Fengshui woodlands, which refer to the vegetations and trees at the back of villages that are preserved by Hakka villagers, can be commonly found in the New Territories. Landscape ecologists are fascinated by these woodlands which they believe demonstrate a perfect arrangement for settlement, a healthy and better home, sustainability and environmental components.

Fengshui woodlands are like nature's supermarkets and clinics. I remember visiting my relatives in a Fengshui woodland in central New Territories when I was a child. There were a wide variety of seasonal fruits and edible plants for us to pick. The villagers would collect bamboo and hardwoods which they used to make utensils, furniture and household tools. My grandmother would even pick herbs and other medicinal plants in the woodland if anyone fell sick. And the lack of air-conditioning never bothered us as the woodland was well ventilated which kept the residence cool.

Tai Po Kau, a forest reserve located between Tai Po and the Chinese University of Hong Kong, is one the forest areas that recovered from World War II the quickest. Most of the vegetations in the area are secondary woodlands and Fengshui woodlands found around villages. It has become the best site in Hong Kong for watching forest birds including flycatchers, minivets, warblers and thrushes. In the mountain ranges between Tai Po Kau and Shing Mun, Tai Mo Shan, more than 150 species of birds have been recorded according to the webpage of The Avifauna of Hong Kong. No wonder people call it an "ecological corridor".

Take the train to Tai Po Market MTR Station and then take a taxi or bus to the Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve. You can follow the local birdwatchers on the clearly marked trails for your own expedition. There is also a new garden opposite the country park management center where you can find a coral tree and a cotton tree. Many colorful bird species such as leafbirds, flowerpeckers and sunbirds forage there can also be found.

Along the trail, there are picnic areas and a large group of Rhodoleia which is a protected species here.

Hong Kong is the home for many popular birds, such as magpie, magpie robin, red-whiskered bulbul, common kingfisher, Eurasian tree sparrow, black-eared kite, and fork-tailed sunbird. There are more than 450 bird species recorded in the territory, 100 of which settle here.

The author is the marketing development director of

HK Discovery.

(HK Edition 08/18/2008 page2)