As the tide rolls out in Deep Bay, neat rows of grey, clustered oysters are revealed, stretching a kilometre across the mudflats along the coast of Pak Nai in the New Territories.
The shellfish at Pak Nai were first cultivated by farmers hundreds of years ago. TNC is embarking on a project to restore the reefs and Hong Kong’s 700-year-old oyster farming tradition. TNC was founded 68 years ago in the United States and now has 72 branches globally, including 19 in the Asia-Pacific region. It has oyster reef restoration projects in 150 other locations worldwide.
Founded in 2008, Climate Central comprises teams of journalists and scientists, including researchers on climate statistics and rising sea levels. TNC’s pilot projects in Lau Fau Shan and Yung Shue O use oyster shells collected by volunteers from the mudflats in Ap Chai Wan. The shells are sun-dried before being put back into the water to form the base.