Hong Kong Wetland Park 5.22

Hong Kong Wetland Park is a conservation, education and tourism facility, located at the northern part of Tin Shui Wai, in Yuen Long. It was to be an ecological mitigation area (EMA) for the wetlands lost due to Tin Shui Wai New Town development.The Hong Kong Wetland Park comprises a 10000m2 visitor centre, Wetland Interactive World, and a 60ha Wetland Reserve. The Wetland Interactive World has themed exhibition galleries, a theatre, a souvenir shop, an indoor play area (swamp adventure) and a resource centre.The park is best known recently for its slogan seen on MTR stations, "Unroll the Hong Kong diverse green temptations"HistoryIn 1998, a project named International Wetland Park and Visitor Centre Feasibility Study was initiated by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and the Hong Kong Tourism Board with a view to expanding the ecological mitigation area to a wetland ecotourism attraction. After concluding that it was feasible to develop a Wetland Park at the site without compromising its ecological mitigation functions, and that development of the Wetland Park would also enhance the ecological function of the site to a conservation, education and tourism facility, the concerned parties started the Wetland Park Project, which is one of the Millennium projects of the Administrations.In 2007 the park was one of five winners of the Awards for Excellence: Asia Pacific Competition, from the Urban Land Institute.FacilitiesThemed exhibition galleries with floor areas ranging from 250to showcase the importance of wetland on biodiversity, civilisation and conservation. Visitors can learn more about the native flora and fauna of Hong Kong through the animals and models displayed in the Living Wetland Gallery, such as false gharial, mouse deer and green turtle.