Feng shui woodlands have protected Hong Kong; it's our turn to care for these long-neglected, forgotten forests

HKFP

10-07-2025

By Kit Lee and Michael Boyle
Amidst the villages and valleys of Hong Kong, tiny pockets of ancient forest lie scattered across the landscape. These forgotten forests absorb carbon from the air, give shelter to rare plants and animals, and provide locals with spaces to reconnect with nature and their cultural roots.
However, neglected by policymakers, lacking legal protection, and vulnerable to degradation, many of these ancient forest patches teeter on the brink of survival. These are Hong Kong's feng shui woodlands, sacred groves rooted in centuries-old traditions of harmony and balance.
For hundreds of years, these woodlands have protected our natural, cultural and spiritual history; now it is our turn to care for them.
While much of Hong Kong is covered by young secondary forest, grown back over the past 60-70 years following World War II, feng shui woodlands represent the oldest patches of original remnant forest in the city.
Many of them have stood in place for well over 300 years, with some known to be more than 600 years old.
Traditionally situated behind Hakka villages, these woodlands have been gently and sustainably managed by villagers for centuries. They protect the community from typhoon winds, give respite from the summer heat, and provide clean water, fuel and food.
Geomantic beliefs, taboos, and community norms related to village life have shielded these woodlands from industrialisation, war and urban expansion.
It has historically fostered everlasting bonds between the woodlands and the people living alongside them – a unique relationship that has played a crucial role in shaping both the cultural and natural history of Hong Kong.
Unlikely survivors
While the rest of Hong Kong's natural forest habitats were gradually destroyed by humans, feng shui woodlands still stand as unlikely survivors. Protected by cultural tradition, they in turn shelter the most important pockets of biodiversity in the region.
Despite their small size, feng shui woodlands absorb more atmospheric carbon per unit area than any other habitat in Hong Kong.
They contain more than one-third of the total terrestrial biodiversity in Hong Kong and are the last remaining habitats for many rare and undescribed species of insects and plants.
The cool environment created by the mature tree canopy means that the species living within feng shui woodlands are better protected from climate change than those residing in Hong Kong's younger forests or grasslands.
The incredibly high biodiversity and stable conditions support and foster intricate interactions among all the living beings that call these forests their home, and it is these relationships that build a resilient ecosystem.
Accordingly, as the government seeks to restore forests on Hong Kong's degraded hillsides, feng shui woodlands can provide a source of seeds and species to spread across the landscape once again.
Beyond biodiversity, feng shui woodlands are also a crucial component of our cultural history and identity. Losing touch with these values not only robs us of our past but also restricts our ability to push towards a more prosperous future.
The concept of 'ecological civilisation' is based on achieving a balance between economic development and environmental protection. The harmonious coexistence of humans and nature is, therefore, a societal goal, and one that feng shui woodlands exemplify by their very existence.
Projects involving the conservation of traditional cultural villages at Lai Chi Wo, Mui Tsz Lam and Kop Tong, alongside increased interest from tourists and locals in restoring and visiting once-abandoned Hakka villages such as Kuk Po, show that there is a significant public interest in increasing exposure to traditional culture.
Sadly, however, local knowledge of feng shui woodlands has sharply declined in Hong Kong. Questionnaires conducted in nine traditional villages adjacent to feng shui woodlands indicated that while most people expressed positive opinions of the health and cultural benefits of living next to woodlands, one-third of respondents claimed no knowledge of the existence of feng shui woodlands in their village, and two-thirds had never stepped foot in the forest.
These irreplaceable habitats demand our attention and protection.
We estimate that over 300 feng shui woodlands exist in Hong Kong, yet only 116 are included in the current government inventory. Alarmingly, 60 per cent of known feng shui woodlands in Hong Kong currently fall outside legally protected zones, such as country parks, special areas and green belts.
They are also falling outside of public perception, with environmental and cultural education failing to foster a bond between people and nature. As a consequence, without specific policies in place to catalogue, assess, manage and educate, these neglected woodlands will disappear from the map and collective memory.
The government is currently seeking public consultation on updating the Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan (BSAP), a wide-ranging document that defines environmental and conservation policy in Hong Kong until 2030.
As ecologists, we are advocating for policy updates to improve the protection and rehabilitation of feng shui woodlands.
These include conducting detailed and methodical surveying to establish and map clear boundaries for all feng shui woodlands in Hong Kong; establishing progressive, integrated policy that leverages contemporary attitudes to conserve both natural and cultural heritage; devising strategies and programmes aimed at restoring and conserving forest quality; and promoting their importance through outreach and education.
Ultimately, we call for protected status encompassing all feng shui woodlands in Hong Kong.
Mainland China and beyond
As examples of precedent for enacting similar policies, Hong Kong can look to mainland China and beyond.
Since 2011, teams of local villagers, ecologists, and the government have conducted surveys of feng shui woodlands in 57 villages across 17 districts in five Chinese provinces – Fujian, Jiangxi, Guangdong, Hunan, and Anhui – developing a database and management plan for future generations.
Canal Nan, also known as Qunan, a community of the Zhuang ethnic group in Guangxi province, provides an example of the local benefits accrued from developing a policy to protect and manage feng shui woodlands.
In 2014, recognising the conservation value of the white-headed langur (Trachypithecus poliocephalus), the local government legally protected the feng shui woodland around Canal Nan as a nature reserve in collaboration with local villagers.
With the establishment of the reserve, an education hub was created, welcoming schoolchildren, tourists, and scientists from across the country for nature experiences, research, and education activities.
Since this initiative began, a stronger sense of culture and community has developed in the village, leading to the re-establishment of a range of traditional activities, including long-table banquets and traditional dances.
Further afield, the Japanese concept of satoyama encapsulates a similar ideology to the stewardship of feng shui woodlands in traditional Chinese culture, as well as modern concepts of 'ecological civilisation.'
Like feng shui woodlands, satoyama landscapes are characterised by the lasting harmonious interactions between humans and nature.
Recognising the benefits and significance of satoyama for both humans and nature, the Japanese government established the International Partnership for the Satoyama Initiative (IPSI) at COP10 in Nagoya.
To date, the partnership has launched 325 projects worldwide aimed at creating societies that exist in harmony with nature.
One of these projects is even in Hong Kong. The feng shui woodland at Lai Chi Wo is part of the IPSI but remains the only one among the 300-plus such woodlands in Hong Kong to be involved in any international conservation initiatives.
As the public consultation period for the BSAP draws to a close, we call upon the Hong Kong government to adopt a more proactive approach to protecting our feng shui woodlands.
The benefits of doing so extend far beyond species and environmental conservation, fostering links between modern and traditional cultures, educating the next generation, and ultimately improving the relationship between society and nature.
We will be submitting our recommendations for the BSAP policy update and encourage readers with specialist knowledge and interests in aspects of Hong Kong's natural environment to do the same.
Kit Lee is a PhD student studying insect-plant relationships in the Global Change and Tropical Conservation Lab at the University of Hong Kong, with a combined background in psychology and ecology.
Michael Boyle is a research fellow in the Biodiversity and Environmental Change Lab at the University of Hong Kong, with a broad interest in all aspects of environmental change, ecology, and conservation.
Type of Story: Opinion
Advocates for ideas and draws conclusions based on the interpretation of facts and data.