Experiencing Urban Biodiversity @Lake Ad Excellentiam

Subvented by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department

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Experiencing Urban Biodiversity @Lake Ad Excellentiam is a community project, sponsored by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, whose aim is to promote nature exploration and appreciation of local urban biodiversity through interactive activities around Lake Ad Excellentiam at The Chinese University of Hong Kong (CUHK). The programme includes a virtual learning portal and a series of workshops and outdoors activities.

About CUHK’s Lake Ad Excellentiam

CUHK is home to over 200 plant species and over a third of all tree species found in Hong Kong. Like many other places in Hong Kong, a lot of the vegetation cover in CUHK was removed in past decades, making the hilly landscape barren. Thanks to recent efforts to reforest the campus, Lake Ad Excellentiam’s various landscapes of lawns, tree canopies and ponds can now provide abundant food supply and shelter for various animals and insects.

Located within a five-minute walk from University Station and adjacent to buildings, Lake Ad Excellentiam perfectly demonstrates how artificial habitats, such as urban parks and gardens, can serve as wildlife habitats in the urban area.

Objectives

To promote public awareness and knowledge of the urban biodiversity of Hong Kong through interactive activities that use the participants’ five senses
To encourage the public, especially young children, to explore nature and appreciate our local biodiversity
To engage the public in efforts to conserve biodiversity
To nurture university students to become biodiversity ambassadors and empower them to transfer their knowledge and appreciation of nature to the public

Activities

1. Virtual Learning Portal

Discover Lake Ad Excellentiam’s biodiversity through an interactive virtual learning portal. Available for download at the portal are:

An identification chart of 'Common Urban Plants and Animals of Hong Kong'
Activity worksheets on urban biodiversity

Share with us your urban biodiversity experience in daily life at the Sharing Corner. Your experience will be posted on the virtual learning portal to encourage others to appreciate nature.

2. ‘Junior Biodiversity Explorers—Experiencing Nature with the Five Senses’

The experiential programme will be held at CUHK’s Lake Ad Excellentiam to allow visitors, especially children, to explore the natural environment with their five senses: observing, touching, smelling, hearing and tasting. The three-hour programme includes the following activities:

i) Pre-tour Workshop
Learn about the types and features of urban biodiversity of Hong Kong and the classification of organisms. Get ready for the visit to the lake.

ii) Site Visit
Grab an ‘Explorer Toolkit’ and join this game-based interactive exploration to learn about the relationships among urban biodiversity, natural resources and humans!

iii) Sustainability Workshop
Repurpose withered plants to produce simple everyday DIY products, such as anti-mosquito cream and flower-pounding products.

Application details for ‘Junior Biodiversity Explorers—Experiencing Nature with the Five Senses’

Suitable for	Kindergarten to primary school children (Ages 3 – 11)
Capacity per session	10 children Each child must be accompanied by at least 1 adult (up to 2) Programme and workshop materials will be provided for 1 child and 1 adult only
Venue	Jockey Club Museum of Climate Change, Yasumoto International Academic Park, 8/F, and Lake Ad Excellentiam, CUHK
Language	Cantonese
Admission	Free; first come, first served. Each participant can join only one session.
Available sessions	Date (2022; Saturday)	Time	Ages	Application Opens
	24 Sep	9:30 am–12:30 pm	3–5	14 Sep (Wed) 10:00 am APPLY HERE (Chinese version only)
	24 Sep	2:00 pm–5:00 pm	3–5
	8 Oct	9:30 am–12:30 pm	3–5
	8 Oct	2:00 pm–5:00 pm	6–8	26 Sep (Mon) 10:00 am APPLY HERE (Chinese version only)
	29 Oct	9:30 am–12:30 pm	6–8
	29 Oct	2:00 pm–5:00 pm	6–8
	5 Nov	9:30 am–12:30 pm	9–11	24 Oct (Mon) 10:00 am APPLY HERE (Chinese version only)
	5 Nov	2:00 pm–5:00 pm	9–11
	12 Nov	9:30 am–12:30 pm	9–11

COVID-19 Arrangements

To minimize the risk of spreading COVID-19 and for effective social distancing, all visitors and activity participants aged 5 or above are required to present the ‘Vaccine Pass’ to access the CUHK campus and wear a mask throughout the activity. Participants who have a temperature of 37.5°C or above, have any respiratory symptoms, and/or are not wearing a mask will not be admitted to the activity venue and will not be allowed to participate in the activity.

Enquiries

Annie Tong (Tel: 3943 3975; Email: annietong@cuhk.edu.hk)

Disclaimer

Any opinions, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in these materials or the event do not necessarily reflect the views of the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.

2022

Year