CARE@hkjc Volunteer Team x Trailsweeper: Tai Mo Shan hiking trails clean-up

The hiking trails in Hong Kong undoubtedly offer breathtaking scenery. Unfortunately, these trails often face littering issues, tarnishing the beauty of the surroundings and posing environmental and hygiene concerns. According to statistics from the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department, a startling 2,700 tons of trash were cleared from the country parks in 2023, equivalent to the weight of 168 double-decker buses.

On 12 February 2024, the CARE Volunteer Team participated in a large-scale trail clean-up organised by the district partner, Trailsweeper*. The clean-up service consisted of eight different routes, and the CARE Volunteer Team was responsible for one of the routes from Lui Kung Tin to Tai Mo Shan, which spanned a distance of five kilometres.

Starting from Lui Kung Tin Rural Village and passing through Milk Farm, Kap Lung Forest Trail, and Wong Keng Tei, 25 CARE Volunteers assisted the Trailsweeper team in cleaning up the trail as they hiked. The route concluded at Tai Mo Shan Rotary Park, with the CARE Volunteer Team collectively clearing six kilogrammes of litter along the way.

During the clean-up, CARE volunteers noticed that the most common types of litter found on the trails were cigarette butts, food packaging and tissues. Additionally, items such as plastic bags, disposable raincoats and face masks were also collected. Through their participation, CARE volunteers aimed to promote the "Take Your Litter Home" initiative, encouraging the public to carry their waste out of country parks after hiking for environmental protection.

*Trailsweeper was formed by a group of passionate volunteers who loves nature, with a mission to protect the environment by sweeping rubbish from hiking trails and country parks. They received “the 9th Hong Kong Volunteer Award” organised by Agency for Volunteer Service in 2021.