Human-Nature Relations in the Urbanizing Landscape of the Deep Bay Wetlands, Hong Kong

Abstract

Traditional activities, including aquaculture, of communities living on the edge of the Deep Bay Wetlands in Hong Kong transformed the landscape into a semi-artificial ecosystem that supported local wildlife, briefly enhancing its ecological value. However, since the 1970s, rapid urbanization has disrupted these human-nature interdependencies through habitat loss, fragmentation and the decline of traditional occupations. Today, the Northern Metropolis Development Strategy (NMDS) further threatens this unique eco-cultural landscape. This article considers how village-based practices have contributed to the wetland’s biodiversity over time. It argues that Deep Bay should not be seen as a passive ecological site but as a dynamic cultural landscape where human activity has historically sustained ecological functions. Wetland protection requires more than ecological conservation – it demands an integrated approach that values cultural heritage as a vital component of ecological sustainability.