Lantau Conservation Fund Project “Oyster Shell Hotels: Building Micro-habitats with Oyster Shells for the Rehabilitation of Marine Biodiversity”
(EE2022-04)
In January 2024, the Hong Kong Marine Ecological Association launched the "Oyster Shell Hotels: Building Micro-habitats with Oyster Shells for the Rehabilitation of Marine Biodiversity" project. Supported by the Lantau Conservation Fund, this 16-month initiative collaborated with local schools, community centres, and various organisations to use oyster shells as a nature based solution for enhancing biodiversity along the artificial coastline of Tung Chung, Lantau Island.
The project engaged 501 participants through 25 workshops, producing over 200 oyster shell strings for deployment. This hands-on approach successfully promoted our vision of increasing biodiversity on Tung Chung's artificial seawalls and contributing to the sustainable development of Lantau. Questionnaire evaluations confirm that the workshop series significantly improved participants' knowledge of marine ecosystems and ecological restoration, while also strengthening their conservation attitudes and intention to take personal action. The project successfully achieved its educational objectives.
Following the initial deployment of the oyster shell strings in July 2024, the team conducted seven ecological monitoring sessions over a period of more than eight months. These studies successfully recorded 27 species colonising the newly created microhabitats. In particular, 12 species recorded are filter feeders (including tube worms, bivalves, barnacles, tunicates, bryozoan and sponges) contributing to 44% of the total number of species recorded. Filter feeders support water bio-filtration and are vital water purifiers in the intertidal zone, demonstrating the project's positive impact on local biodiversity.
The project concluded in April 2025 with a closing ceremony and public exhibitions, which over 1,200 people attended. The programme effectively offered practical opportunities in habitat restoration, encouraged innovation in shoreline restoration among participants, and significantly increased public awareness regarding marine conservation and the importance of protecting Lantau's coastline.
