1.1.1 In October 2001, Urbis Limited was commissioned by Planning Department to conduct the Landscape Value Mapping of Hong Kong. Urbis is supported by ERM Hong Kong Limited, Stephen Brown Landscape Architecture and EcoSchemes Asia Limited.
BACKGROUND OF STUDY
1.1.2 Landscape is a vital part of our environment and is one of the most important components of our quality of life. In the broadest sense, it commonly refers to the appearance of the land cover, but also includes such components as its shapes, textures and colours, and reflects the way in which these various components combine to create specific patterns and pictures that are distinctive to particular localities. It encompasses the whole of the natural and man-made environment, urban and rural. The patterns and textures of buildings, streets, open spaces and trees, and their interrelationships within the built environment are each important parts of our wider landscape heritage.
1.1.3 Hong Kong has extensive undeveloped tracts of natural landscapes with different landscape character. Some of these areas contain a diverse habitat supporting numerous native plant species and a varied wildlife, both resident and migratory. In addition, there is a long history of human settlement and a variety of cultural relics associated with the settlement.
1.1.4 In many countries, especially in Europe, comprehensive landscape assessments often form part of the land use planning process. In the United Kingdom, for example, landscape character maps have been prepared at national, regional, country and local levels. In Hong Kong, no comprehensive landscape assessment for the whole territory has ever been undertaken.
1.1.5 The Metroplan Landscape Strategy for the Urban Fringe and Coastal Areas, which was published in 1989, was an early attempt to look into the landscape character of the Metropolitan urban fringe and coastal areas, and provide a framework for its conservation and enhancement. With the rapid pace of development in Hong Kong, the strategy needs to be reviewed and updated.
1.1.6 Area specific and project based landscape assessments have also, from time to time, been undertaken, mainly in connection with individual studies (such as the sub-regional planning studies) or projects (such as the landscape and visual impact assessments submitted under the Environmental Impact Assessment Ordinance (EIAO)). While those assessments can provide useful background information, they are generally conducted for a specific purpose and at a local scale and thus, not territory-wide comprehensive in nature.
NEED FOR THE STUDY
1.1.7 With an increasing emphasis on sustainable development, there is a need to integrate consideration of economic, social and environmental issues into the planning and development process. To assist such process, the Study on Sustainable Development for the 21st Century (SUSDEV21) has developed indicators for measurement of the development impact of projects.
1.1.8 In
the absence of comprehensive information on the existing conditions of landscape resources
in Hong Kong, the SUSDEV21 study has not yet established an indicator against which the
landscape baseline conditions can be monitored. This Study is carried out to fill this
information gap.
Study Objectives
STUDY OBJECTIVES
1.1.9 The main Study objective is to establish the essential landscape baseline information that will provide a systematic reference framework to facilitate landscape assessment and broad environmental assessment of major projects at a territorial level.
1.1.10 More specifically, the Study objectives are:
Fill the gap of the existing information and aggregate all available information for a better understanding of the landscape resources in Hong Kong, both in terms of quality and quantity;
Establish the baseline conditions of the existing landscape resources, both in the urban and rural areas, as a benchmark against which future changes can be assessed;
Establish a systematic classification system of landscape resources and identify specific landscape character types and areas for production of a landscape character map;
Establish consistent evaluative criteria which will allow measurement and evaluation of the sensitivity and importance of landscape character types and areas; and
Recommend a suitable indicator for broad landscape impact assessment of major development projects which can be incorporated in the sustainability evaluation process.
STUDY AREA
1.1.11 The Study area covers the urban and rural landscape of the whole territory.
STUDY PROGRAMME
1.1.12 The Study commenced in October 2001 and will take 18 months to complete, excluding the time required for the two stages of public consultation. A draft Study Programme has been submitted to Planning Department, and comments received. A revised programme incorporating the comments is attached in Table 1.1. The agreed programme will form the baseline for the development of the Study and will be refined and updated as necessary during the course of the Study.
1.2 PURPOSE OF TECHNICAL REPORT NO.1
1.2.1 The primary purpose of Technical Report No.1 is to present the findings of Task 2 ¡V Development of Initial Landscape Categories and Classification Criteria. This report seeks to provide a preliminary answer to two questions of fundamental importance to the Study:
What features (hereafter referred to as 'parameters') need to be mapped during the Study in order to arrive at an understanding the landscape of Hong Kong?
What are the different types of landscapes and landscape areas in Hong Kong?
1.2.2 The answers that are presented in this report are preliminary findings, which will be refined and developed as the Study progresses.
1.2.3 Six Overseas Case Studies, which have been researched as part of Task 1 of the Study, are also presented in this report.
1.3 STRUCTURE OF TECHNICAL REPORT NO.1
1.3.1 Section 2 of the Report sets out and analyses six Overseas Case Studies prepared as part of Task 1. It also identifies any implications for the Study methodology which are derived from the experience of these studies.
1.3.2 Section 3 looks at a number of different ways in which the list of landscape parameters to be mapped as part of Study can be derived. It then identifies an initial list of parameters to be mapped.
1.3.3 Section 4 explores some of the key issues in identifying landscape character types and landscape character areas, before providing an initial system for establishing landscape character types (LCTs) and landscape character areas (LCAs) for Hong Kong. This initial system is tested on two trial areas within Hong Kong in order to establish that it is workable at a practical level.
1.3.4 Section 5 offers some interim conclusions and identifies implications for the Study's way forward.
1.3.5 Appendix 1, Appendix 2, Appendix 3 and Appendix 4 contain additional information on Case Study 5 - Waiketere City Study, New Zealand, namely sample descriptions of Landscape Types, Policy Areas, Policy Area Assessment Matrices, and Landscape Elements.
1.3.6 Appendix 5 contains a schedule of available information on landscape parameters and attributes.
1.3.7 Appendix 6 contains a bibliography.
1.3.8 Appendix 7 contains figures referenced throughout the report.
