Rewilding in Ngau Tau Kok
Rewilding - the management of disturbed habitats to restore them as far as feasible to a 'wild' condition - is taking place throughout Europe, as recounted in the award-winning 2018 book 'Wilding' by the aptly named Isabella Tree. Although Hong Kong would seem to offer limited scope for rewilding, a form of it is under way in an unlikely place: the East Kowloon suburb of Ngau Tau Kok. Like many of the precious few freshwater streams in the territory, the stream running through Jordan Valley has long been tamed by a concrete straitjacket. Without actually removing the concrete, a 'naturalization' project completed in 2022 has succeeded in planting suitable vegetation along the banks and creating a small but valuable wetland habitat, now known as the Jordan Valley Channel and extending for some 330 metres.
The project has shown rapid results, with the rich vegetation along the channel supporting a variety of moths, butterflies and dragonflies. Birds such as Long-tailed Shrikes and wintering Dusky Warblers take advantage of the new abundance of insect life, while White-breasted Waterhens have taken up residence among the vegetation. The value of the channel for wetland birds was shown in November 2022 when a Schrenck's Bittern stopped over in the channel for a few days on its southbound migration. It was joined by another uncommon migrant - a Brown-cheeked Rail, once regarded as a subspecies of Water Rail but now elevated to a separate species based on its distinct facial markings and vocalizations. Thanks to the rewilding, both birds were able to 'skulk' in the riverside vegetation as they are wont to do, with the crepuscular rail emerging to forage at dawn and dusk. The Drainage Services Department, which deserves credit for this enlightened step, is undertaking with further such projects under the theme "Rivers in the City", notably at the Kai Tak River.
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