SEN to visit Sichuan

     The Secretary for the Environment, Mr Wong Kam-sing, will depart for Sichuan this morning (August 14) to officiate at the graduation ceremony of the Youth Internship Programme at the province's Wolong National Nature Reserve. While there, Mr Wong will also learn more about the local conservation work of giant pandas and the programme for reintroducing pandas to the wild, as well as gather knowledge on biodiversity and the conservation of Sichuan's ecosystem.
      
     Upon his arrival today, Mr Wong will visit the Hetaoping base of the China Conservation and Research Center for the Giant Panda in Wolong. There, he will be briefed on the Center's conservation work and the reintroduction programme of giant pandas.
      
     Mr Wong will go to Zumushan with the youth interns tomorrow (August 15) morning to understand bird ecology and later visit the Museum of Nature and Earthquake in Wolong and the Dengsheng conservation station to understand the effectiveness of Sichuan's efforts in conserving the natural ecosystem and related outdoor research.
      
     On the morning of August 16 (Friday), Mr Wong will officiate at the graduation ceremony of the Youth Internship Programme at the Wolong National Nature Reserve. Funded by the Government of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region and co-organised by the Ocean Park Corporation, the programme aims to enhance the understanding of nature conservation among young participants from Hong Kong and Guangdong Province.
      
     Also joining the visit will be Professor Lam Kin-che and Professor Nora Tam Fung-yee, who were the former Chairman of the Steering Committee for the Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan for Hong Kong and the Convenor of the Steering Committee's Marine Biodiversity Working Group respectively, to host two thematic sharing sessions to exchange views with the youths on environment and conservation work.
      
     Mr Wong will conclude his visit and return to Hong Kong on August 16. During his absence, the Under Secretary for the Environment, Mr Tse Chin-wan, will be the Acting Secretary for the Environment.