The Environmental Protection Bureau (DSPA) said in a statement yesterday that it will “optimise” the two Cotai Ecological Zones, aiming to provide the public with enhanced nature experiences while promoting broader environmental awareness.
According to the statement, DSPA officials made the remarks during a closed-door meeting with members of the Taipa and Coloane Community Service Consultative Council at the Seac Pai Van Community Complex (石排灣社區綜合大樓) in Coloane yesterday.
According to yesterday’s statement, the Cotai Ecological Zones are located near the Macau-Hengqin Lotus Flower Bridge, covering an area of approximately 55 hectares and consisting of Ecological Zone 1 and Ecological Zone 2. Ecological Zone 1 is a brackish marsh wetland and a limited-access managed area, while Zone 2 is an open-access managed area featuring a coastal mudflat mangrove wetland.
Li Yongjian, the deputy convenor of the government-appointed council, told reporters after yesterday’s meeting, that the flow of water running from adjacent streams into Cotai Ecological Zone1 was being blocked by sediment, but work was currently underway to enhance water circulation and ensure a “more dynamic” water flow, which was expected to be completed between late this and early next month.
Meanwhile, fellow council member Leong Meng Ian announced the installation of bird observation shelters in Zone 2.
Leong added that Ecological Zone 2 will include a smart education platform. For instance, he said, QR code systems will be deployed across the reserve, providing instant access to biodiversity information on birds and other native species.
Moreover, the bureau will collaborate with those working in the local culture and creative industries to transform the wetlands in Cotai into a “signature tourism destination”, in alignment with Macau’s nationally recognised wetland sites, aiming to enrich local tourism offerings.
Taipa and Coloane Community Service Consultative Council Deputy Convener Li Yongjian (right) and fellow member Leong Meng Ian pose during yesterday’s press briefing after the government-appointed council’s closed-door meeting at the Seac Pai Van Community Complex in Coloane. – Photo: Ida Cheong
