Four management agreement applications and six public-private partnership proposals to implement pilot projects under the new nature conservation policy have been received, the Environmental Protection Department says.

The four management agreement applications are for sites inside Ramsar Site, Deep Bay Wetland outside Ramsar Site, Fung Yuen and Long Valley.

The six public-private partnership proposals involve land located at Sha Lo Tung, Tai Ho, Wu Kau Tang, Mau Ping and Mui Tze Lam, Yung Shue O and Tin Fook Wai (an area inside the Deep Bay Wetland outside Ramsar Site).

A task force has been set up to examine the proposals, and selected submissions will be announced by the end of November.

Stakeholders to be involved

When the new nature conservation policy was announced in November last year, the Environment, Transport & Works Bureau called for applications of pilot projects on the 12 sites identified. The six-month application period ended today.

Non-governmental organisations may apply for Government funding for entering into management agreements with landowners. They will provide landowners with financial incentives in exchange for management rights over their land or their cooperation in enhancing the concerned sites' conservation. 

As for the public-private partnership measure, limited development of an agreed scale will be allowed at the ecologically less sensitive portion of a site, provided that the project proponent agrees to conserve and manage the rest of the site that is more sensitive on a long-term basis.

The department is glad to see many of the proposals involve active participation of the key stakeholders such as private landowners, green groups and the local community.

Conservation plan a must

It stressed only those proposals with a comprehensive and solid conservation plan will be considered for approval as pilot projects, adding the proposal must enhance the concerned site's conservation value.

To implement a public-private partnership project, the proponent will be required to fulfill all the statutory requirements including the application for change of land-use zoning or application for planning permission in accordance with the Town Planning Ordinance.

If the proposed development constitutes a designated project it will require approval under the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance, while the Advisory Committee on the Environment and its subcommittee will be consulted.