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Activity
Reviews 2007 |
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1."Shell
Nature WatchˇXButterfly Explorer" launch ceremony
and press conference
2.The
Best Hong Kong Butterfly Trail Election
3.Shell
Butterfly Day
4.Butterfly
Learning Class
5.Butterfly
Monitoring Team
6.Overseas
Butterfly Tour
7.Butterfly
Education Kits
8."The Best Five Hong Kong Butterfly Trail" Booklet
9.Hong
Kong Butterfly Net |
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"Shell
Nature WatchˇXButterfly Explorer" 2007 launch ceremony
and press conference
| Date |
ˇG
28 April, 2007 (Saturday) |
| Venue |
ˇG
Chiang Chen Studio Theatre, The Hong Kong Polytechnic
University |
| Time |
ˇG
11:00 ˇV 11:30 |
| Guests |
ˇG
Dr. Michael Chiu, JP, Deputy Director of Environmental
Protection,
 Environmental
Protection Department
Ms.
Angel Mo, General Manager, Shell Hong Kong.
Dr.
Cheng Luk Ki, Division Head of Scientific Research
&
Conservation,
Green Power |
Description:
During the launch ceremony for this year's event, the
organizers announced the prime activity for the yearˇX"The
Best Hong Kong Butterfly Trail" Election. Five
butterfly watch trails had been specially designed:
The Peak, Kap Lung Ancient Trail, Tai Po Kau Nature
Reserve, Shing Mun Country Park and Pak Tam Chung Family
Walk. Ms. Angel Mo said the activity encouraged the
public to go into natural areas, and learn about the
importance of nature conservation through gaining firsthand
experience with butterfly watching.
In addition, Dr. Michael Chiu had appoined 160 secondary
school teachers and students as members of the Butterfly
Monitoring Teams. After training in butterfly watching,
they would survey butterfly diversity in various hotspots
and update the Hong Kong Butterfly Database, keeping
track of changes in local butterfly ecology and the
natural environment.
During the event, people also shared stories on butterflies
and the naming of places. Many places in Hong Kong were
named after butterflies, for example, Butterfly Valley
in Lai Chi Kok and Butterfly Bay in Tuen Muen. Dr. Cheng
Luk Ki said these places had all been like "paradise"
for butterflies, but as the city developed, it was no
longer possible to witness butterflies abounding in
these places. For instance, 70 years ago, Butterfly
Valley in Lai Chi Kok sheltered Hong Kong's greatest
population of butterflies. Reports in the literature
revealed that thousands of butterflies once gathered
here, and this was probably an overwintering site for
Danaides, as Siu Lang Shui and Deep Water Bay are today.
Fortunately,
there are still quite a few suitable places for butterflies.
If we pay more attention and keep an eye on these butterfly
hotspots and their surrounding environments, there will
be minimal cases like Butterfly Valley and Butterfly
Bay.
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Dr.
Cheng showed photographs of Tuen Mun after development.
Decades ago, many butterflies could be found here.
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Guests,
together with members of the Butterfly Monitoring
Teams. |
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The
Best Hong Kong Butterfly Trail Election
"The Best Hong Kong Butterfly Trail" Election
is part of Shell Nature Watch ˇV Butterfly Explorer
2007. Members of the public were invited to vote online,
one-person-one-vote, for their favourite butterfly trail.
Five candidate butterfly trails were designated, and
people could vote based on the number of butterfly species,
ecological diversity, landscape, transportation and
difficulty of the route. Shing Mun Country Park received
the most votes ˇV 2,098, and was elected "The Best
Hong Kong Butterfly Trail". Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve
and The Peak followed, with 1,987 and 945 votes, respectively.
More than 6,000 people participated in the election
and each received a free copy of "The Best Five
Hong Kong Butterfly Trail" Booklet.
The
five candidate butterfly watch trails were: The Peak,
Shing Mun Country Park, Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve, Kap
Lung Ancient Trail and Pak Tam Chung Family Walk.
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Shing
Mun Country Park was elected "The Best Hong Kong
Butterfly Trail". |
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Kap
Lung Ancient Trail was built with rocks.
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Shell Butterfly
Day
| Date |
ˇG
30 September 2007 |
| Venue |
ˇG
Shing Mun Country Park |
| Time |
ˇG
10:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. |
| Guests |
ˇG
Mr. Yau Tang Wah, Edward,JP, Secretary for the Environment,
Environment
Bureau
Mr.
Andy Ku, Director, Shell Hong Kong
Dr.
Man Chi Sum, Chief Executive Officer, Green Power
Dr.
Cheng Luk-ki, Division Head of Scientific Research
and Conservation, Green
Power |
Description:
On this day, the organizers released the results of
a two-year long butterfly survey, which studied the
relationship between butterflies and the solar cycle.
It was found that butterfly populations fluctuate with
the solar cycle. In Shing Mun Country Park, for example,
numbers of Danaides increased gradually from the Autumn
Equinox (late September), and peaked during "Winter
Commences" (early November). Dr. Cheng Luk-ki,
Division Head of Scientific Research and Conservation
of Green Power, who was in charge of the study, said
the results provided data and information on the migration
of Danaides in Hong Kong, and indicated that Shing Mun
Country Park is one of the overwintering sites for Danaides
in Hong Kong. Populations of most butterflies start
to decline in autumn, and by October there are less
butterflies to watch. Yet the Danaides gather in Shing
Mun Country Park, and extend the butterfly watching
season to November.
In addition,
the results of "The Best Hong Kong Butterfly
Trail" election were released. The four-month
polling period attracted over 6,000 voters, and Shing
Mun Country Park was elected the best butterfly trail
with 2,098 votes. Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve and The
Peak followed, with 1,987 and 945 votes, respectively.
After the
ceremony, 150 members of the public went butterfly
watching in Shing Mun Country Park, "The Best
Hong Kong Butterfly Trail", under the guidance
of ecological instructors. The route started from
the visitor centre, and followed Pineapple Dam Nature
Trail, which is about one kilometre long.
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Butterfly Learning Class
| Date |
ˇG
22 September, 2007(Sat) |
| Venue |
ˇG Lam
Woo International Conference Centre, Hong Kong Baptist
University |
| Time |
ˇG 14:30
ˇV 16:00 |
 The
Butterfly Club is for members only. Butterfly ecology
and butterfly watching techniques were shared during
the class. |
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Butterfly
Monitoring Team
 During
the past three years, 480 secondary students and teachers
were trained and joined the Butterfly Monitoring Teams;
this year, 160 new members from over 30 schools were
recruited. Each team comprised four people: a teacher
and three students. Upon receiving enrolment certificates
from Dr. Michael Chiu, JP, Deputy Director of Environmental
Protection, Environmental Protection Department, in
April, they underwent three months of intensive training
on techniques for recording and identifying butterflies.
They then visited five butterfly hotspots to conduct
diversity surveys, record the species and number of
butterflies at these places and update the Hong
Kong Butterfly Inventory, which
aims to keep track of changes to the habitats of local
butterflies.
In addition to butterfly monitoring, the teams were
also responsible for promoting butterfly conservation
by organizing activities in the community. For example,
exhibitions and booths with games were organized in
shopping malls, and butterfly workshops were conducted
in primary schools, community centres and district shopping
malls. Booklets on butterfly watching were also published
and distributed. Through the teams' efforts, the message
of butterfly conversation has been widely spread. Outstanding
teams were rewarded with an overseas butterfly tour
for study and exchange.
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Butterfly
Exploratory Overseas Tour
| Date |
ˇG
20 ˇV 24 August, 2007 |
| Venue |
ˇG Hainan,
China |
Description:
After the challenges of training in butterfly watching,
surveys, and community work, three outstanding Butterfly
Monitoring Teams were rewarded with a Hainan butterfly
tour during summer. The journey started from Haikou
in north Hainan, and included three national reserves:
Bawangling Nature Reserve, Datian Nature Reserve and
Jianfengling Nature Reserve. The five-day, four-night
trip was an eye opener for the participants. They observed
over 80 butterfly species, visited a "butterfly
valley", explored a forest at night, and had a
close encounter the protected, highly endangered Hainan
Eld's Deer (Cervus eldi hainanus). They were
deeply inspired regarding conservation matters.
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Participating Schools |
| Buddhist
Tai Hung College |
| Queen's
College Old Boys' Association Secondary School |
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St. Stephen's Church Collage |
Itinerary:
| Date |
Time |
Event |
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20/8 |
Morning
Afternoon
Evening |
Arrival
Haikou
Visit ˇV Biodiversity Museum, Hainan Normal University
ˇV
Night Visit to Rainforest, Bawangling Nature Reserve |
| 21/8 |
Morning
Afternoon
Evening |
Bawangling Nature Reserve ˇV butterfly watching,
to see rare Lycaenidae species
Bawangling Nature Reserve ˇV exploring rainforest
in Hainan
Datian Nature Reserve- visiting the highly protected
Hainan Eld's Deer (Cervus eldi hainanus) |
22/8
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Morning
Afternoon
Evening |
Butterfly
Watching at Datian Nature Reserve ˇV to see low
altitude butterfly species LibytheidaeˇBTawny Coster
(Acraea violae)
Jianfengling Nature Reserve ˇV exploring "Butterfly
Valley"
Night Visit ˇV to see frogs in Jianfengling Nature
Reserve |
| 23/8 |
Morning
Afternoon
Evening |
Bird
Watching
Butterfly Watching at Jianfengling Nature Reserve
ˇV to see high altitude butterflies
Visit - Butterfly Valley in Yalong Bay, Sanya |
| 24/8
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Morning |
Departure |
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Common Pierrot
(Castalius rosimon) |
Marbled Pigmy Frog
(Microhyla pulchra) |
Hainan Eld's Deer
(Cervus eldii) |
(Pareronia annais) |
Yamfly
(Loxura atymnus)
Photo taken by Ho Tai On |
Doubledays
(Herona marathus)
Photo taken by Ho Tai On |
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Participants'
impressions
"I was most impressed with the Butterfly Valley.
We first thought we had missed the Danaides, but as
we were leaving we spotted the strings of Danaides hanging
on the trees. It was dark, and we couldn't clearly see
the individual butterflies, but everyone was thrilled.
Maybe there were too many people, and the butterflies
were scared - but at that moment we witnessed an amazing
scene: thousands of butterflies all flew into the air.
It was unforgettable!" Mandy Cheung,
student from Buddhist Tai Hung College
"During
the Hainan Tour, we saw many butterflies which have
never been seen in Hong Kong. The most unforgettable
moment to me was when a Doubleday (Herona matathus),
which ws yet to fully emerge from its pupa, gently
lay on my hand. The little creature sent me a strong
message: nature conservation is not to be just talked
about; the most important thing is for us to put it
into action and become more responsible for nature."
Maggie Tam, student from Queen's
College Old Boys' Association Secondary School
"I've
never crossed streams, jumped over rocks and searched
for frogs in the dark countryside, by the faint light
from a torch and the stars. When I came across the
frogs, I even touched them with my own hands. This
was my first close contact with frogs. I've learned
a great deal about frogs after listening to information
from a lecturer from the local university." Chan
Man U, student from St. Stephen's Church
College
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Butterfly
Education Kit
To further promote the message of butterfly conservation,
we specially designed teaching kit sets for primary
and secondary schools. Each set includes a short video,
games and display boards for free rental by schools.
Dozens of "Common Butterflies in Hong Kong"
posters were also given free to schools organizing related
activities.
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"The
Best Five Hong Kong Butterfly Trail" Booklet
Five butterfly watching trails were specially designed:
The Peak, Shing Mun Country Park, Tai Po Kau Nature
Reserve, Kap Lung Ancient Trail and Pak Tam Chung Family
Walk. They all have different features and butterflies
to watch. The Best Five Hong Kong Butterfly Trails booklet
covered the scenery and butterfly population of the
various trails and included maps, transportation and
things to note. There were also many fine butterfly
photographs. It was a useful guidebook for butterfly
watching.
The
Best Five Hong Kong Butterfly Trails
booklet was published for the election, and each voter
was given a free copy.
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Hong
Kong Butterfly Net
Hong Kong Butterfly Net was refreshed this year, and
now provides a great variety of butterfly information
in a user-friendly and interactive way. Visitors can
download dozens of fine butterfly photographs for free.
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