The Hong Kong Institute of Landscape Architects (HKILA) and The Nature Conservancy (TNC) recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at Pak Nai, Hong Kong, marking a major step forward in advancing Nature-based Solutions (NbS), ecological restoration, biodiversity conservation and climate resilience.
The agreement was signed by Dr. Yin-lun CHAN, President of HKILA, and Mr. Anthony GAO, Executive Director for Hong Kong and Regional Partnerships, TNC. The ceremony was witnessed by Hon. Julia LAU Man-kwan, JP, Legislative Councillor for the Architectural, Surveying, Planning and Landscape Functional Constituency, and Hon. CHAN Pok-chi, MH, JP, Legislative Councillor for the Agriculture and Fisheries Functional Constituency.
This strategic partnership brings together HKILA’s expertise in landscape architecture and planning with TNC’s global expertise in conservation science, ecological restoration, and Nature-based Solutions to accelerate nature-positive development across Hong Kong, the Greater Bay Area and beyond.
Under the terms of the MoU, HKILA and TNC will collaborate across four core operational scope areas:
- Collaborative Efforts in Ecological Restoration: Partnership and joint effort on wetland, terrestrial and marine ecological restoration projects in the Northern Metropolis, Hong Kong and Greater Bay Area by leveraging the strengths and expertise of the two organizations covering multi-disciplinary aspects to address ecological integrity, community well-being, and sustainable development.
- Policy Advocacy and Strategies on NbS: Jointly developing NbS strategies and advisory recommendations for the HKSAR Government to integrate into key future developments, particularly within the Northern Metropolis, to enhance habitat connectivity, biodiversity, and flood resilience.
- Leadership, Public Awareness, and Education: Driving NbS thought leadership, community engagement campaigns, educational workshops, and conferences across Hong Kong and the Asia-Pacific region, while fostering greater public understanding of how NbS, science-based conservation and sustainable landscape planning can help address the interconnected challenges of climate change and biodiversity loss.
- Cross-Border Collaborations and Partnerships: Fostering regional, cross-boundary knowledge exchange, interdisciplinary research collaborations, ecological restoration initiatives, and the development of best practices to scale NbS across the Greater Bay Area and the wider Asia-Pacific region.
Dr. Yin-lun CHAN, President of HKILA, said, “Landscape architects stand at the intersection of built environments and natural ecosystems. Partnering with The Nature Conservancy allows us to bridge science-backed conservation with scalable landscape design. This agreement reinforces our collective dedication to embedding Nature-based Solutions directly into Hong Kong’s major growth engines, such as the Northern Metropolis, ensuring our urban expansion is both climate-resilient and biodiverse.”
The MoU marks the beginning of a new chapter of collaboration between HKILA and TNC, bringing together complementary expertise in landscape architecture and conservation to support long-term environmental, social and community benefits.
Images: Courtesy of The Nature Conservancy
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