The Agriculture, Fisheries & Conservation Department will spend $7.5 million improving facilities in Hong Kong's country parks.

The measures include replacing black-and-white display boards along 50 popular walking trails with coloured ones that are furnished with photographs of scenic spots and more updated information.

A sure sign: Durable coloured display boards will provide updated information on country park walking trails. (Photos by Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department)

Since the SARS outbreak, more people have been visiting country parks and become more demanding on their facilities.

The old boards have been used for 20 years, and prolonged sunlight can blur their information, requiring their replacement every six months. The department will now use coloured boards made of more durable materials.

In 2003-04, the department will replace all display boards along the 100-kilometre MacLehose Trail. It will be followed by the Wilson Trail and others.

The department will also renovate and improve the ventilation of 36 of our 46 country park toilets. More staff will be deployed to cleanse more regularly toilets that are more frequently used.

Three new toilets will be built in Pak Tam Au in Sai Kung, Sham Tseng in Tuen Mun and Tai Tong in Yuen Long by 2005. Seventy-four temporary toilets have been put in areas not suitable for installing toilets.