English Corner of Ecosystem Environment

Primitive Forest

Best secondary growth forest :

      Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve is situated on the eastern side of Tai Mo Shan Country Park , this is one of Hong Kong’s most well-preserved woodlands .Once inside the reserve , choose from four coloured trails or one nature trail , depending on your time and energy . The trails run along the sides of valleys of varying heights . Once you reach the top , enjoy gorgeous views of the Tolo Harbour . There is no virgin forest left in Hong Kong today . During World War II , most of the forest area was cut for fuel and wood . After the war , plantations were made in all reservoirs to keep the soil from erosion .

     Tai Po Kau’s is one of the best-recovered regions in Hong Kong . Today , you can find exotic trees there , including paper bark and red rubber plantations . But the native ones are fighting back for dominance . Tai Po Kau vegetation is shaped by a combination of forces , both human and nature , which make it so rich and diverse . Tai Po Kau was designated as Nature Reserve rather than Country Park because of its conservation interests in wildlife biodiversity , natural habitat and its large size . The well-protected forest offers different ecological niches for various wildlife . It has an open orchard area on the edge of the reserve , freshwater habitats in various streams , dense canopies , as well as humid and shaded forest floors . All of these elements are found in this rich wildlife sanctuary for amphibian and reptile , dragonfly and butterfly , mammals and birds .

     A haven for passerines :  Mai Po is renowned for water birds , but Tai Po Kau is the haven for woodland birds that have colourful plumage and sing beautifully . Plentiful food in spring and summer are an attraction for the birds that come here to breed during these times of year . But during autumn and winter , visitors of migrants add more color to this amazing reserve . In late winter and early spring , everything in the forest shows signs of life . Ivory flowers reveal their brilliant flowers like burning fire on branches . Birds go crazy for this annual feast . Courtship , nest building , feeding , all types of wild behavior can be witnessed right before your eyes . Be sure to watch the bird wave . Through the flocks of fast-moving birds , look out for little blue creatures creeping among the tree trunks and branches . Those are the Velvet-fronted Nuthatches . Yellow-cheeked Tit look for caterpillars and buds while Scarlet Minivets and Grey-throated Minivets chase each other among the canopies . If you are lucky , you just might see rare and beautiful migrants in the bird wave such as the Black-naped Monarch and Verditer Flycatcher . Keep a close eye out , and you will see some incredible things .

                                                                                           GNU information 
                                                                          Copyright © Green Nature Union [GNU] - .All Rights Reserved