Environment
Park art features creative re-use
January 22, 2012
How many Hong Kong wild animals can you name? Even frequent hikers may never cross paths with a pangolin or a porcupine in the country parks. Since most wild animals are nocturnal and avoid people, they are seldom seen by casual observers and their presence is likely to be overlooked.To inform people about the wildlife in our midst, the Agriculture, Fisheries & Conversation Department has developed a walking trail called "Trace of Hong Kong Wild Animals" at the Lions Nature Education Centre in Sai Kung. The 50-metre trail winds around a slope next to a lotus pond. Observant visitors will spot 15 wild animal sculptures on display along the way.
A wooden statue of a wildlife explorer greets visitors at the starting point. They are invited to find the models, which blend in easily with their natural surroundings. A black kite perches on a branch, a pair of bats hang from a tree, and a red muntjac is poised to run away. A sign at the end of the trail provides photos and names of all the featured creatures.
The department’s Field Officer Rebecca Ng says the goal was to help people learn about the animals since few people, especially children, venture into country parks at night when the animals become active.
Re-using waste
The models were made of cement - and waste left behind by country park visitors. The branch the black kite perches on, for example, was made from a barbeque fork, while the python's belly is filled with plastic bottles.
A craftsman who participated in the project, Kwok Keung-sai, said re-using the waste helps save the environment while the lightweight materials also made it easier to carry and install the pieces.
"We spent much time discussing how to make the sharp porcupine quills," Mr Kwok added. Then they spotted the used line from a trimming machine after a colleague had finished a job and recognised it was the solution.
The craftsmen also made good re-use of other old tools. They discovered used paintbrushes were well suited for the mane of the wild boar sculpture, for example.
The models are intricately detailed, Mr Kwok added, pointing to the boar sculpture’s broken protruding tooth.
“This wild boar just had a big fight,” he said with a laugh.
Skills regeneration
Senior Artisan Lai Fai-chuen was responsible for crafting the wildlife explorer statue at the trail’s starting point. He had worked as an ivory craftsman before joining the department in 1980. His boss appreciated his fine skills and he turned to wood carving in 1995.
Mr Lai can transform a hunk of dead wood into a work of art. He has produced about 50 pieces over the past years, on display in Agriculture, Fisheries & Conversation Department venues.
They include a model of a kingfisher at High Junk Peak Country Trail, monkeys at Kam Shan Country Park and other carved wooden animals that mark the way at Hong Kong Wetland Park.
