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Here comes the rainy season – which is also the growing season for planted seedlings. Heavy rain moisturizes the soil and provides sufficient water for newly planted seedlings for their early establishment and growth; so it is the best time for tree planting! Nevertheless, adverse weather is one of the greatest challenges for organizing a tree planting day.

Hang Seng x CA Plantation Enrichment Programme 2022 Tree Planting Day was held on 12 June 2022. The challenges we faced were not only Thunderstorm Warning in force in that morning, but also heavy rain in the week before which turned the planting site into slippery and muddy slope. As rain gradually eased off by noontime, the volunteer team from Hang Seng Bank tried their best to bring the 800 seedlings back to nature. With no fear of slippery and muddy slope, but in small groups guided by CA staff and members of CA Forest Guards, as well as the assistance of team from horticulture contractor, all the 800 seedlings were eventually planted at the plantation site at Tai Shue Ha West Road at Tai Lam Country Park!

The Country Park Plantation Enrichment Programme (PEP) was launched by Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) in 2009. By removing some of the aging or unhealthy exotic trees at monoculture plantation site, providing space for planting native seedlings of higher ecological value, the aim of PEP is to increase biodiversity, as well as to enhance forest structure and ecological functions of the plantation site. CA has joined the programme since 2016 and started to invited different corporates to devote to local woodland conservation. We are grateful to have the long-term support of Hang Seng Bank, particularly in recent difficult years, who sponsored our plantation enrichment works and help safeguard the biodiversity in our nature.

11 species of seedling