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2.1 In Hong Kong we are fortunate to have a great variety of landscape. In the urban areas, we have some of the most spectacular city landscape and architecture in the world, whilst only a few miles away, are areas of almost entirely natural countryside. At the same time however, there are some areas of Hong Kong where landscape is threatened by inappropriate development or activities. 2.2 In October 2001, the Planning Department began a study on mapping the landscape resource of the whole HKSAR. Amongst other things, the study will answer two key questions:
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2.3 By understanding what landscape resources we have, future Government policy can continue to provide Hong Kong with a landscape that people can all enjoy. For the purposes of the Study, landscape was defined simply as 'the appearance of land', while the Study covers urban, rural and coastal landscapes.
2.4 The Study methodology has been derived from a review of practice worldwide and in particular from six case studies in the USA, United Kingdom, New Zealand and Indonesia.
2.5 The Study will classify the landscape of the whole of Hong Kong into its different types. These are termed Landscape Character Types (LCTs) and are generic landscapes found repeatedly across Hong Kong which are given their character by a common pattern of landscape components. An initial list of LCTs found in Hong Kong was presented in the First Stage Consultation Digest.
2.6 At the same time, the landscape will be divided into geographic areas of unique landscape character, termed Landscape Character Areas (LCAs).
2.7 The main output of the Study will be a Landscape Character Map showing the location of all the different LCAs in Hong Kong together with its assessment. The landscape of each LCA will be evaluated against four different criteria:
character;
condition;
sensitivity and
value.
2.8 The map data will be collected by extensive desktop research as well as field surveys, and stored in a computer-based geographical information system (GIS). The Map will provide valuable baseline information for assessing broadly the landscape impacts of major development projects in the future.
