Hong Kong’s border tourism push must not put Mai Po at risk

For decades, parts of Hong Kong’s border like the Frontier Closed Area have been shrouded in mystery, their natural landscapes preserved as much by policy as by their remote geography. Recent plans to relax restrictions – including discussions around the Mai Po closed area – and the establishment of the Robin’s Nest Country Park signal a new era of accessibility.Having co-managed the Mai Po nature reserve for decades, the World Wide Fund for Nature Hong Kong (WWF) views this shift with both hope and caution. We applaud the intent to connect people with nature; the creation of Robin’s Nest, for instance, creates a vital ecological corridor linking with Shenzhen’s Wutong Mountain, a significant win for biodiversity.But as we turn our attention to the Inner Deep Bay area, we must sound a note of prudence: not all nature is created equal and not all landscapes are suited for unfettered footfall.Mai Po and the Inner Deep Bay are not merely another scenic getaway. They are a wetland of international importance designated under the Ramsar Convention. This is not a bureaucratic label; the Ramsar designation is a global recognition of an ecosystem with a distinct conservation function. While country parks were often established for recreation, Mai Po is a reserve.Its primary objective is, and must remain, biodiversity conservation, particularly for migratory waterbirds. Its secondary, but equally vital, objective is environmental education: to foster public understanding and support for wetland conservation through responsible, low-impact access. In this sense, Mai Po and a country park serve different purposes; like apples and oranges, difficult to compare directly. This leads us to the core question: what are the risks and benefits of promoting tourism here?Hikers walk and take pictures inside the Lin Ma Hang Mine at Robin’s Nest Country Park on April 23, 2025. Photo: Elson LiFirst, let us address a misconception. The proposed relaxation of the Closed Area status does not automatically throw open the gates of the Mai Po nature reserve. The reserve is protected as a restricted area under the Wild Animals Protection Ordinance. Access is, and will continue to be, controlled by a permit system managed by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department. This legal protection is our first and most important line of defence.