Home » Posts » Careless slope vegetation clearance on Cheung Chau but improvements underway
While slopes in Hong Kong may receive intensive management – especially given the history of severe landslides during rainstorms – there has in recent decades been something of a shift from purely concreting them, to cultivating and allowing more greenery. See, for instance:
The Government has committed to landscape every existing slope upgraded under the former Landslip Preventive Measures (LPM) Programme and the current Landslip Prevention and Mitigation Programme (LPMitP), and every newly formed Government slope. It is believed that with the commitment and effort, Hong Kong’s living environment became greener.
However, I’ve quite often seen slopes where most or all vegetation is cut to almost ground level. And, at times, I’ve emailed the government to complain, even noting this contravenes government policy, and hoping for better. Some years ago, this led to a minor “win” – vegetation was mostly allowed to regenerate on a small slope, attracting butterflies and small birds like warblers and white-eyes.
Happily, this time led to some changes for the better; nice if more greening work on Cheung Chau [and other slopes] can happen too…
Less success with a place termed Don Bosco Road Garden – which despite its name is mostly a concrete area; and with slopes below that have often been largely cleared of all plants, dead leaves etc, exposing tree roots [surely not good for the trees, which I’d think will be more prone to toppling in typhoons]. Plus, issues more recently – early 2025, which I’ve also emailed about:
The government is supposedly promoting greening of slopes – see for instance: 斜坡的綠化及園境美化 [Chinese version of page linked to above].
Partly as plant roots can help bind soil, keep slopes in place.
Yet here on Cheung Chau, I too often see slopes simply cleared of vegetation that does grow.
Such as slopes above and near Cheung Chau Sports Ground – as in photo here, with contractors at work cutting the grass, small trees, whatever had started growing. [This happens periodically here; seems just foolish to me!]
Also by a “garden” [government one], southeast Cheung Chau: just pathetic growth of plants here. I’ve complained about this before, been told improvements would happen, but still terrible, with severe soil erosion.
It seems government hires contractors who hate nature, so are happy to cut all vegetation for “slope cleaning”; just get the money for this.
Why not something smarter?
– like allow some small trees to grow; can later help shade paths too. Also just trim grass etc – so paths are kept clear; no need to just destroy, destroy, destroy!
Smarter still: employ some gardeners; aim for gorgeous slopes we can all admire, attracting butterflies and birds too. Too much to ask?
Vegetation on slopes should be retained but too often not so in practice
Led to this reply:
Regarding your above case, the substantive reply of the Architectural Services Department is as follows –
“Thank you for your concern on the captioned matter, and we would like to provide our reply as below:
This department has deployed slope maintenance term contractor to conduct regular slope maintenance services on slope features maintained by this department on a regular basis to maintain the slopes in proper condition. We concur with your view that vegetation on the slopes should be preserved. Shrubs and small trees on the slopes are retained as a vegetation maintenance practice to balance the upkeep of slope facility, stability and greening. In general, only grasses exceeding 200mm in height and vegetation affecting slope facilities (e.g. drainage channel, footpath) would be trimmed down while others would be retained for slope greening and soil erosion control purposes.
Having referred to your two photos (as attached), it comes to our attention that they are referring to our maintained slope feature nos. 14NW-D/F71 and 14NW-D/C290 at Cheung Chau Sportsground and Don Bosco Road Garden, Cheung Chau respectively.
Regarding slope feature no. 14NW-D/F71 at Cheung Chau Sportsground, please be advised that the grasses thereon used to grow rapidly and we often receive requests for grass cutting from villagers and venue management department, etc. According to our maintenance records, the latest grass cutting work was conducted on the said slope on 7 February 2025. Relevant before/ after work photos are attached for your reference. It is considered that the grasses would grow rapidly to restore the greenery very soon.
Regarding slope feature no. 14NW-D/C290 at Don Bosco Road Garden, Cheung Chau, please be advised that no grass cutting or vegetation trimming work was recently conducted by our contractor according to our maintenance records, while we were also given to know from the venue management department that they had just removed some dead vegetation on the said slope.
Meanwhile, we are planning to plant shrubs on the concerned slopes to enhance greenery, as well as to reduce the need of conducting grass cutting works.
I replied:
Sadly, I notice that “Shrubs and small trees on the slopes are retained” is not true.
Even if some shrubs/trees start growing on these and other slopes, they are readily cut along with grass.
We’ve seen some small trees trying to grow on the main slope in my photos, by the sports ground. Also Lantana, a weedy shrub with colourful flowers that attract many butterflies – and which can even outcompete grass [can be seen in one of your photos].
I wonder if the villagers requesting grass cutting are most concerned about grass that starts to overhang footpaths?
To me not a big issue; but anyway, focusing trimming alongside the paths, leaving more vegetation on slopes a metre or more from paths, might seem a way of placating any villagers’ concerns – while allowing vegetation to grow, especially shrubs and trees that can help hold soil in place, and which can in turn limit growth of grass.
In time, trees could provide some shade, surely welcomed by many people.
Of course, the planting to enhance the greenery is even better.
Best approach, then, is more nuanced than the cut everything and we’ll get paid approach of contractors!
Thanks for checking about the slope at Don Bosco Road Garden; even with recent work being to remove dead vegetation, this has over the years been kept as a rather barren slope, not befitting a “garden”.
– and wouldn’t some vegetation help provide nutrients for plant growth?
Three recent photos here: a slope just north of the sports ground, with all vegetation trimmed.
And slope above the sports ground; small trees try growing, but a tough task as cleanup crews are prone to arrive and cut them along with the grass.
Again, reducing potential shade trees; and less roots to hold soil in place. Plus less vegetation where birds, butterflies and more might feed, even nest.
Architectural Services Department Plans Work to Boost Slope Greenery
Further email from the government was more positive:
Further to our preceding reply dated 12 March 2025, please be advised that shrubs will be planted on ArchSD’s maintained slope feature nos. 14NW-D/F71 and 14NW-D/C290 at Cheung Chau Sportsground and Don Bosco Road Garden respectively upon receiving consent from the venue management department. The planting works are anticipated to be conducted in mid-April 2025. Besides, our contractor has been advised to primarily trim the grasses at the edge of slopes near drainage channels or footpaths, and try to keep the vegetation at the middle of the slopes for ArchSD’s maintained slopes in Cheung Chau during slope maintenance works in future.
Thank you for your concern on the captioned matter. It comes to our attention from the case details that the other concerned area shown in your photos referring to slope under Highways Department (HyD)’s maintenance purview was referred by 1823 to HyD to follow up in parallel.
So rather than complaining, I’ve replied:
How splendid to learn of shrubs to be planted, and trimming more at edges of the slopes, trying to keep vegetation in the middle of the slopes!!!!
I hope this works out.
Nice if someone who has some interest in plants, gardening can check on the slopes at times.
It would really be a result if there are later some positive comments from others as this management work proceeds; but perhaps people will just quietly enjoy seeing the shrubs and maybe some flowers, even butterflies.
[Rather than simply more like complaints from villagers wanting long grass cut, alongside paths.]
I live very very close by; look forward to improvements!
Another email received, 31 March 2025:
Regarding your above case, the substantive reply of the Architectural Services Department is as follows –
“Thank you for your messages on 26 March 2025. We are pleased to receive your valuable views and suggestions on vegetation maintenance over the slopes. Meanwhile, planting of shrubs on ArchSD’s maintained slope feature nos. 14NW-D/F71 and 14NW-D/C290 at Cheung Chau Sportsground and Don Bosco Road Garden respectively are being arranged and anticipated to be conducted in mid-April 2025. Besides advising our contractor not to over-trimming vegetation on our maintained slopes, we will also review other ArchSD’s maintained slopes within Cheung Chau during our routine maintenance to see if any greening works could be conducted to enhance greenery.”
My reply:
Many thanks for the email; great to learn this!
I hope it will be possible to plant species suiting the sites; also that the work can involve someone who cares about greenery…
Then, I will have fingers crossed for success, and hope at least some people will appreciate seeing slopes looking more attractive [and with roots that should help stabilise the slopes too].
Complaints from residents about mosquitoes and snakes
Here, another reply [via the government’s tellme @ 1823 email service, which is a conduit to various departments], received 10 April 2025:
The Highways Department (HyD) is responsible for the vegetation maintenance for HyD SIMAR slopes. Typically, our term contractor conducts routine vegetation maintenance for slopes under our jurisdiction at least once every six months. For the slope in concern under HyD, i.e.14NW-D/F69(1) located near the Cheung Chau Sports Ground, has received frequent complaints by the surrounding residential community over the years. The main issues were overgrown weeds causing problems like mosquitoes and snakes, negatively impacting the surrounding community. Our team was responsible for the routine weeding works to mitigate the above-mentioned issue. Nevertheless, we will carefully evaluate your suggestion to adopt a more naturalistic approach in suitable areas where it minimizes the impact on the public while ensuring natural slope greenery is effectively retained. Thank you.
I’ve replied:
I live very close to the slope concerned; pass it at least once per day, and very often at night.
“Vegetation maintenance” here means simply cutting everything that grows, to just above ground level. Wait a while, and repeat.
Simplest way to proceed; but as I’ve noted, does not follow government guidelines for slopes and greenery.
Nor is this as per a previous reply from the Architectural Services Department:
//Shrubs and small trees on the slopes are retained as a vegetation maintenance practice to balance the upkeep of slope facility, stability and greening. // [that’s the theory in ASD!] Mosquitoes: need water for breeding. This might accumulate in lap sap such as bottles, perhaps in larger trees, but not in grass/shrubs. Also in plant pots etc.Hence, nearby gardens seem likely to be more important sources for mosquitoes. I check in our garden, empty water from old pots etc that I find lying around [and turn these upside down, or move them out of rainy places].So while mosquitoes may rest in vegetation, they don’t breed in it unless there happens to be suitable tiny pools; and they can be eaten by birds, lizards, other insects etc if there is some biodiversity. Snakes: I’ve seen two venomous species – Bamboo Snake and Chinese Cobra – in this area.To me, the main threat of a bite is from a Bamboo Snake that doesn’t move as a person walks by, in evenings. So, clearing pathside vegetation is a good idea, so Bamboo Snakes are not hiding in grass etc within striking distance – which is well under a metre.Chinese Cobras prefer to move away from people; which is good as their venom is far more dangerous. There is already considerable vegetation nearby, so the slope in itself is highly unlikely to be a significant factor affecting snake populations. A “more naturalistic approach” would be more in keeping with government guidelines, and more as per Architectural Services Department’s assertion.Shrubs and small trees also create shade, deterring rampant growth of grass and other plants.IF trees are allowed to grow, they can in time also create shade over the paths, which can be welcome when the sun is intense, as so often in Hong Kong. [It’s sad that, thanks to typhoons, there is no longer any shade from trees at the nearby children’s playground.] Well, let’s see if a more balanced approach proves possible.Right now, I am not sure the term contractor is so capable here; are any of its staff even slightly interested, ready to learn and implement “new” ways other than complete vegetation clearance? In case anyone is interested – and as you may know – the government has published information, such as
And how splendid to see some newly planted shrubs on a slope where there had been repeated clearances!!!
My wife was impressed too, including a sign from ASD identifying a plant species.
Well, I hope that some local people like this.
And hope these plants will thrive here.
Thank you very much to all involved!
Reply:
the substantive reply of the Highways Department is as follows –
“Thank you for sharing your valuable suggestions. In an effort to balance the environmental concerns from the local community while preserving greenery at the HyD roadside slope (i.e. 14NW-D/F69), a more thoughtful vegetation maintenance approach will be adopted in the upcoming maintenance works. Slope greenery will be retained as far as practicable, with particular emphasis on preserving tree seedlings and whips, which have the potential to provide shade in the future.”
