Ma Wan Park recruited over 100 local students as little tree trailblazers for the Park’s Tree Blossom programme on Earth Day.   The programme includes an educational and fun Ma Wan Tree Blossom smart phone application, iTree Hunt photo contest and iTree Tour to encouraging people to learn more about trees and nature in the city.

Ma Wan Park Manager Edmond Wong said: “The Park has close to 400 different kinds of vegetation, including nearly 100 indigenous tree species.  This programme promotes conservation by encouraging people to get a better understanding of trees and nature, and appreciate the natural beauty Ma Wan has to offer.”

Ma Wan Tree Blossom app

The Ma Wan Tree Blossom application includes information about 100 tree species and interactive features.  The application introduces lesser-known yet interesting facts of a wide range of native trees to arouse public interest and raise awareness of conservation. Its GPS tracking function enables users to identify the location of different tree species in the Park at their fingertips, bringing a whole new tree appreciation experience to visitors.

Tree Blossom Tour premiered in the presence of 100 Little Tree Trailblazers

In the Ma Wan Tree Blossom kick-off ceremony, over a hundred of local students were invited to be the little tree trailblazers and participated in the iTree Tour hosted by Sammy Au Wing-sum, the first registered consulting arborist in Asia and the President (Station Manager) of the International Society of Arboriculture Hong Kong/China, and three tree experts. Led by the four professional tree tour guides and with the brand new “Ma Wan Tree Blossom” app, the little tree trailblazers explored the Nature Garden, appreciating an array of native trees.

To enable more Hong Kong people to learn about the native trees in the Nature Garden, Ma Wan Park will organize six iTree Tours on May 5, 13 and 19. The tree tours, guided by professional arborists, are open to the public with free admission.

Enter iTree Hunt photo contest to win a new iPad

Ma Wan Park is organizing the iTree Hunt photo contest from today until May 31. Participants only have to capture their favourite or most interesting and funny images of the tree or plant in Ma Wan Park, and upload their entries to Facebook. The entry receiving the highest number of “Likes” on Facebook will be awarded a new third-generation iPad. To show his support to the competition and tree conservation, local veteran photographer Water Poon has created a collection of photography works in the Park on the theme of trees in spring and summer recently.

Ma Wan Park website: http://www.mawanpark.com/
Ma Wan Park facebook page: www.facebook.com/mawanpark