Frog Prince Dreams of Nature-Harmonious Future for Northern Metropolis
HK01 · 1 SOURCESabout 4 hours ago4 MIN
Summary
Dr. Michael Lau Wai-ning (劉惠寧), a distinguished herpetologist and ecological conservation expert, has been dubbed the "Frog Prince" for his decades of dedicated work protecting Hong Kong's amphibians. His journey began in Wah Fu Estate, where natural surroundings became his playground for interactions with small creatures. During secondary school, he was inspired by Father Bao Jia-tin (鮑嘉天神父), a biology teacher who introduced him to wildlife field surveys. In the mid-1980s, he co-authored Hong Kong's first amphibian and reptile field guide with Father Bao and others. After graduating from university, Michael started his career in 1987 at the newly established Mai Po Nature Reserve, working as a guide, education officer, and reserve manager .
Key Points
- Dr. Michael Lau Wai-ning, known as the "Frog Prince," began his conservation career at Mai Po in 1987 within the current Northern Metropolis area .
- He led the successful relocation of Hong Kong's endemic Romer's Tree Frog from Chek Lap Kok before the new airport construction in 1989-1991 .
- His research classifies local native frogs into three groups: stream-breeding, forest-dwelling, and rural farmland species .
- The Kadoorie Farm and Botanical Garden (KFBG) collaborated with mainland scientists for biodiversity surveys across Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan .
- CEDD has established a pilot tree-planting site at Fan Keng, Kwu Tung, using native species for forest restoration .
Why It Matters
As Hong Kong advances the Northern Metropolis development, Michael's vision for nature-based solutions offers a pathway to balance urban growth with ecological preservation, potentially setting a global model for climate-resilient and biodiversity-rich city planning .
As Hong Kong advances the Northern Metropolis development, Michael's vision for nature-based solutions offers a pathway to balance urban growth with ecological preservation, potentially setting a global model for climate-resilient and biodiversity-rich city planning .