Public Golf Course

1. Recreational Facilities in Sai Kung -- The Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau Public Golf Course By Channey Chan, Carlokas Ho, Esther Ng, Elby Ip and Pearl Chan

2. Report on Gap Analysis and Alternatives Generation

3. Stakeholders • Kau Sai Chau Golf Course • Golfers and Visitors • Sai Kung Residents • Kau Sai Villagers • Fishermen • Non-governmental Organizations • Government Departments

4. The Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau Public Golf Course Limited • First Approached: Oct 7 • Replied: Oct 9 • Louise So (Administration Manager) • Face-to-face Interview: Oct 13 • Kevin Yuen (General Manager) • Field Investigation Plan

5. Sai Kung Residents, Golfers, Visitors • Short questionnaire: Nov 11 • Location: Sai Kung Town and KSC Public Golf Course Pier • Another in-depth interview: Nov 25

6. Fishermen • Mr. Law Yau Mui (羅有妹) • Village Head of Kau Sai Village (滘西村) • Contacted: Nov 8 • Face-to-face Interview: Nov 11

7. Fishermen • Mr. Ma Muk Gun (馬木根) • Representative of Tai Tau Chau (大頭洲) • Telephone Interview: Nov 11 • Referred by Law Yau Mui

8. NGOs • Dr. Ng Cho Nam (吳祖南) • Member of Advisory Council on the Environment • Director of the Conservancy Association (長春社) • Contacted: Oct 26 • Replied: Oct 30 • Question List sent: Nov 8

9. NGOs • Prof. Wong Yuk Shan (黃玉山) • Member of Advisory Council on the Environment • Environmental advocate • Provides expertise in environmental biotechnology (scientist) • Contacted: Oct 26 • Interview: Nov 18

10. NGOs • Mrs. Ng Fong Siu Mei (吳方笑微) • Director of Friends of the Earth (地球之友) • Member of Advisory Council on the Environment • Contacted: Oct 26 • Awaiting feedback

11. Government Departments • Agriculture Fisheries Conservation Department (漁農自然護理署) • Miss. Phoebe Sze • Contacted: Oct 27 • Replied: Nov 3 • Question list sent: Nov 9

12. Government Departments • Leisure and Cultural Services Department (康文署) • Mr. Gary Ng • Customer Service Supervisor • Contacted: Oct 27 • Replied and Feedback Received: Nov 7

13. Government Departments • Environmental Protection Department (環境保護署) • Telephone Interview: Oct 26 • Being transferred to different departments • Environmental Compliance Division - Regional office (E) • Follow up interview: Nov 24

14. Government Departments • Marine Department (海事署) • Contacted: Oct 28 • Awaiting feedback • Advisory Council on the Environment(環境諮詢委員會) • Miss. Sarah Ng • EIA Subcommittee Secretariat • Contacted: Oct 27 • Replied and Feedback Received: Nov 7

15. Stakeholders' Awareness and Capacities

16. The Jockey Club Kau Sai Chau Public Golf Course Limited • Self-regulatory approach • Fulfill EIA for building the existing golf course • Maintenance of water quality • Ecological monitoring • Future plan to maintain sustainability • Creating KSCPGC development fund to establish more golf and other recreational facilities

17. Golf players and Visitors • 180,000 people visited KSCPGC each year • Bring in money to Sai Kung • spend money on golf playing • spend money on traffic and car parking • stay for dinner and shopping • Not involved in the preservation of the natural environment of Kau Sai Chau

18. Golf players and Visitors • Golf players’ expectations: • more holes to play and practice paths • higher availability • lower prices • Visitors’ (include SK residents) expectations: • scenicview of Kau Sai Chau • food quality in the KSC canteen • Aware the nice environment and the environmental awards of KSCPGC • Concern the facilities within KSCPGC only • Never try to voice their opinions • Do not know the importance of the conservation of the environment

19. Kau Sai Villager Who are they?

20. Kau Sai Villager

21. Kau Sai Village • Background: - 1953 government reclaimed land - Move 16 households to New Kau Sai Village at Pak Sha Wan - Training ground closed - KSC villagers built houses and took up residence again on KSCPGC

22. Kau Sai Village • Graves - Affected villagers negotiated with Jockey Club individually for compensation and reconstruction of graves • Conclusion - Passive - No special expectation and needs

23. Where is Tai Tau Chau?

24. Fishermen • Consultation - On KSCPGC, fishermen on KSC were informed - On Tai Tau Chau, no consultation - Conclusion: -- To KSC fishermen, no special expectation and needs Because of the location of golf course and village -- To Tai Tau Chau fishermen, they want to be consulted in further construction • Water Quality - Muddy water flowing into the fish farms on heavy rainy days, herbicide flows downstream and kills the fish - Mud blocks the hiding place of fish - Fish amount decreases drastically on Tai Tau Chau, 80 households dropped to 40 households - On 1st Aug 2006, they organized a protest on the sea - Conclusion: Control water quality and have compensation

25. Fishermen • Noise Pollution - On Tai Tau Chau, 2 households provide fishing service for visitors - Construction work in KSCPGC continues until 11 p.m. or even after mid-night - Business volume hence drops 20%-30% - Residents called EPD to inquire about the time slot permitted for construction - EPD replied that there was NO fixed residence near the construction site, there was no limit to the construction in KSCPGC - Is it true? http://www.epd.gov.hk/epd/tc_chi/application_for_licences/guidance/application_maincontent36.html - Conclusion: Restrict the time slot for the construction

26. Fishermen • Compensation Procedures • - Jockey Club and construction companies took photos of the fish farms. • - Kept the dead fish. • - Next day, Sai Kung Home Affair Office, AFCD, surveyor company and insurance company went to fish farms to confirm the situation. • - Cheque issued to those who are affected • Wait for more than 5 months to get compensation • Conclusion: • - Have quicker response system and more • facilitated compensation system

27. NGOs • Questions asked… 1. How did your organization participate in the different phases of construction of KSCPGC? 2. Did your organization meet any difficulties in airing your opinion of the golf course? 2. Did your organization oppose the development of golf course? 3. If so, on what grounds? 4. In what ways can the KSCPGC improve its environmental policy?

28. Government Departments • Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) • Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) • Marine Department • Environmental Protection Department (EPD) • Advisory Council on the Environment (ACE)

29. Questions sent to AFCD • What is your role in the development of the different phases of the Kau Sai Chau Public Golf Course (KSCPGC)? • What is your opinion of the KSCPGC? • Did your department advise Jockey Club during the planning (site selection, design) and construction? • Have you heard any voices against the construction of the KSCPGC in Kau Sai Chau? Have your received complaints during the construction of the KSCPGC? • What is the relationship between your department and the KSCPGC (cooperation, partnership, advisory)? • Is the waste made in the KSCPGC damaging the surrounding fishery productivity? • Are the pesticides (Insecticide: Chipco Choice [A.I. 0.1% fipronil]; Merit [A.I. Imidacloprid], Herbicide: MSMA, Image, Fungicide: Mancozeb, Rovral, Dacotech) used in the KSCPGC bringing negative effects to the environment? • Is the construction of the third golf course disturbing the natural habitats?

30. Reply from LCSD and ACE Leisure and Cultural Services Department • There are four golf facilities under the management of LCSD: • Tuen Mun Golf Centre • Wo Yi Hop Road Golf Driving Range • Shun Lee Tsuen Sports Centre Indoor Golf Driving Range • Indoor Golf Driving Bays at Island East Sports Centre • Kau Sai Chau Public Golf Course (KSCPGC) is not under their management. Advisory Council on the Environment • Receive Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance • E.g. Proposed Extension of Public Golf Course on Kau Sai Chau • Distribute to related departments for further assessment → Government Departments have a complicated framework that mostly deal with the administrative work rather than practical work to conserve the environment

31. Gap Analysis and Alternatives Generation

32. Technological improvements initiated by KSC Public Golf Course The 3rd Golf Course • Use of electric golf carts • Use of Seashore Paspalum in turfing • Higher tolerance to stress • Higher tolerance to salt (less water required) • More resistant to diseases and insects • Lower nitrogen requirement (less fertilizer and pesticides needed)

33. Technological improvements initiated by KSC Public Golf Course The 3rd Golf Course • Chemicals with less impact • Insecticide • Chipco Choice (A.I. 0.1% fipronil) • Merit (A.I. Imidacloprid) • Herbicide • MSMA • Image • Fungicide • Mancozeb • Rovral • Dacotech

34. Technological improvements initiated by KSC Public Golf Course The 3rd Golf Course • Chemicals with less impacts • List sent by KSCPGC • However, we are awaiting the opinions from Dr. Ng.

35. Problem:stress on transportation system • Situation: • Stress on existing transportation capacity • Visitors or golfers tend to drive to Sai Kung Town • Suggestions: • Encourage the use of public transport • e.g. free shuttle bus service from Choi Hung to Sai Kung • e.g. public transport rates to be deducted from green fees

36. Problem:inefficient report system • Situation: • Meetings among stakeholders held only when accidents happened • e.g. sudden washouts downstream into marine water • No permanent contact point for accidents • e.g. local residents have to inform different departments • Slow compensation procedures • e.g. one case took 5 months from file of complaint to actual receipt of compensation

37. Problem:inefficient report system • Suggestions: • More inter-departmental communications • Monthly regular meeting • Better report system • Prevention and contingency plan • More involvement and consultation with stakeholders

38. Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO) EIAO Guidance Note No. 3/2002 Flexibility and enforceability of mitigation measures proposed in an environmental impact assessment report - Preventive ability 3.1 The primary purpose of the proposed measures is to prevent environmental problems from happening, and not just to rectify problems after their occurrence. Consideration should, therefore, give priority to avoid, pre-empt and prevent adverse environmental consequences.

39. Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO) A guide to environmental impact assessment ordinance 8. The time limits for the Director to respond to various applications and for the public and the Advisory Council on the Environment to comment on the project profile or the EIA report are described below:

40. 8. Time limits for the Director, the public and the Advisory Council on the Environment to respond

41. Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO)

42. Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO) A guide to environmental impact assessment ordinance 13. Public access to information under the Ordinance Section 15 of the Ordinance requires the Director to set up and maintain a register containing project profiles, EIA study briefs, EIA reports, environmental permits and other key decisions made by the Director. The register, which is open for inspection by the public during normal office hours, ensures transparency of the statutory EIA process.

43. Golf development in other areas In the USA: • Golf Course Superintendents Association of America • They have worked out a framework and regulations for golf development in the States (http://www.gcsaa.org) In South East Asia: • There is no law or regulations specifically dealing with golf course development in general. • Problems: environmental pollution (of soil, air, water, ...), clearance of rain forest e.g. the Langkawi Island in Malaysia, water depletion, displacement of local communities... In Europe (esp. in Spain): • In Spain, golf tourism is very popular  growing no. of courses  running out of ground water. Government started to regulate the development of golf courses.  The Global Anti-Golf Movement (held in Panang, Malaysia, 1993)

44. Conclusion Generally, we found out that stakeholders lack awareness of environmental protection. There is also a lack of public participation in the whole development from planning, consultation, construction to management and maintenance of the golf course. Moreover, local communities, i.e. residents of Tai Tau Chau and Kau Sai Chau are not sufficiently consulted.

45. Conclusion We would suggest a system of participatory procedures involving scientists, stakeholders, advocates, active citizens and users of knowledge (as suggested in “Sustainability Science”, Kates et al). As mentioned recently by the Chief Executive’s in his recent policy address on environmental protection measures, “We promote community participation by raising awareness and devise practical response plans to tackle critical and difficult situations”

46. The End