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Lung Fu Shan Environmental Education Centre presents
Ecology in The Making (1816-present) Exhibition
Encounter valuable records from Hong Kong's natural history

01 Apr 2021

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Lung Fu Shan Environmental Education Centre presents Ecology in The Making (1816-present) Exhibition Encounter valuable records from Hong Kong's natural history
Highlighted Exhibits Replica of Waterfall at Hong Cong (Kong) (1817) - Over 200 years old, it is the first landscape painting portraying Hong Kong by the West In Narrative of a Journey in the Interior of China (1818) The original  painting  is part  of the collection of the Hong Kong Museum of Art. Clarke Abel was the Chief Medical Officer of the Amherst’s embassy to China, and the first naturalist from the West to write about Hong Kong. His book Narrative of a Journey in the Interior of China, and of a Voyage to and from that country, in the years 1816-1817 published in 1818, containing not only descriptions of Hong Kong’s nature, but also a colourful illustration of the waterfall in Aberdeen, which is one of the earliest Western paintings depicting Hong Kong.

Highlighted Exhibits

Replica of Waterfall at Hong Cong (Kong) (1817) -
Over 200 years old, it is the first landscape painting portraying Hong Kong by the West

In Narrative of a Journey in the Interior of China (1818)
The original  painting  is part  of the collection of the Hong Kong Museum of Art.
Clarke Abel was the Chief Medical Officer of the Amherst’s embassy to China, and the first naturalist from the West to write about Hong Kong.

His book Narrative of a Journey in the Interior of China, and of a Voyage to and from that country, in the years 1816-1817 published in 1818, containing not only descriptions of Hong Kong’s nature, but also a colourful illustration of the waterfall in Aberdeen, which is one of the earliest Western paintings depicting Hong Kong.

Highlighted Exhibits Replica of watercolour painting about Hong Kong Camellia By John Eyre ©  The Board  of Trustees  of the  Royal  Botanic Gardens, Kew John Eyre was a Lieutenant Colonel in the British Army stationed in Hong Kong. During his time here (1847 to 1851), he frequented the trails  of Hong Kong Island, collecting seeds and making sketches of  flowering  plants  on  his  journeys.  His watercolour paintings came with memos that marked the time and location of bloom. Among the new species discovered by Eyre,  the most notable is Hong Kong Camellia. It is the only species with red flowers among Hong Kong's native camellias. After years of conservation, Hong Kong Camellia can now be found on the Peak, Pokfulam, and Mount Parker, though it is still considered an endangered species.

Highlighted Exhibits

Replica of watercolour painting about Hong Kong Camellia
By John Eyre
©  The Board  of Trustees  of the  Royal  Botanic Gardens, Kew

John Eyre was a Lieutenant Colonel in the British Army stationed in Hong Kong. During his time here (1847 to 1851), he frequented the trails  of Hong Kong Island, collecting seeds and making sketches of  flowering  plants  on  his  journeys.  His watercolour paintings came with memos that marked the time and location of bloom.

Among the new species discovered by Eyre,  the most notable is Hong Kong Camellia. It is the only species with red flowers among Hong Kong's native camellias. After years of conservation, Hong Kong Camellia can now be found on the Peak, Pokfulam, and Mount Parker, though it is still considered an endangered species.

Highlighted Exhibits Watercolour  painting   of  Hong  Kong  Camellia (2021) By Human Ip On loan from Human Ip

Highlighted Exhibits

Watercolour  painting   of  Hong  Kong  Camellia (2021)
By Human Ip
On loan from Human Ip

Highlighted Exhibits Replica of The Flora of Green Bank Hong Kong (1848) Botanical watercolour (31.8 x 21.7 cm), 1848 © Peter and Renate Nahum  Green   Bank   located    between   Wyndham and Wellington Street in 1840s - 1850s, was a home for Charles Joseph Braine, an botany and horticulture enthusiast, who moved from Canton (now Guangzhou) to Hong Kong in 1841. Now, the Common Phaius, Ink Orchid, Scarlet Renanthera or Kwai-fah on the Orchid Walk are no longer seen. Traces that remain from the once luxuriant  area are the street structures  inherited from the garden, and the modern-day road later named "Lan Kwai Fong".

Highlighted Exhibits

Replica of The Flora of Green Bank Hong Kong (1848)
Botanical watercolour (31.8 x 21.7 cm), 1848
© Peter and Renate Nahum 

Green   Bank   located    between   Wyndham and Wellington Street in 1840s - 1850s, was a home for Charles Joseph Braine, an botany and horticulture enthusiast, who moved from Canton (now Guangzhou) to Hong Kong in 1841.

Now, the Common Phaius, Ink Orchid, Scarlet Renanthera or Kwai-fah on the Orchid Walk are no longer seen. Traces that remain from the once luxuriant  area are the street structures  inherited from the garden, and the modern-day road later named "Lan Kwai Fong".

Highlighted Exhibits Snake skeleton Prepared by Bogadek On loan from St. Louis School Priest  Anthony Bogadek came to Hong Kong in 1949 to teach at St. Louis School, later responsible for teaching biology. In 1975, Bogadek was introduced to reptiles by John Romer, a recognised herpetological expert, after attending his lecture at the University of Hong Kong Bogadek played a key role in rediscovering the Romer’s Tree Frog (Liuxalus romeri) in 1984, an endemic species thought to have been extinct for 40 years. He also discovered another endemic species, Bogadek’s Burrowing Lizard (Dibamus bogadeki) in Hei Ling Chau in 1987. Now he is retired but his students inherit his spirit to continuously study and conserve nature.

Highlighted Exhibits

Snake skeleton
Prepared by Bogadek
On loan from St. Louis School

Priest  Anthony Bogadek came to Hong Kong in 1949 to teach at St. Louis School, later responsible for teaching biology. In 1975, Bogadek was introduced to reptiles by John Romer, a recognised herpetological expert, after attending his lecture at the University of Hong Kong

Bogadek played a key role in rediscovering the Romer’s Tree Frog (Liuxalus romeri) in 1984, an endemic species thought to have been extinct for 40 years. He also discovered another endemic species, Bogadek’s Burrowing Lizard (Dibamus bogadeki) in Hei Ling Chau in 1987. Now he is retired but his students inherit his spirit to continuously study and conserve nature.

Highlighted Stories of Contemporary Amateur Naturalists Lam Chiu Ying is willing to try everything. ©   Lung  Fu  Shan  Environmental  Education Centre The Former Director of the Hong Kong Observatory, Lam Chiu Ying has always prided himself of being naturally ambitious. He is always willing to try everything once: “A naturalist? I’m really more a nature hoarder!”In 2014, Lam began taking an interest in roadside plants. Observing a wide variety and beautiful flowers sprouting from these “wild weeds”, he bought the Handbook on Hong Kong Plants to further his interest. Today, Lam shares on his social media daily to introduce a plant a day to his followers, with over 700 posts on roadside plants to date.

Highlighted Stories of Contemporary Amateur Naturalists

Lam Chiu Ying is willing to try everything.
©   Lung  Fu  Shan  Environmental  Education Centre

The Former Director of the Hong Kong Observatory, Lam Chiu Ying has always prided himself of being naturally ambitious. He is always willing to try everything once: “A naturalist? I’m really more a nature hoarder!”In 2014, Lam began taking an interest in roadside plants. Observing a wide variety and beautiful flowers sprouting from these “wild weeds”, he bought the Handbook on Hong Kong Plants to further his interest.

Today, Lam shares on his social media daily to introduce a plant a day to his followers, with over 700 posts on roadside plants to date.

Highlighted Stories of Contemporary Amateur Naturalists Lam’s notes from a lecture on bird watching in 1976. © Lam Chiu Ying

Highlighted Stories of Contemporary Amateur Naturalists

Lam’s notes from a lecture on bird watching in 1976.
© Lam Chiu Ying

Highlighted Stories of Contemporary Amateur Naturalists Human Ip ©Lung    Fu   Shan   Environmental   Education Centre Writer-artist  Human  Ip’s  written   works   on nature include In Search of Flora, In Search for Fauna, and novel Hermit In situ. She began exploring the mountains, documenting the animals and plants along the way with only a pen and a watercolour brush. She gained knowledge on ecology by studying on her own. She would spend days in the wilderness. This exhibition will showcase her newly painted Hong Kong Camellia.

Highlighted Stories of Contemporary Amateur Naturalists

Human Ip
©Lung    Fu   Shan   Environmental   Education Centre

Writer-artist  Human  Ip’s  written   works   on nature include In Search of Flora, In Search for Fauna, and novel Hermit In situ.

She began exploring the mountains, documenting the animals and plants along the way with only a pen and a watercolour brush. She gained knowledge on ecology by studying on her own. She would spend days in the wilderness. This exhibition will showcase her newly painted Hong Kong Camellia.

Highlighted Stories of Contemporary Amateur Naturalists Robert Ferguson has always been attracted to Hong Kong’s rich biodiversity ©Lung    Fu   Shan   Environmental   Education Centre Former journalist  Robert Ferguson has always been attracted to Hong Kong’s rich biodiversity: “England has only four snake species, and Hong Kong has 53!” Hoping to document Hong Kong’s wild animals, he decided to embark on a journey in wildlife photography. Robert launched his website WildCreatures Hong Kong, where he shares photographic records and insights on an ecological finding daily. Through sharing his work, Robert’s aim is to educate the public on Hong Kong’s biodiversity while encouraging his audience to find and observe species in the wild. Be it an article, his website or his recently published booklet WildCreatures in Hong Kong (Volume I), Robert insists  on having all materials translated  into Chinese to promote local ecology to Hong Kongers in their native tongue.

Highlighted Stories of Contemporary Amateur Naturalists

Robert Ferguson has always been attracted to Hong Kong’s rich biodiversity
©Lung    Fu   Shan   Environmental   Education Centre

Former journalist  Robert Ferguson has always been attracted to Hong Kong’s rich biodiversity: “England has only four snake species, and Hong Kong has 53!” Hoping to document Hong Kong’s wild animals, he decided to embark on a journey in wildlife photography.

Robert launched his website WildCreatures Hong Kong, where he shares photographic records and insights on an ecological finding daily. Through sharing his work, Robert’s aim is to educate the public on Hong Kong’s biodiversity while encouraging his audience to find and observe species in the wild. Be it an article, his website or his recently published booklet WildCreatures in Hong Kong (Volume I), Robert insists  on having all materials translated  into Chinese to promote local ecology to Hong Kongers in their native tongue.

Highlighted Stories of Contemporary Amateur Naturalists Aethopyga christinae ©WildCreatures in Hong Kong

Highlighted Stories of Contemporary Amateur Naturalists

Aethopyga christinae ©WildCreatures in Hong Kong

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Images are available for download at: 
https://drive.google.com/drive/u/0/folders/1y3EBif6ANnEAIVeMSYq1lQ8IMCWJk0J-

To promote Hong Kong’s treasured ecologies and outline the city’s natural history, Lung Fu Shan Environmental Education Centre and Hong Kong Science Museum jointly present the exhibition Ecology in The Making (1816-present) at Hong Kong Science Museum from today onwards until 14 April 2021. The exhibition showcases valuable records and replicas dating back to the early 19th century, and to contemporary depictions made by local “amateur naturalists”.

Throughout the exhibition, visitors not only get to know the making of Hong Kong ecological knowledge but also more about Hong Kong history and biodiversity. Curated by Lung Fu Shan Environmental Education Centre with the participations of 9 HKU students and the assistance from HKU scholars in the 2-year research, this exhibition is the first extensive survey on Hong Kong’s amateur naturalists.

Portraying the First Impression of Hong Kong
The exhibition showcases the early stages of Hong Kong natural history with local as well as overseas records, including a replica of Waterfall at Hong Cong (Kong) (published in 1818) and replicas of botanical watercolour paintings from the early 1840s from Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK. In addition to these early visual records, there are also specimens of a Crested Goshawk, a snake skeleton, wasp nests, and a Domestic Goat.

Beginning with British naval surgeon Clarke Abel, who set foot on Hong Kong Island in the early 19th century, the exhibition features prominent enthusiasts of Hong Kong natural history, such as insect expert John Charles Bowring, son of the 4th  Governor  of Hong Kong (Sir Bowring); writer Yip Linfeng; civil  servant and Hong Kong orchid expert Gloria  Barretto; Biology  teacher and amphibians and reptiles  expert Father Anthony Bogadek. From one generation to another, they laid the foundations for Hong Kong natural studies, broadening local scientific knowledge, contributing  to local conservation and education by writing, painting, observing in the field, teaching, and mentoring. Alongside stories of these passionate individuals, accounts of the discovery of a native species Hong Kong Camellia, and an endemic species Romer’s Tree Frog, are also presented.

Amateur Naturalists at our Time
Stories of 21 contemporary amateur naturalists  are a special feature in this exhibition too, including the former Director of Hong Kong Observatory Lam Chiu Ying, the author of In Search of Flora and In Search of Fauna Human Ip, eco-photographer and the founder of WildCreatures Hong Kong Robert Ferguson, embroidery artist Sandy Lam, Hong Kong Bird Watching Society Kite Research Group Convenor Peter Chan and former taxidermist Li Kin Man.

Ecology in The Making (1816-present)  is an original  curatorial  project by Lung Fu Shan Environmental Education Centre, supported by Hong Kong Science Museum. It is the perfect place for Hong Kong urbanites who are passionate about Hong Kong and nature!

Exhibition details
Name:                        Ecology in The Making (1816-present)
Organizers:               Lung Fu Shan Environmental Education Centre and Hong Kong Science Museum
Duration:                   19 March 2021(Friday) to 14 April 2021(Wednesday)
Venue:                        G/F, Exhibition Hall, Hong Kong Science Museum
Opening Hours:        Opens Mondays to Fridays (except Thursdays); Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays
                                   For latest opening arrangements please visit https://hk.science.museum
Fee:                             No additional admission fee to permanent exhibition hall

Exhibition Production Team
Curators: Joanne Cheng, Angela Chan
Project Management: Angela Chan
Lead Researchers: Maxime Decaudin, Chun-see Tsao
Researchers: Marcus Yee*, Rachel Chan, Karine Leung*, Rachel Ma*, Sabrina Young*, Trista
Zhang*
Interview: Tin Lok Wong*
Videographers: Andrew Lam, Anne Chan*
Helpers: Anne Chan*, Thomas Chow*, Ray Chu, Hugo Du, Helen Lo
Illustrators: Panny Kwan
Graphic Editing: Liz Kwan
Translators: Simon Shum*, Victoria Wong
Exhibition Design: KaCaMa Design Lab

*HKU student interns

Acknowledgment
Content from the current exhibition is partially sourced from the homonymous exhibition in 2020, presented by Lung Fu Shan Environmental Education Centre and guest co-curator Maxime Decaudin. The centre thanks Maxime Decaudin for his time and contributions in laying the foundation for the current exhibition.

We would also like to thank the Environmental Protection Department and the University of Hong Kong for providing support in the curation and production of this exhibition.

The centre would like to give sincere thanks to the following professionals, interviewees, and institutions for their generous contributions in research data and expertise, as well as items loaned for display in this exhibition.

Wing Tsui, Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department
Prof. Mark Nesbitt, Economic Botany Collection of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, UK Bonny Chan, Fountain of Love and Life, Canada
Hilda Mak and Hina Yeung, Hong Kong Museum of Art
Andy Brown, Dr. Gunter Fischer, Dr. Stephan Gale, Dr. Jinlong Zhang, Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden
Julia Buckley, Katherine Harrington and Trishya Long, Library, Art, and Archives of the Royal Botanic Garden, Kew, UK
Patrick Chan and the old boys, Saint Louis School, Hong Kong
Dr. Petra Bach and Dr. Haz Cheung, Stephen Hui Geological Museum, HKU
Zhang Xiumei, Taiwan Herborist Culture and Art Studio
Jody Beenk, Iris Chan, Michael Cheng, The University of Hong Kong Libraries
Christopher Mattison, University Museum and Art Gallery, the University of Hong Kong

Chung Hwa Book Company, Hong Kong Bat Radar, Hong Kong Herbarium, Hong Kong Wetland Park, Public Records Office, Government Records Service, The Chinese University of Hong Kong Library

Karen Barretto, Ruy Barretto, Dr. Lawrence Chau, Dr. Phillip Cribb, Prof. Stephen Davies, Prof. Fa-ti Fan, Dr. Benoit Guénard, Dr. Billy Hau, Dr. Michael Lau, James Leung, Graham Reels, Gloria Siu, Dr. Sung Yik Hei, Dr. Alicia Weisberg-Roberts, Jason Wordie

Christophe Barthélemy, Peter Chan, Cheung Ho Lam, Pamela Cheung, Chio Hio Tong, Colin Chiu, Laurel Chor, Berry Chu, Robert Ferguson, Adam Francis, Human Ip, Matthew Kwan, Alan Kwok, Lam Chiu Ying, Sandy Lam, Lawrance Lau, Lawman Law, Li Kin Man, Parry Ling, Liu Ka-shiang, Pang Yuk Man, Ada Tai, Amanda Yik

About Lung Fu Shan Environmental Education Centre
Lung Fu Shan Environmental Education Centre was jointly established by the Environmental Protection Department and The University of Hong Kong (HKU), the only of its kind between government and tertiary institutes. Through promoting nature conservation, the centre builds a community that lives harmoniously with nature, and encourages the practice of sustainable living.

The Centre’s garden and exhibition hall are free for public admission and it cooperates with the University, the government and communities to provide professional environmental education to the public. By organizing activities such as guided nature tours, green workshops and BioBlitzes, the centre provides a place for the public to learn, grow closer to and enjoy nature. The centre is also a platform to showcase the history, heritage and environment in the Lung Fu Shan area.

Address: No.50, Kotewall Road, Mid-Levels, Hong Kong (near University Drive entrance)
Link: https://lungfushan.hku.hk/

For media enquiries, please contact:
Joanne Cheng
Tel: (852) 2975 9031
Email: jcycheng@hku.hk 

Angela Chan
Tel: (852) 2975 9031
Email: yyangela@hku.hk

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