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We Were Built on a Foundation of Rocks The Chinese University campus had its beginnings on a clean slate. Four decades ago, when the forefathers of this university received the plot of land that was to become CUHK from the government, there were only boulders, with minor exceptions. The little soil that could be salvaged from the terrain had been excavated to build the dam for Plover Cove Reservoir, Hong Kong's second largest reservoir, across Tolo Harbour.
Constant Gardeners The day-to-day task of making the campus habitable
fell to a handful of gardeners of the nursery section, though
botanists and other gardening experts contributed whatever they
knew. No help was superfluous. Arguably the earliest green warriors
of the Taipo area, the shovel and bucket team soon realized the
daunting magnitude of their job. Our First Trees Dr. Yung Kung-hing, senior college tutor of Chung Chi College and former senior lecturer of biology, was one of the plant-savvy academics who helped out at the time. He recalled, ‘Dr. Lin Daoyang, the president of Chung Chi College, acquired some saplings of the horsetail tree, white bamboo, lemon-scented gum, flame tree, and so on, from the Department of Agriculture and Forestry (now Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department) and planted them on campus at Easter in 1956, before the college officially moved in. These trees are among the easiest to grow in Hong Kong's climate.' Dr. Lin Daoyang was the first Chinese to study forestry which he did at the University of Massachusetts and Yale University. Besides the soil problem, the wind from Tolo Harbour was also pregnant with salt. Strong winds can reduce plant growth and damage leaves and flowers; and salt can lead to burnt foliage, stunted growth or death. By trial and error, the nursery team eventually found a few species of trees that could brave these wuthering heights. They included pine, casuarinas and azalea. The green team had other issues to grapple with such as parasites, irrigation, especially to the upper reaches of the 134-hectare campus, and ─ now that it is sufficiently habitable ─ how to make the campus hospitable. Care was taken to paint a campus canvas that years later would be described as ‘one of the most beautiful in the world' by guests passing through its gates of stone. The land too became more hospitable, as the campus swept through the acacia-dominant era of the 1960s and 70s, to the 80s and 90s when a host of trees in multiples of green thrived on campus. Joining the garden party were jacaranda, ginkgo, banyan, bamboo, poplar, camphor, mountain fig, royal palm, camellia, and so on. And the remote and windy Shaw College, once the headache of the nursery team, now sports some of the most luxuriant vegetation on campus. Environment over Development, Then and Now Back in the 1960s, according to Dr. Yung, the architectural plan for the Elisabeth Luce Moore Library in Chung Chi College was revised to move the library with the sole purpose of preserving a few longan and lychee trees from a village that had had an earlier claim on the original site. The trees belonged to New Ma Liu Shui Village, which had been relocated to the Fanling barracks with compensation from the government, to make way for Chung Chi. And the Univeristy had bought the trees from the villagers. 'It was an unprecedented move in the 1960s ─ changing the plan of a library because of trees,' remarked the veteran biologist. The very sentiments that fueled that pioneering move are very much alive today as evidenced by the University's Strategic Plan 2005. The plan pledges to adopt a far-sighted view towards the maintenance and improvement of the campus environment, in particular, 'to enhance greenery through the preservation and planting of trees and the conscious protection of grasses and lawns'. It also pledges to minimize the impact of development works by stepping up coordination among University units and projects. The University does not, as in the words of Prof. Lam Kin-che, chairman of the University Steering Committee on the Environment, 'settle for a bare pass in environmental standards'. Ensuring Gains Outnumber Losses Mr. David Lim, director of the Campus Development Office (CDO), said that over the years, the campus architects have meticulously sculpted nature so that the greens and the greys are in harmony. ‘Besides looking at the quantity, we should also turn our eyes to the quality. In other words, has the University's landscape actually improved?' CDO architects and members of the University Steering Committee on the Environment has also gone on a botanical tour of the campus led by Prof. Hu Shiu-ying, the plant taxonomist who is celebrated as a ‘walking plant encyclopaedia', to identify and record rare tree species to ensure they will never be touched by development. Mr. Lim remarked that while trees have had to make way for development in some cases, greening efforts beyond statutory requirement have been made. Since 2002, close to 2,300 new trees have been planted ─ almost five times the number felled for the sake of development and slope stabilization projects mandated by professional advice and government regulations. ‘This shows that the University has done more than our share,' Mr. Lim remarked. ‘We are environmentally conscious.' He added that every year, quite a few trees fall or die due to natural causes such as typhoons, or as part of the natural cycle of plant life. For example, two large trees were struck down by strong winds in the Academic Building No.1 (former Residence One) two years ago, not to mention ones which have made their exit unnoticed. A Harmonious Future The University believes that the unique beauty of the campus ─ the result of our forefathers' labour ─ is a treasured asset that must be protected. There have been several studies on the Campus Master Plan since the initial Master Development Plan of the 1960s, the latest being a 2003 study for the 40th anniversary. The study has been posted on the University's website and has also been widely reported on. It roughly divides the campus into different zones to facilitate the implementation of guidelines on the preservation and enhancement of the campus environment. The core features of the study are built on a respect for the University's inherent quality of being at one with nature, the origin of the modern university in 12th- and 13th-century monasteries, and the vitality and diversity of a university town. Hence, for instance, buildings are subject to strict height limitations, and greenery and greening are given prominence. All these areas, moreover, will be connected by Emerald Trails which will pass through some of the campus's scenic jewels. Not only will they give users a chance to reflect on our natural heritage, they will also nurture a pedestrian culture on campus thereby reducing reliance on vehicular transport. The steering committee is in the process of perfecting the University's greening and tree felling policy, refining procedures and guidelines for decision-making, delegating responsibilities, monitoring and implementation. And in all its undertakings, it invites the participation of all CUHK units, colleges, staff, and students. From 1955 to 2005, the University's priorities insofar as its natural environment is concerned, have not changed. If anything, the threats of urbanization such as cross-border pollution and construction, have spurred CUHK to fiercely defend what is the pride of its members and the envy of the world.
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Inevitably
such progress has been accompanied by growth in denominators of
grey as the campus needs more roads and buildings to cope with
a burgeoning academic community. One of the biggest challenges
facing the University as well as governments has been how to balance
environmental preservation with the demands of development. Perhaps
the issue should not be phrased as an ‘either/or' as it implies
that we can only choose one or the other, when instead we can
sometimes have both, as the University has striven to show.
