立法會二題：新自然保育政策

[:zh]以下為今日（五月十八日）在立法會會議上謝偉銓議員的提問和環境局局長黃錦星的答覆︰

問題：
　　
政府於二○○四年年底推出新自然保育政策，旨在更有效地達到自然保育的目標，特別加強保育私人土地上具重要生態價值的地點。在該政策下，政府選定了12個須優先加強保育的地點（下稱優先保育地點）推行兩項試驗計劃，即管理協議計劃及公私營界別合作試驗計劃，以保育這些具重要生態價值的地點。在管理協議計劃下，合資格的非牟利機構會獲資助，與保育地點的土地擁有人簽訂管理協議，以加強保育相關地點；而在公私營界別合作試驗計劃下，倡議者獲准在優先保育地點中生態較不易受破壞的地方進行有限度發展，但發展計劃及規模須經政府同意，而且倡議者須承諾長期保育和管理該等地點其餘生態價值較高的地方。然而，有測量業人士反映，上述政策推出至今已超過十年，除了在元朗和生圍設置了約兩公頃的小型保育區外，該政策在其他保育地點未見取得明顯的進展和成果。就此，政府可否告知本會：

（一）至今在管理協議計劃下簽訂的協議數目，並按優先保育地點列出每份協議的管理機構名稱、獲批准的資助金額、保育土地的面積，以及協議的簽訂日期及有效日期；有多少宗申請被拒絕；又有多少宗申請獲批准但最終未有簽訂協議，以及有關的原因；

（二）當局至今在公私營界別合作試驗計劃下接獲多少宗申請，並按優先保育地點列出每宗申請的提交日期、建議發展規模、審批完成日期及結果；仍在審批中的申請數目為何；及

（三）過去三年，有否就上述兩項試驗計劃的具體推行情況、審批機制及成效等進行全面檢討；若有，檢討的結果、跟進工作，以及該兩項計劃以至新自然保育政策的整體成效（包括能否達致預期效果）為何；若沒有檢討，原因為何，以及會否進行有關檢討？

答覆：

主席：

政府在二○○四年推出新自然保育政策，目的是顧及社會及經濟的考慮，以可持續的方法規管、保護和管理對維護本港生物多樣性至為重要的天然資源。我們希望以切實可行的方法，特別是在尊重土地擁有人的產權的同時，加強保育在私人土地之上具重要生態價值的地點。經過專家和漁農自然護理署的評選後，政府選定了12個須優先加強保育的地點，並推行公私營界別合作計劃（公私營計劃）及管理協議計劃（管理計劃）。謝議員在提問中已表述了公私營計劃的原則。至於在管理計劃方面，則由環境及自然保育基金（環保基金）資助合資格的非牟利機構與保育地點的土地擁有人簽訂管理協議。這兩項計劃都是透過提供經濟誘因，以鼓勵土地擁有人、非政府團體以及私營機構共同參與香港的保育工作。

就謝議員的問題，我們回覆如下：

（一）現時在12個保育地點中，鳳園、塱原及河上鄉、拉姆薩爾濕地、及拉姆薩爾濕地以外之后海灣濕地都以管理計劃協議項目方式由非牟利機構與土地擁有人合作保育。自二○○五年開始，環保基金的資助總額約為8,700萬元（詳情見附件），相關的非牟利機構均有豐富保育經驗。

（二）至於在公私營計劃方面，我們容許項目倡議者在12個保育地點當中的生態較不易受破壞的地方進行有限度發展，但發展計劃及規模須經政府同意和承諾長期保育和管理該地點其餘生態價值較高的地方。倡議者亦須在進行項目前向環保基金注入一筆過足以資助所承諾的保育計劃的捐款，及選定合資格的機構為保育代理人。這項計劃不單可鼓勵私營機構及非政府團體共同參與自然保育的工作，而且可平衡發展與保育。

我們至今曾收到六項在上述12個保育地點進行公私營計劃的建議。在二○○八年，環境諮詢委員會（環諮會）研究後原則上支持推展沙羅洞項目。

由於沙羅洞項目是《環境影響評估條例》的指定工程項目，有關的環境影響評估報告已於二○一二年展示予公眾提出意見。環諮會於二○一二年七月的會議決定要求倡議人提供進一步資料以供其再作考慮。由於倡議人至今仍未提供有關資料，該項目目前還未完成環境評估程序。此外，該項目還須符合所有法例和政策要求。

此外，政府亦收到豐樂圍的建議發展計劃。有關計劃已在二○○九年十一月通過環境影響評估，規劃申請亦已在二○一三年十一月獲批准，目前有關政府部門正等候項目倡議人落實計劃的細節，以符合批准規劃申請時施加的條件。

（三）政府在二○一一年檢討該兩項計劃，並作出了以下的優化安排。首先，環保基金同意把管理計劃伸延至涵蓋郊野公園「不包括土地」以及郊野公園內的私人土地。此外，為確保在公私營計劃下，項目倡議人所承諾的保育計劃得以持續維持，政府要求倡議人須在進行項目前向環保基金注入一筆過足以資助所承諾的保育計劃的捐款，及須選定合資格的機構為保育代理人，以長遠承擔落實在審批環評研究報告內所列出的保育安排。我們會不時檢討有關政策和措施的推行情況和成效等，在有需要時會再進行檢討。

自推行管理計劃以來，塱原的雀鳥品種總數由二○○五年的221種增加至二○一五年的超過300種，佔本港雀鳥品種超過一半。另外，於二○一二年推行的魚塘管理項目，亦對濕地雀鳥帶來益處，皆因在推行管理項目後，拉姆薩爾和后海灣濕地的魚塘水位降低，吸引雀鳥覓食，鷺鳥數目可因而增加數十倍。除了上述的益處外，管理計劃亦有助提升市民及社區對自然保育的意識。

從上述可見，管理計劃於自推行以來取得正面的成績。我們將繼續鼓勵不同的非政府機構和社區組織透過管理計劃在合適的地點進行保育工作。至於公私營計劃方面，由於必須分別符合保育、規劃和土地發展的要求和所涉及的持份者的意見分歧，要在各要求中取得平衡並不容易，故此在推動計劃時需時稍長。

除上述以外，政府亦透過其他措施以推行保育政策，包括管理和劃定郊野公園、特別地區、海岸公園、海岸保護區及自然保育地帶，為主要生態和物種推行保育計劃，以及透過執行《環境影響評估條例》，盡量避免在具高生態價值地方進行工程，以回應社會對保育的訴求。 完

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２０１６年5月18日（星期三）
香港時間１4時22分[:en]LCQ2: New nature conservation policy
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Following is a question by the Hon Tony Tse and a reply by the Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, in the Legislative Council today (May 18):

Question:

The Government introduced a new nature conservation policy at the end of 2004 to better achieve the nature conservation objectives and, in particular, to enhance conservation of ecologically important sites which are in private ownership. Under the policy, the Government has identified 12 priority sites for enhanced conservation (priority conservation sites) and for implementation of two pilot schemes, namely the Management Agreement Scheme (MA Scheme) and the Public-private Partnership Pilot Scheme (PPP Scheme), to conserve these ecologically important sites. Under the MA Scheme, eligible non-profit making organisations will receive funding for entering into MAs with the landowners of conservation sites for enhancing the conservation of the sites concerned; whereas under the PPP Scheme, limited development by the proponents will be allowed at the ecologically less sensitive portion of the priority conservation sites, provided that the development plan and scale are agreed by the Government and the proponents undertake to conserve and manage the rest of the sites that is ecologically more sensitive on a long-term basis. However, some members of the surveying sector have relayed that it has been more than 10 years since the implementation of the aforesaid policy and, apart from setting up a small-scale conservation area of about two hectares at Wo Shang Wai, Yuen Long, the policy has not achieved any notable progress and results in other conservation sites. In this connection, will the Government inform this Council:

(1) of the number of agreements entered into so far under the MA Scheme, and set out, by priority conservation site, the name of the managing organisation, the amount of funding granted and the size of the conservation site under each agreement, as well as the date on which the agreement was entered into and its validity period; the number of applications rejected; and the number of applications which were approved but ended up with no agreement entered into and the reasons for that;

(2) of the number of applications received by the authorities so far under the PPP Scheme, and set out, by priority conservation site, the date of submission, the proposed scale of development, the date of completion of the vetting and approval procedure and the result of each application; the number of applications still in the process of vetting and approval; and

(3) whether it conducted a comprehensive review in the past three years of the specific implementation, the vetting and approval mechanism and the effectiveness, etc. of the aforesaid two pilot schemes; if it did, of the review outcome, follow-up work and overall effectiveness of the two schemes as well as the new nature conservation policy (including whether the intended results were achieved); if not, the reasons for that and whether it will conduct such a review?

Reply:

President,

Having taken into account social and economic considerations, the Government introduced a new nature conservation policy in 2004 to regulate, protect and manage natural resources that are of utmost importance for the conservation of the biodiversity of Hong Kong in a sustainable manner. We aim to identify practicable ways to better achieve the nature conservation objectives. In particular, we aim to enhance conservation of ecologically important sites that are under private ownership while respecting the landowners' property right. Following the assessment by experts and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), the Government has identified 12 priority sites for enhanced conservation and launched the Public-private Partnership (PPP) Scheme and Management Agreement (MA) Scheme. Hon Tse has already stated the principle of the PPP Scheme in his question. As for the MA Scheme, funding support is provided under the Environment and Conservation Fund (ECF) to competent non-profit-making organisations (NPOs) to enter into MAs with landowners of the conservation sites. By providing financial incentives, both Schemes encourage the participation of landowners, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and the private sector in nature conservation in Hong Kong.

Our replies to the questions raised by Hon Tse are as follows:

(1) Of the 12 conservation sites, those in Fung Yuen, Long Valley and Ho Sheung Heung, Ramsar Site and Deep Bay Wetland outside Ramsar Site are under MA projects whereby the NPOs and landowners co-operate to conserve. Since 2005, the funding support provided by the ECF has amounted to some $87 million (see the Annex for details). The NPOs concerned are all experienced in nature conservation.

(2) Under the PPP Scheme, limited development by the project proponents will be allowed at the ecologically less sensitive portion of the 12 conservation sites, provided that the development plan and scale are agreed by the Government and the proponents undertake to conserve and manage the rest of the sites that is ecologically more sensitive on a long-term basis. The project proponents will also be required to make an upfront lump sum donation to the ECF sufficient to support the pledged conservation programmes, and to identify competent bodies as their conservation agents. This Scheme not only encourages the participation of the private sector and NGOs in nature conservation, but also balances between development and conservation.

We have so far received a total of six applications to carry out PPP projects at the 12 conservation sites. In 2008, the Advisory Council on the Environment (ACE) supported in principle the Sha Lo Tung project after deliberation.

Since the Sha Lo Tung project is a designated project under the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO), the relevant environmental impact assessment (EIA) report was exhibited for public comment in 2012. Having considered the report at the meeting on July 2012, the ACE decided that the proponent should provide further information for its re-consideration. As the proponent has yet to provide the required information, the EIA process of the project has not been completed. Furthermore, the project has to comply with all relevant legislative and policy requirements.

Meantime, the Government has received a development proposal at Fung Lok Wai. The EIA of the proposed development was endorsed in November 2009 while the planning application was approved in November 2013. At present, relevant government departments are waiting for the project proponent to finalise the details of the proposed development to ensure its compliance with the conditions imposed in the approved planning application.

(3) The Government reviewed the two schemes in 2011 and made the following enhancements. Firstly, the ECF agreed that the scope of the MA Scheme be extended to cover private land in country park enclaves and within country parks. Moreover, to ensure the sustainability of the pledged conservation programmes under the PPP scheme, the Government will require the project proponents to make an upfront lump sum donation to the ECF sufficient to support the pledged conservation programmes, and to identify competent bodies as their conservation agents, with a view to implementing the conservation arrangements set out in the approved EIA report on a long-term basis. We will review the implementation and effectiveness of relevant policies and measures from time to time and will conduct review again where necessary.

Since the implementation of the MA Scheme, the total number of bird species recorded in Long Valley increased from 221 in 2005 to over 300 in 2015, representing more than half of the bird species in Hong Kong. The new MA project on fishponds implemented in 2012 has also benefited birds inhabiting wetlands as the water level of the fishponds at Ramsar Site and Deep Bay Wetland has been lowered since then. The fishponds have become attractive feeding sites for birds and the number of egrets may thus multiply by dozens. In addition to the benefits stated above, the MA project has also raised public and community awareness of nature conservation.

It can be seen from the above that the MA Scheme has made positive achievements since its implementation. We will continue to encourage various NGOs and community organisations to participate in the conservation of suitable sites through the MA Scheme. For the PPP Scheme, compliance with the respective requirements on conservation, planning and land development inevitably generates diverse views among the stakeholders concerned and it is not easy to strike a balance. As such, it takes longer time to implement projects under the Scheme.

Apart from the above, the Government has taken other measures to implement the conservation policy. They include managing and designating country parks, special areas, marine parks, marine reserves and conservation areas; formulating and carrying out conservation action plans for species and habitats of conservation importance; and minimising works at sites of high ecological value by enforcing the EIAO so as to address the aspiration of our society for nature conservation.

Ends/Wednesday, May 18, 2016
Issued at HKT 14:23[:]