Bulletin Autumn‧Winter 2007

Green Fingers Ruddy Cheeks On 27 October 2007, over 150 alumni, staff and students joined honorary hiking leader and Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Michael Hui, in a pleasant two- hour hike to a plot on Grassy Hill in Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve, where they planted tree saplings, weeded and irrigated the area, and witnessed the official birth of the CUHK woodland. The event marked the University's participation — the first among local tertiary institutions — in the Corporate Afforestation Scheme of the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department. The target is to plant 10,000 trees in five years. Nature-lovers and hiking aficionados of CUHK will continue to plant seedlings in the plot for three years and spend two years managing and maintaining them. The total afforested area will be around two hectares. Currently the site consists mainly of grass and a few shrubs. Growing conditions there are affected by hill fires, strong winds, stray cattle and acidic soil. To prevent hill fires, weeds within five to 10 metres around the cultivated area will be removed, and fire-resistant trees will be planted in the periphery. In windy places, wind- resistant species will be grown using the close-planting technique. The soil will be fertilized with chemical elements lacking from acidic soil and a water-retaining agent will also be added. Plants that appeal to bovine palates will not be grown. 17 Local Actions Global Tasks