Mangrove restoration project
Details
On Sunday 23rd February 2025 28 students from Li Po Chun United World College participated in a day long mangrove restoration project.
Students spent a morning in Tung Chung Bay, Hong Kong, collecting mangrove droppers in the coastal margin, getting in amongst the mangroves to collect the droppers from the ground, under the supervision of experts from Hong Kong Wetland Conservation Association, who educated the students on the importance of mangroves for coastal protection, biodiversity and as a carbon sink.
The students collected a total of 1505 Bruguiera gymnorrhiza droppers, as well as 246 Kandelia obovate droppers.
The students then visited Sha Po Fairyland wetland park, an area of restored wetland which had previously been used as rice paddies before being left abandoned in recent years before restoration.
Students took 800 droppers of Bruguiera and planted them in special plots at the wetland park, whilst the remaining droppers were saved by the Wetland Association to be used for community education programs with local residents.
After the planting, students then helped to clear the weeds from mangroves planted by Li Po Chun UWC students in the past two years.
Students reflected on the experience by saying:
“I enjoyed the whole process of restoring the ecosystem from collecting the droppers to preparing the land”
“The activity itself to collect and plant mangrove is really meaningful. I enjoy doing meaningful things.”
“Picking up the mangrove dropper feels very satisfying and also feels good as I am helping out the restoration process of mangroves.”
“I’m happy I got the chance to contribute to restore environment and help nature. I enjoyed collecting and planting the mangroves as well as learning more about them. The stuff members were really kind and helping. The grass cutting was also a fun activity.”
“I like the sense of tradition/generational impact that is created by seeing the work of our previous classmates.”
