Organizing A Field Trip to Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park

Course code: UGEB2240
Department: Department of Geography and Resource Management
Name of Applicant: Dr LAI Derrick Yuk-fo
Brief description of activity:

A field trip to Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park was organized in this course to complement our classroom lecture on coral ecosystem, one of the natural wonders of the world covered in our course. Field-based instruction is an integral component of geographical teaching. Field studies help equip our students with observational and measurement skills in the field, analytical skills in investigating real-life issues, and a compassion of and connection with nature through first-hand on-site experience. Students will be required to complete an assignment after attending this field trip as part of the course assessment.

In the field trip to Hoi Ha Wan Marine Park, students were given the chance to act as an oceanographer and carry out some field observation and measurement about the properties of sea water. They developed a deeper understanding about coral ecology and the local marine environment through an interactive lecture. They then spent some time to observe the coral ecosystems in Hong Kong through a guided tour on a glass-bottomed boat. This was a valuable experience for students, especially for those who had no prior experience in snorkeling or scuba diving, to observe the corals and other marine lives underwater in person. Through this trip, students gained a better idea about the challenges faced by the coral ecosystems locally, and the importance of mitigating climate change and managing human activities in safeguarding the health of these fragile marine ecosystems for a more sustainable future. Their enhanced knowledge of coral ecosystems could be reflected in their quality outputs of their trip assignments.