AECOM to deliver Investigation Study for Hong Kong's first Wetland Conservation Park in the Northern Metropolis

HONG KONG, Jan. 21, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- AECOM, the trusted global infrastructure leader, today announced it has been selected by the Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD) and Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) of the HKSAR Government to deliver the Investigation Study for Sam Po Shue Wetland Conservation Park (SPS WCP). Spanning 348 hectares, the SPS WCP is the first WCP to be established under the WCPs System proposed under the Northern Metropolis Development Strategy released in 2021, with the WCPs System aiming to conserve the wetlands with ecological values in the Deep Bay, increase environmental capacity for the Northern Metropolis, and achieve co-existence of conservation and development.

AECOM will provide comprehensive services for the investigation stage of the SPS WCP, including preliminary design, engineering infrastructure works, wetland enhancement, landscaping, environmental sustainability integration, digital monitoring, and park management. The establishment of the SPS WCP shall enhance the ecological quality and biodiversity of the Northern Metropolis, provide high-quality outdoor eco-education and recreational facilities to the public, as well as introduce modernized and sustainable aquaculture into the WCP.

"We are honored to contribute to this pioneering project within the Northern Metropolis," said Simon Wong, vice president of AECOM's Land Supply/Municipal Division in Hong Kong. "Bringing together the expertise of our ecologists, scientists, engineers and designers, along with internationally respected consultants from various disciplines, we look forward to creating a WCP that contributes to transforming Hong Kong's New Territories North into a nature-positive Northern Metropolis. Through this collaboration with CEDD and AFCD, we will showcase biodiversity and aquaculture in harmony in the SPS WCP and the wide range of benefits that nature-based solutions (NbS) can offer."

Drawing on the success of the recently opened Long Valley Nature Park, which also adopts NbS to help promote urban-rural-nature integration, the SPS WCP is poised to become one of the best international models of sustainable development. The park underscores the value of the Northern Metropolis development by seizing opportunities for advancements in biodiversity, aquaculture, eco-education, eco-recreation, park management and funding arrangement.

The SPS WCP plays a central role in maintaining ecological balance, with a strategy focused on enhancing ecological function and capacity. The park will adopt a sustainable management and operation model that encourages cross-sector collaboration and maximizes conservation efforts and aquaculture development with financial returns. Innovative digital technologies from global and Mainland China, such as camera traps, bioacoustics, e-DNA, AI, and IoT monitoring tools, will also be deployed to enhance project outcomes.

The phased development of the SPS WCP will begin with the conservation of fishponds and wetlands in the northern part of the WCP, crucial for maintaining the core bird flight path. Upon completion, the park will provide diverse wetland habitats essential for migratory waterbirds, including globally threatened species such as the Black-faced Spoonbill, and other important species like the Eurasian otter.

About AECOM 

AECOM is the global infrastructure leader, committed to delivering a better world. As a trusted professional services firm powered by deep technical abilities, we solve our clients' complex challenges in water, environment, energy, transportation and buildings. Our teams partner with public- and private-sector clients to create innovative, sustainable and resilient solutions throughout the project lifecycle – from advisory, planning, design and engineering to program and construction management. AECOM is a Fortune 500 firm that had revenue of US$16.1 billion in fiscal year 2024. Learn more at aecom.com.