HONG KONG SAR – The Hong Kong Bird Watching Society (HKBWS) held the opening ceremony of the Shui Hau Harvest Festival Exhibition on 17 January 2026, titled “Cultivating Ecology, Revitalising Shui Hau” at Festival Walk, Kowloon Tong. The exhibition highlights the achievements of the four-year project “Between Mountain and Sea — Nature Conservation Management for Shui Hau”, featuring a diverse array of exhibits including a dedicated “Shui Hau Habitat Model”, to demonstrate the effectiveness of wetland management and agricultural revitalisation while reconnecting villagers and the community through farming traditions. The exhibition opened to the public on January 15 and will run until January 24.
Science-Based Wetland Restoration and Community Engagement
Funded by the Lantau Conservation Fund, the “Between Mountain and Sea — Nature Conservation Management for Shui Hau” project was launched in 2021 as the first wetland conservation initiative in Lantau to adopt scientific principles and “Nature-based Solutions”. By restoring long-abandoned farmland, the project has rebuilt wetland ecosystems and enhanced biodiversity while preserving the unique rural lifestyle of the area. Sponsored by Mapletree Investments, a global real estate company headquartered in Singapore, supported by Festival Walk as venue partner and BirdLife International as strategic collaboration, this exhibition serves as the grand finale of the “Shui Hau Harvest Festival” series.
In collaboration with the design team “The Common Map,” HKBWS presents the conservation journey through thematic panels, interactive satellite imagery, villagers’ stories, crop displays, documentaries and bird monitoring footage from raptor perches.
Habitat model illustrates Shui Hau’s wetland system
One of the key highlights is the “Shui Hau Habitat Model”, which presents the wetland system of Shui Hau in a visualised manner, encompassing a diversity of habitats shaped by its distinctive landscape, including rice paddies, ecological ponds, marshes, Fung Shui Woods, streams and mudflats, enabling visitors to understand the habitat recovery brought about by farmland restoration. It also introduces how nearly 30 wildlife species—including Critically Endangered Yellow-breasted Bunting, Brown Fish Owl, and Javan Pond Heron—use different wetland habitats for foraging and shelter, reflecting the programme’s achievement of a 30% increase in recorded species numbers following restoration.
Through villagers’ stories and visuals, the exhibition also highlights how villagers and the project team worked together to restore farmland and share the harvest. At the opening ceremony, Dr Tony Ip, Vice-Chairperson of the Lantau Conservation Fund Advisory Committee, thanked the project team and Shui Hau villagers for their joint efforts. He said: “Wetland management in Shui Hau integrates scientific research, effective habitat restoration and active community participation, contributing to biodiversity conservation, the promotion of sustainable agriculture and stronger community cohesion.”
Bird Monitoring Footage Linking Farmland Ecology and Conservation Efforts
The exhibition features bird monitoring footage recorded at raptor perches—structures designed to attract birds of prey to help control rodent populations. Equipped with smart cameras, the perches have captured valuable footage of various bird species using the structures, including Brown Fish Owl preying on rodents. Many of the clips are rarely seen by the public, offering a glimpse into the natural behaviour of wildlife in farmland settings and its connection with wetland management.
A documentary is also screened, reviewing challenges encountered during the programme’s implementation—such as manual land preparation under extreme summer heat and flooding caused by heavy rainfall—while highlighting the positive outcomes of farmland restoration. Mr Edmund Cheng, Chairman of Mapletree, remarked: “Mapletree is proud to support HKBWS in this exhibition at Festival Walk under our CSR pillar of Environment, which showcases the harmony between the Shui Hau community and nature. The exhibition also invites the public to explore the rich biodiversity of Lantau.”
Mr Yu Yat-tung, Director of HKBWS, expressed his hopes for the future of conservation in Shui Hau: “The experience in Shui Hau shows that when science, the community and the land move forward together, conservation can bring meaningful change. We hope more people will join this journey—protecting wetlands, sustaining rural heritage, and supporting a future where water continues to flow and biodiversity thrives.”
Exhibition Details
Title: Shui Hau Harvest Festival: “Cultivating Ecology, Revitalising Shui Hau” Exhibition
Dates: 15 to 24 January 2026
Time: 11:00 am – 9:00 pm
Venue: Level G, Festival Walk, Kowloon Tong
Admission: Free
Interactive Workshops:
On January 17 and 18, the public can participate in specialised workshops and villager-led tours:
| Rice Brick Making Workshop | Package local Shui Hau rice and design custom vacuum-sealed bricks. |
| Mikania Backflow Incense Workshop | Transform the invasive Mikania micrantha into functional mosquito-repelling incense. |
| Brown Fish Owl Punch-Needle Art Workshop | Create owl masks while learning about the “Night Watchman of Shui Hau”. |
| Public Guided Tours | Learn about wetland restoration and village life directly from the Shui Hau residents. |
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Shui Hau model showcasing diverse habitats and rich biodiversity.
Guests jointly officiating the exhibition opening with display boards showcasing conservation elements from Shui Hau.
From Left: Mr Yu Yat Tung, Director of HKBWS, Ms Josephine Yang, Senior Conservation Officer of South Development and Sustainable Lantau Office, Dr Tony Ip, Vice-Chairman of Lantau Conservation Fund Advisory Committee, Mr Edmund Cheng, Chairman, Mapletree, and Mr Chan Yuk Kei, Village representative of Shui Hau Village.
Shui Hau villager Ms Mink Chan introducing the exhibition and sharing the outcomes of farmland restoration and conservation work in Shui Hau.
Officiating Guests. From Left: Mr Yu Yat Tung, Director of HKBWS, Mr Yong Ding Li, Regional Flyway Coordinator (Asia) of BirdLife International, Ms Josephine Yang, Senior Conservation Officer of South Development and Sustainable Lantau Office, Dr Tony Ip, Vice-Chairman of Lantau Conservation Fund Advisory Committee, Mr Edmund Cheng, Chairman, Mapletree, Mr Wan Kwong Weng, Group Chief Corporate Officer, Mapletree, Ms Wendy Lee, General Manager, Festival Walk and Mr Chan Yuk Kei, Village representative of Shui Hau Village.
