Bobsy, ABLE Charity HK (Lamma Forest)
Once upon a time, the hills of Northern Lamma Island were barren and devoid of much life. Then the first seeds of change were planted. In April 1997, 2,000 tree seedlings were planted by ABLE. Since then and for every consecutive year thousands of both exotic and indigenous trees have been planted transforming the hills into an oasis of lush green rich in flora and fauna. Today with approximately 17,000 trees planted the ongoing Lamma Forest is a monument of beauty and peace and a symbol of change and hope for this generation and the next.
The Lamma Forest is a beautiful area located on the Northern hills of Lamma Island, in between Yung Shue Wan and Pak Kok village to the North. From its panoramic hills with the sea on either side, one can see both the sunrise and the sunset while enjoying the relatively breezy winds in the shade of the growing trees. The forest is an ideal location for a quiet picnic or a gentle stroll in nature. Recently earthen trails were opened up to link various sides of the forest together and to make it accessible for most people.
The initiative began in April 1997 with the first tree planting.
The project is not complete for a forest is never complete.
To date, 17,000 trees have been successfully planted and are now self-seeding and regenerating through wind and bird droppings etc.
Many schools (e.g. KG5, Shatin), Government Departments, Companies and Embassies came and took part in the planting. This allowed us to engage the wider community in the process and to raise awareness about the plight of our environment through direct participatory action.
There was even more inspiration for the creation of this forest after a massive fire in October 1998, which was started by one careless family attending their grave (a major problem in HK). Since then the infinite wisdom and generosity of Mother Nature have returned the land to green again with baby seedlings and trees sprouting everywhere.
For the last five years, we have only been planting local indigenous trees under the expert guidance and generosity of Kadoorie Botanical Gardens & Farm in HK. The reason being that local trees carry within them the memory and the wisdom of the local ecosystem and habitat allowing for sustainable growth and development of the land and the local flora and fauna.
Tree planting season is between late April and early June every year as this is the time before the rains come and just far enough away from typhoon season, thereby giving the baby seedlings the best chance to survive and thrive by themselves once planted.
If you would like to join in planting trees, please contact us for further details.
The vision for the forest is to have a beautiful expanse of protected land that belongs to no one and every one, a land where people can gather to celebrate life and Mother Nature, a land where artists and creatives can create organic sculptures and natural art installations that reflect the living spirit of the human potential in harmony with creation.
Until such time we will keep on planting trees and maintaining and guarding the forest.
Contact:
- bobsy@mac.com
- +852 9488 4746
- www.lammaforest.com
- Initiatives Contact: 100waystosavetheplanet.org
- facebook: Save The Human!
