Geography of the soils and agriculture of Hong Kong

Abstract

Several points have been discussed in relation to vegetation, erosion and afforestation and it is convenient here to summarise the contents of this chapter. Vegetation and Soil in this district may be said to have passed through a ten stage process over the past 1000 years.

(a) Tropical forest as in Hai Nan and Assam.

(b) Colonisation of alluvial plains by the Cantonese

(c) Destruction of original forest cover

(d) Erosion. (Formation of boulder fans at Sek Kong and Lam Tsuen)

(e) Stabilisation of erosion and colonisation of deforested areas by pines and grasses.

(f) Development of hardpan and podsols under pines

(g) Destruction of pine forests

(h) Loss of topsoil

(i) Gullying

(j) Reforestation

If the woodland cover is maintained as pine forest there is every likelihood that the cycle represented by items f, g, h and i, will be repeated, but it may be possible to avoid this by establishing broadleaved forest with the following species: Liquidamber formosana, Cassia fistula, Melia azederach, Pterocarpus indious, Sapindus mukorossi, Sapium discolor, Sapium sebiferum, Sterculia lanceolata, Choerospondias ascillaris, Lagerstroemia speciosa. The most promising of the broadleaved deciduous trees is Tristania Conferta.