I am sure most of us have been to the Peak - a top tourist attraction in the city, and the best vantage point for the panorama of Victoria Harbour, and for leisure, food and beverages, and entertainment as well.

But if you are a eco-friendly person, you may walk along Lugard Road and Harlech Road to savor the beautiful natural environment over the metropolis and learn more about the Peak in an alternative angle.

Hong Kong lies in the sub-tropical region which favors the growth of evergreen broad-leaved forests and tall trees. However, over the last few centuries, many trees were logged for fuel. During the Second World War, most of Hong Kong's primary forests were devastated. Today, forests in Hong Kong mainly consist of secondary forests, Fengshui woods and plantation forests. In a secondary forest, we can see different layers of trees, ground that is covered with moss and fungus that grow in gloomy humid places. Other plants can hardly be found in this layer due to the lack of sunshine.

The "mid-storey" comprises ferns, saplings and shrubs. Meanwhile, the canopy layer receives 90 percent of sunshine, which is good for photosynthesis. That is also why tall trees are the fittest to survive in such an environment.

We can take a look at the interaction of water current and different organisms along Harlech Road where a waterfall can be found.

Stream ecological system has high biodiversity. Besides fish, invertebrates such as Water Skater and Dolomedes that like swimming in still water can also be found. In addition, algae, moss and lichen which prefer gloomy and wet environment can be easily spotted.

Mosses are the simplest and the most primitive plants. They do not have tissue to transport water and nutrients, that is why they grow on the ground. Mosses are very sensitive to toxins, and turn yellow and eventually die when they encounter pollutants. Thus they are very accurate air pollution indicators.

A waterfall along Harlech Road

There is a wide variety of plants in Hong Kong. These vegetations help improve air and water quality, prevent water and soil erosion, and provide food and habitat for various organisms and humans.

The very first plantation projects started in the 19th Century. Unfortunately, most trees planted were destroyed during the Second World War. After the war, many foreign trees that grow fast and can adapt to infertile soil were planted in Hong Kong, such as Taiwan Acacia, Brisbane Box and Paper Bark.

Bamboos are often seen in Hong Kong's forests, and they serve multiple purposes in the Chinese community. They can be eaten, and used for clothing, furniture, houses and even transportation.

Pok Fu Lam Reservoir was the first reservoir built in 1860 in order to cope with the increasing population and city development.

Along Lugard Road, it is advisable to keep quiet and listen to the nature. You will be amazed by the symphony of woodland birds in the natural habitat, and large raptors hovering in the sky, such as Black Kite, Great Tit, Spotted Dove, Fork-tailed Sunbird and Blue Magpie.

There was a charity walk at the Peak organized by the Bank of China(Hong Kong) with "Green Olympics" being the theme. It aimed to raise awareness in consumption choices and urge the public to actively participate in various environmental improvement activities to help better ecological standards and build a better city for all to enjoy.

Trailing along the Peak could be very entertaining, especially when there is a passionate and knowledgeable guide to guide you.

The author is the marketing development director of

HK Discovery.

(HK Edition 05/30/2008 page4)