Northern Metropolis Plans Eco-Tourism Amid Conservation Efforts for Endangered Otters
Bastillepost · 1 SOURCESabout 2 hours ago2 MIN
Summary
The Northern Metropolis development project represents a bold attempt to balance urban expansion with environmental conservation in Hong Kong's northern New Territories. Spanning one-third of the city's total land area along the Shenzhen River border, the project is designed as a futuristic university city expected to accommodate 2.5 million residents and provide 65,000 employment opportunities by 2036 .
Key Points
- The wetland conservation system covers approximately 2,000 hectares, including the Hong Kong Wetland Park (62 hectares), Mai Po Nature Reserve (370 hectares), and three proposed wetland parks at Nam Sang Wai (400 hectares), Sam Po Shu (520 hectares), and Ho Kok Wai (300 hectares) .
- Two eco-tourism nodes at Jinxingzhui and Bai Ni will feature resorts, weekend markets, and camping sites, alongside a 145-hectare Coastal Protection Park along the 10.7-kilometre coastline .
- The Eurasian otter, with records in Hong Kong dating back to the 1890s, remains rare and confined mainly to the Mai Po Inner Deep Bay Ramsar wetland, with occasional sightings at Lok Ma Chau, Ho Kok Wai, and the Hong Kong Wetland Park .
- The Sam Po Shu wetland conservation park will include optimized freshwater habitats, ecological corridors, and facilities such as otter platforms and artificial holts to facilitate otter movement between the park and adjacent wetlands .
- Lau Fau Shan's oyster industry, once prized by Hong Kong residents, declined to about 10% of its former scale after upstream battery factories discharged heavy metal pollutants into the Shenzhen River in the mid-1970s .
Why It Matters
The Northern Metropolis project sets a precedent for integrating large-scale urban development with ecological preservation in densely populated cities. The proposed coastal protection park and wetland conservation system demonstrate how Hong Kong can protect biodiversity hotspots while unlocking economic potential through sustainable eco-tourism, offering a potential model for other high-density regions facing similar development pressures .
The Northern Metropolis project sets a precedent for integrating large-scale urban development with ecological preservation in densely populated cities. The proposed coastal protection park and wetland conservation system demonstrate how Hong Kong can protect biodiversity hotspots while unlocking economic potential through sustainable eco-tourism, offering a potential model for other high-density regions facing similar development pressures .