond) will be the more appropriate choice.

In addition, District Participation Groups and community forums have suggested choosing plants with scented flowers. In view of this, we will plant species such as those from the Michelia genus, Osmanthus fragrans (Kwai-fah), Michelia x alba (White Jade Orchid Tree), Gardenia jasminoides (Cape Jasmine) and Murraya paniculata (Orange- jessamine) to enrich the overall effect of our greening designs.

In recent years it has become popular for people to go overseas to see cherry blossoms, pear blossoms and plum blossoms, which generally grow in temperate regions that are cooler than Hong Kong. We can only select and plant species that are able to adapt to the climate of Hong Kong, for example, Prunus campanulata (Taiwan cherry). We will also consider, for the enjoyment of the community, planting Bauhinia variegata (Camel's Foot Tree), which blossoms in spring with white or pink flowers that look like cherry blossoms from a distance.

Located in the subtropical region, Hong Kong has more plant species than places in the temperate regions. Nonetheless, we must consider maintaining an ecological balance and a natural landscape when choosing plant species. As such, we will normally select tree species with a view to achieving an ecological balance and enable people to appreciate their seasonal changes throughout the year. For example, we will plant camellias and Bauhinia variegata (Camel's Foot Tree), which blossom in spring, the Delonix regia (Flame Tree) that blooms in summer, and Liquidambar formosana (Sweet Gum) and Sapium sebiferum (Chinese Tallow Tree), which give us a sense of autumn.

The implementation of the GMPs in the New Territories not only provides a better living environment for the community, but also sets the overall greening framework of a district and guide the greening designs of upcoming infrastructure projects in various districts of the New Territories.  Since the public hope that the proposed greening measures in the GMPs will be implemented as early as possible, we will seek funding approval for the priority GMP greening works recommended in the South East (Sha Tin and Sai Kung) and North West (Tuen Mun and Yuen Long) New Territories. We expect that the greening works for these four districts will commence by the end of this year, while those for the remaining districts in the New Territories will also be carried out soon.