About Us
The mighty rivers flow endlessly, while the gentle streams whisper without rest. Hong Kong is blessed with over two hundred streams and rivers of various sizes, nourishing all living beings and serving as vital elements in sustaining the ecosystem. However, with urban development, the downstream sections of these rivers have often become parts of our city, with their riverbanks transformed for residential, commercial, and other land uses. Balancing the needs of nature conservation and flood control has become a major challenge.
In the past, as the emphasis was primarily on flood control and convenient operation and management, straightening river channels and the application of concrete on river beds and banks were the primary practices. This "channelisation" of rivers resulted in the ecological degradation of waterways, the loss of their natural appearance, and their inability to fulfil functions such as self-purification and regulation.
Today, the ecological value of rivers is increasingly acknowledged. Besides understanding the importance of nature conservation due to social progress, it is also crucial to conserve rivers properly to fully harness their ecosystem services. When rivers thrive with ecological vitality, they can effectively serve flood control, beautification, ventilation, recreation, and other purposes, thus making our cities more livable.
Tung Chung River, with its entire course being mostly pristine from its sources to its estuary and bay, is a remaining large-scale natural river in Hong Kong. We launched the “In-To Tung Chung River” project in 2018 to promote the appreciation, knowledge and the protection of this unique river, thus advocating “conserving our own rivers”.
We encourage public participation and dialogues through citizen science programmes and platforms for exchanges among the government, the general public and other stakeholders. By enhancing the public’s understanding of the impacts of Tung Chung New Town Extension on Tung Chung River and the relevant conservation measures, we hope to fuel active discussions and participation in conserving our very own rivers among the public.
