Restoring Native Ecosystems: HKUST's Commitment to Sustainable Greening
HKUST Plantation Effort in the Last 30 Years
In the 1970s and 80s, the lush landscape where HKUST now stands was transformed into a construction site, leaving behind only yellow soil and rising buildings.
Through over 30 years of dedicated greening efforts and the resilience of nature, the University has evolved into a beautiful green campus nestled along the coastline.
However, similar to broader plantation initiatives across Hong Kong, HKUST initially planted exotic trees known for their effectiveness in land rehabilitation and soil erosion control. Unfortunately, these trees have led to challenges such as aging, overcrowding, and limited natural regeneration of native plants. Additionally, they offer less suitable habitats and food sources for local wildlife
Enhancing Native Ecology
As part of the Woodland Thinning and Ecological Enrichment Programme in 2023/24 academic year, 145 exotic or unhealthy trees were removed from the slope near the Senior Staff Quarters 8-19, and 252 native seedlings were planted.
By replacing these non-native and unhealthy trees with native species, we are creating space for local flora to thrive. Native plants are essential for maintaining biodiversity on campus, providing habitat and food for native pollinators such as butterflies, birds, beetles, and other insects, as well as small mammals like bats.
In addition to attracting more wildlife, native plants are better adapted to our local climate, making them more resilient to extreme weather conditions. Like all plants, they offer a range of ecological services, including improving air quality, stabilizing soil, sequestering carbon, and providing shade.
Resourceful Reuse
Understanding that the value of these trees extends beyond their potential as woodchips or high-quality timber, the University has coordinated with contractors to carefully fell the trees and send them to a local timber recycling company for drying, allowing for potential reuse in future campus developments.
Tree Felling and Planting Policy
In light of these efforts, we have developed and published a Tree Felling and Planting Policy. This policy provides guidelines for future contractors, ensuring that tree felling and planting activities prioritize the maximization of timber resources on-site while enhancing the ecological value of our campus through thoughtful planting proposals. Timber resources on the site, and the additional ecological value our campus can gain from their planting proposal.
To read more about the policy, please click here.
