Chief Executive Carrie Lam today opened the inaugural Hong Kong 2020 International Urban Forestry Conference at Tai Kwun, Central.

In her opening address, Mrs Lam said developable land is a scarce resource in Hong Kong but the Government is determined to ensure that public parks, landscaped areas and roadside planting are an essential variable in the city’s town-planning.

“As our tree inventory expands, we are turning to smart technology to augment our technical capability and capacity in tree management.”

She noted that the Development Bureau has initiated a grove of research and development projects in collaboration with government departments and research institutes to develop a technology-enabled framework to manage the city’s urban forest.

Mrs Lam also said the Study Sponsorship Scheme and the Trainee Programme are targeted for launching later this year.

The Government will subsidise tuition fees to encourage more young people to pursue arboriculture studies. Tree management and arboriculture course graduates will also be offered formal on-the-job training with a monthly allowance.

The bureau is also working on a voluntary registration scheme for tree management personnel, marking another important step forward in raising the professional standards of Hong Kong’s industry practitioners, she added.

Secretary for Development Michael Wong also gave welcoming remarks at the conference’s opening ceremony.

Organised by the Development Bureau, the two-day conference with its theme “Challenges & Opportunities of Urban Greening in High-density Cities” has attracted about 600 participants.

More than 20 speakers from the Mainland, overseas and locally will share their insights on green cities, resilient landscape and tree care.