The Advisory Council on the Environment says the results of the three pilot management agreement projects are promising, suggesting enhanced conservation value of the sites and the community's rising awareness of environmental protection.

Touring Long Valley and Fung Yuen today to see the pilot projects, the council's Nature Conservation Subcommittee Chairman Wong Yuk-shan said the council is impressed by the success of the projects and the efforts made by non-government bodies, landowners, farmers and the community in conserving the priority sites.

The Environment & Conservation Fund Committee approved an allocation of $4.62 million to three non-government bodies to implement three pilot management agreement projects in Long Valley and Fung Yuen at the end of 2005. Since the implementation of the projects, the non-government bodies have signed management agreements with landowners to actively conserve more than 100,000 square metres of land.

The Environmental Protection Department is inviting applications for nature conservation management agreement projects on the 12 priority sites identified for enhanced conservation. All registered local non-profit-making organisations can apply.

The department will seek the Environment & Conservation Fund Committee's funding support for two new applications, the details of which can be found here.