Shui Hau Mural Wall Co-creation | Hong Kong

Spanning over the last weekend of 2022 and the first weekend of 2023, villagers, hikers on Lantau Island, and WWF Hong Kong came together to work on a wall mural located at a prominent intersection between Shui Hau Village and the pathway leading to Shui Hau Wan, a mudflat bay of high biodiversity where WWF has been actively preserving its ecological value.

What was originally conceived by organisers WWF Hong Kong, Sustainable Lantau Office of Civil Engineering and Development Department (CEDD), as a community project to beautify a drab-looking parapet wall, turned into a beautiful opportunity to bridge two groups of “neighbours” separated by a mere road.

Beginning with two engagement workshops commissioned by WWF and facilitated by onebite in October 2022, participants from Shui Hau Village and WWF came together to talk about the important elements that made Shui Hau special and to collaborate on village-based measures to improve visitor management to the village, enhance environmental protection of the mudflat and clam population, and promote traditional village practices that are sustainable and ecologically friendly.

Several interesting conversations and insights also emerged from the workshops, such as how environmental protection should not be seen as actions only professionals could take. Instead, participants wished all visitors would feel a sense of responsibility towards keeping the mudflat and the village clean and to maintain a healthy ecosystem by not digging up juvenile clams and damaging the fragile habitats of small creatures such as dragonflies, frogs, and horseshoe crabs. Villagers also hope to foster a friendly yet respectful atmosphere where the privacy of villagers could be maintained and visitors could explore and appreciate the natural beauty of Shui Hau without leaving behind rubbish and unsightly portholes on the mudflat after digging up clams. It was clear the involvement and collaboration of all stakeholders were needed to turn their ideas into action.

Designed by artist collaborator &dear, the collage depicted on the mural represents the first step in articulating the significance of Shui Hau and expressing the common aspiration of WWF and the villagers to preserve the rustic environment and sustain its diverse ecosystems. Running sequentially from left to right, the mural representing the “10 Values When Travelling in Shui Hau” covers visitor management in the village, environmental protection, and sustainable development. onebite is glad to have played a part in crafting this common pledge for Shui Hau villagers, WWF Hong Kong, and visitors to keep their beloved natural site pristine and sustainable for the future.