Yi O Farm Cooperative and Eco Marine are co-hosting a mangrove cleanup and rice harvesting event on Sunday 5 July 2020 at Yi O (near Tai O) in South West Lantau.
Over the past seven years, the Yi O Farm Cooperative has been working with indigenous villagers on reviving local organic farming at Yi O. Currently the cooperative farms approximately 100,000 square feet of land, producing a prized organic rice crop. Outside of the 100,000 square feet of farmed land, another 900,000 square feet is managed by the cooperative for future farm extension, and historical and environmental conservation. Yi O is adjacent to the coast with the shoreline made up of rocky coastline, small sandy beach areas, and wetlands—home to valuable plants like mangroves and grasses and numerous animal species with a few being herons, mudskippers and endangered horseshoe crabs.
Eco Marine was founded in 2012 and is a Lantau based organization with a mission to inspire greater appreciation and guardianship of nature and to catalyse action for integrating this mindset into all aspects of contemporary urban life. We are excited to collaborate with Yi O Farm Cooperative for a beach and mangrove cleanup alongside a rice harvesting experience (dependent on the maturity of the crop). Rice is harvested twice a year at Yi O and is done by hand using a sickle.
The mangrove area is currently in a terrible state covered with manmade rubbish ranging from macro debris (polystyrene containers, single use plastic cups, food wrappers, single use beverage bottles, etc.) to micro debris (plastic filament, broken down polystyrene and the ever present pre production plastic pellets). We are looking for you to lend a helping hand and to enjoy a fun and meaningful afternoon with us.
Event:
1:30 pm — Meetup Point at Tai O outside this shop near bus terminus. 俊興行, Tai O Rd, Tai https://goo.gl/maps/Jg4zoPb94pLXkBkb7
Host Keilem (Tel/Whatsapp 63920336) will be there.
1:30 to 2:00pm — Take small boat (free) to Yi O and walk for 10 minutes to Yi O mangrove area. Eco Marine will provide an event rundown, a beach/mangrove cleanup safety and how-to briefing, and distribute gloves and rubbish bags. If you have your own gloves and or other equipment, please feel free to bring. Some useful tools are tongs and scissors.
2:00 to 3:30pm — Work on the beach/mangrove cleanup gathering up as much man made rubbish and debris as we can in the available time. We will also collect and separate some recyclables and items that can be reused at the farm.
3:30 to 4:00pm — Pack up and walk 10 minutes together to Yi O farm area and take a rest. The rest area has water refill and soft drinks as well as bathrooms and simple cold shower facilities.
4:00 to 5:00pm — Yi O Farm Collective will teach us about local rice farming and harvesting. Depending on the maturity of the crop, we may have the opportunity to harvest some rice ourselves.
5:00 to 6:00pm — Scenic 4km mostly flat hike to Tai O starting point. Note we cannot take a boat back to Tai O due to very low tide.
What to wear:
Closed toe shoes with good grip suitable for hiking (no sandals or flip flops as the beach may have sharp dangerous items including broken glass, medical waste, etc.) Shoes may get muddy in the mangrove area and you may want to bring a change of shoes.
Comfortable clothes
Hat
What to bring:
Water (minimum 1.5 L in reusable container – Bonaqua, Watsons bottle etc. don’t count as reusable)
Additional snacks if you are the hungry type (try to minimize one use packaging)
Octopus/transportation money
Sun screen and insect repellant
optional—small umbrella for shade
optional—your own gloves and or other equipment, useful tools are tongs and gardening shears. Eco Marine will provide gloves and rubbish bags.
This is a free event but there is a suggested donation of HK$50 per person for contribution to future Eco Marine public events. (Cash at event or Payme to +852 63920336)
SIGNUP: Spaces are limited! To sign up, please fill in the below google form and your space will be confirmed via email.
https://forms.gle/oMxLmwAVNAxoZPzq7
Not allowed:
No flip flops or open sandals during cleanup
No single use plastic bottles or food containers/wrappers!
Disclaimer:
By joining this event, all participants are deemed to have agreed to the terms and conditions contained in this disclaimer, and agreed to exonerate the event leaders, the organisers and any other participants in the event from any liabilities, claims, including but not limited to liabilities and claims as a result of any injuries or deaths or damages arising thereof. Volunteers joining the event are at their own choosing and at their own risk.