At the invitation of Tai Po District (TPDIST), officers of the Association for the Ecological Cultural Conservation of Aquiliaria Sinensis and Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) attended an Incense Tree Seminar on May 6. Also present were over 60 officers from various units, including the Task Force Sub-units in Tai Po Division and Sheung Shui Division, and Quick Reaction Force New Territories North. 

 

At the seminar, the Chairperson of the association, Ms Ho Pui-han, and two consultants of the association, Prof Paul But (Retired Prof, Department of Biology, Chinese University of Hong Kong) and Prof Sidney Cheung (Prof, Anthropology Department, Chinese University of Hong Kong), explained how to identify and recognise an incense tree and the value and ecological and cultural significance of the incense trees in Hong Kong, besides the modus operandi of the theft syndicates in Hong Kong.  

 

Country Parks Ranger Officer of AFCD, Mr Lee Wai-hung, also introduced the duties of his department concerning theft of incense tree, and shared his knowledge of trees cultivation.

 

The seminar also saw an exchange of views and ideas of combating incense tree related crime and conserving incense trees between the speakers and the audience.