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With a view to supporting local environmental protection and ecosystem conservation, CARE@hkjc Volunteer Team co-organised “Blossoms & Butterflies: Fung Yuen Planting Day” with the Tai Po Fung Yuen Butterfly Reserve (Fung Yuen) on 11 December 2021. CARE volunteers assisted in the greening works by planting various flowers, which would become the habitat for the butterflies residing in the Reserve.

Located in rural Tai Po, Fung Yuen is a centre for cultural and environmental reservation under Tai Po Environmental Group which primarily focuses on butterfly conserving education and promotion work. Spanning over a green area of 4.2 hectares, the Reserve has been listed as one of the ‘Sites for Special Scientific Interest’ by the Government and stands as one of the most renowned ‘Butterfly Paradise’ in Hong Kong. More than 200 butterfly categories, attributing 90% of the total variety in Hong Kong, can be found in the Reserve. Some of them are even unique species for Hong Kong.

On the Planting Day, 50 volunteers and their families and friends were first given a brief introduction to the operation and facilities of Fung Yuan, as well as some basic information on butterfly conservation in Hong Kong. After the briefing, volunteers were divided into groups and joined the garden planting and the butterfly reserve tour. In the gardening session, volunteers planted a variety of food plants, such as garden flowers, in dispersed locations of the reserve park under the supervision of a tour guide, to provide food for butterflies and their larvae. These plants would help maintain an optimal ecosystem in the reserve and nurture a better habitat for the butterflies. During the planting, there was also a guided butterfly tour for the volunteers to closely observe different rare local butterfly species, including Birdwing, which is protected under the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance (Cap. 170).

CARE volunteers genuinely enjoyed and appreciated the event. Some believed that garden planting was an interesting and educational family activity, in which they treasured the fun experience while making a positive contribution to the environment. Some volunteers also said that the activity served as a valuable volunteer opportunity for them to simply enjoy nature and relax amidst their hectic lives.