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The Secretary, Town Planning Board, 15th Floor, North Point Government Offices 333 Java Road, North point, Hong Kong. John Horwood, 55A, Ground Floor, Crestmont Villa, Discovery Bay, Lantau Island, Hong Kong 24th May, 2011. Objection to Planning Application Y/I-LI/1 Dear Sir, I wish to lodge an objection to the Planning Application Y/I-LI/1 which proposes:“To rezone the application site from "Agriculture", "Conservation Area", "Coastal Protection Area" zones to "Comprehensive Development Area (1)" zone and to incorporate the part of the seabed at Tung O Wan to the east of the northern area of the application site which is currently not covered by the Outline Zoning Plan (OZP) into the OZP and zone it as "Comprehensive Development Area (1)", in respect of “Various Lots and adjoining Government land in D.D. 7 and D.D.9, Tung O, Lamma Island”. South Lamma coast - A Natural Environment South Lamma has been designated as a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It is one of the few places in Hong Kong where natural back-of-the beach vegetation still flourishes. This includes plants such as Creeping beach vitex (Vitex trifolia), rattlebox (Croatalaria retusa), beach naupaka (Scaevola sericea), and screw pine (Pandanus tectorius). In many other parts of Hong Kong this type of environment has been replaced by concrete and ‘developed’ beaches. The South Lamma coast, including Shek Pai Wan, Tung O Wan and Sham Wan, still has a rich marine ecosystem. Evidence for this can be seen on the beaches where cowrie shells, turban shells, cone shells, top shells, bearded ark shells, neritas, limpets, welks, stalked barnacles, moon shells can all be easily found. In the adjacent coastal waters sea urchins, corals, crabs and other crustacea, numerous fish and various types of seaweed, to name but a few, are all abundant. Green Turtles In addition, Sham Wan beach is the only place in Hong Kong where Green Turtles (Chelonia mydas) still come come ashore to lay eggs. Coastal construction, reclamation, breakwaters, coastal lights, increased boat traffic with the associated water noise are all factors known to actively discourage turtles from visiting breeding beaches and foraging in the adjacent waters. The ability to forage in nearby waters is a particularly important element in the Green Turtle’s choice of breeding sites. Increased nearby boat traffic has been citied as a factor for decreased visits by turtles to breeding grounds elsewhere in the world. Green Turtles are listed on the IUNC Red List of Threaten Species as ‘endangered’. Worldwide green turtle numbers are decreasing. Rommer’s Treefrog Lamma Island is one of only four sites where Hong Kong’s endemic frog, Romer’s Treefrog, is found to occur naturally; the others being Lantau, Po Toi and Chek Lap Kok. The construction of the new airport in the 1990’s eliminated one of the frog’s natural habitats. In 1992 an attempt to re-introduce the frog to other areas in Hong Kong was based on the collection of 230 adults, some eggs and some tadpoles from Chep Lap Kok. After a breeding program, a total of 1,170 frogs and tadpoles were released in 1993 (3 sites) and in 1994 (8 sites); six in the new territories and two on Hong Kong Island. Of these sites, only one has resulted in a viable population, able to expand its territory. Romer’s Treefrog is listed on the IUNC Red List of Threaten Species as ‘endangered’. It is a small (1.5 -2.5cm in length) forest dwelling species requiring unpolluted standing or slow flowing water in which to breed. As Hong Kong’s smallest amphibian, the adults are preyed upon by larger amphibians such as other species of frogs and by toads. In addition, the tadpoles and eggs are subject to predation by the introduced mosquito fish (Gambusia affinis), which appears to be absent on Lamma Island. Lamma, and particularly south Lamma with it reduced human presence, is an important natural breeding ground for this endangered frog. Future Generations Those of us living today have ‘a duty of care’ to future generations. We need to leave some of the natural environment more or less intact for those who come after us. Archeological evidence shows that humans have been visiting the south Lamma coast, almost continuously, since approximately 4,000 BC, yet the impact of humans on the area, to date, has been minimal. The south Lamma coast should not be valued for just the economic benefits a marina and a housing development can bring. The value of the south Lamma natural environment and the pleasure it gives to those who visit is also an ‘economic benefit’; but one that accountants typically find difficult to ‘value’ in dollar terms. Hong Kong does not need to use the south Lamma coast to promote Hong Kong as an Asian Sailing Capital. Nor does Hong Kong need to use the south Lamma coast as another yacht servicing base for China. The community vision to make our local waters attractive, vibrant, accessible and symbolic of Hong Kong must include the natural environment. Marinas and housing developments are not ‘endangered’ in Hong Kong; Green Turtles, endemic frogs and natural coastal environments are. The Town Planning Board is therefore respectfully requested to reject the Y/I-LI/1 Application for the rezoning of south Lamma. Yours faithfully, (John Horwood) [email protected] Copy sent by post and e-mail. Romer’s Treefrog (University of Hong Kong photo).