public golf course

By Channey Chan, Carlokas Ho, Esther Ng, Elby Ip and Pearl Chan

Introduction to Kau Sai Chau (I)

• 5th largest island of HK

• Lie in the centre of Port Shelter• Large mangrove

community on the north part of island (reservoir)

Introduction to Kau Sai Chau (II)

History of Kau Sai Chau (I)

• 1936-1975: military training in aerial bombing and artillery shelling by HK government

• Fire damage and soil erosion by shelling and hillfires

• Dominated by low shrubs and grasses

History of Kau Sai Chau (II)

Before

After

About the Public Golf Course (I)

• Jockey Club was aware of the growing wish of golf course– Build a public golf course with 2 sites, north and south

• Agreement with HK government– HK government: land– Jockey Club: construction and maintenance

• Environmental assessments– Before construction– Become framework of EIA for EPD

About the Public Golf Course (II)

• Known as “environmentally friendly” golf course– "Certified Audubon Cooperative

Sanctuary" – 1st golf course in China to win this distinction

• Aim at promoting golf to public• Not-for-profit-making basis• Has started the 3rd site

construction in 2006• Adopt a long sustainable plan

Rationale for Choice

• Target: Kau Sai Chau Public Golf Course

i. Historical background• military training in bombing and shelling

ii. Common sense of building golf course • environmentally unfriendly

iii. Recreational facilities• first public golf course

Our Goals

• Is Kau Sai Chau golf course really environmentally unfriendly?

• Impacts Positive? Negative?

• Assess sustainability of golf course

• Any further development?

• Any impacts on other aspects?

Research Methods of Baseline Information

• Primary research:– Interviews with stakeholders

• Kevin Yuen, general manager of the Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau Public Golf Course Limited

– Observation

• Secondary materials:– Government publications– Newspaper searching– Internet– Printed books

• Community Project– provision of a healthy sport– encouragement of compliance in etiquette

and fairness• indoctrinate proper values to younger generatio

n• harmonization of family (parent-child activities)

Baseline Conditions and ImpactsSocial Aspect (I)

– providing therapeutic services to people with disabilities

– assisting in fund raising activities– expanding elite golfer training to the grass-

root level

Baseline Conditions and ImpactsSocial Aspect (II)

– attracting more visitors to Sai Kung

positive effect on local economy– provision of jobs– minimizing the drain of wealth from Hong K

ong to other golf cities– enhancing the growth of golf industry

Baseline Conditions and ImpactsEconomic Aspect

Before development: • little habitats• degraded by hill fires

soil erosion, washouts• shell damages resulted from artillery

practices in the 1950s

Baseline Conditions and ImpactsEnvironmental Aspect

Benefits:• converted the barren island

to a scenic place (improved visual effect)

• re-colonization of flora and fauna • reduced soil erosion• increased hill fire control• preserve coastline

Baseline Conditions and ImpactsEnvironmental Aspect

Present: • minimum use of pesticides• planting of environmentally friendly turf grass

“Seashore Paspalum” for the 3rd golf course currently under construction

Baseline Conditions and ImpactsEnvironmental Aspect

• Served as a blueprint for the drafting and establishment of the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO) which came into effect in 1998, two years after the KSC golf course had been opened.

• Resulted in clearer categorization of development projects requiring environmental permits: outdoor golf course development is one of the categories of designated projects in the EIAO.

• Green groups are part of the advisory/monitoring committees in development projects ( the government tends to be more responsive to the environmental concerns of the public and Green groups).

Baseline Conditions and ImpactsPolitical Aspect

Types of Participants (I)

• KSC golf course

• Environmental groups (green groups)– World Wide Fund, The Conservancy Association,

Friends of the Earth

• Golf players and visitors

• Government departments– Environmental Protection Department, Agriculture,

Fisheries and Conservation Department, Planning Department and Sustainable Development Council

Types of Participants (II)

• Environmental consultants

• Sai Kung residents

• Sai Kung fishermen

• Kau Sai villagers

Interrelations of Participants

Society

Politics

Community

Environment Environment

Economy

Examples of Interrelations

• Society Economy– e.g. Sai Kung Residents and Job Provision to Sai Kung

Residents

• Politics Environment– e.g. Legislation of EIA and HK water quality