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Wynna Wong

Inadequate monitoring, lengthy repairs and poor information for hikers are among the “deficiencies” that have undermined public safety and visitors’ experience at Hong Kong’s country parks, according to the city’s ombudsman, which urged relevant authorities to overhaul how they manage and maintain facilities.
In a report released on Monday, the Office of the Ombudsman said it made 42 recommendations to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD), all of which had been accepted by the country parks manager.
“Hong Kong’s country parks, hiking trails and related countryside facilities are important public resources for hiking, countryside recreation, leisure activities and enjoying nature,” the watchdog said.
“Proper management and maintenance of countryside facilities are vital for ensuring public safety, maintaining the normal operation of these facilities and enhancing the quality of the rural environment.”
The ombudsman cited a rain shelter in Aberdeen Country Park as an example, saying it took five years and nine months to rebuild after its roof was first reported damaged in April 2019, despite the case being flagged as “urgent” or “very urgent” throughout the period.
By April 2021, the damage had worsened to the extent that the department’s engineering division determined that its structural integrity had been compromised. Simple repairs were no longer possible and the shelter had to be completely rebuilt.
Although the AFCD attributed the delay to the complexity of the structure, lengthy design and survey work, as well as disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, the ombudsman said the case “fully reflected deficiencies in preliminary planning and construction risk assessments” that led to repeated delays.
The watchdog added that the department’s general handling of damaged facilities reflected a broader absence of “consistent contingency guidelines and response time frames”.
The ombudsman also questioned the AFCD’s oversight of outsourced contractors responsible for maintaining facilities such as public toilets.
Although the department had docked contractors’ fees 27 times between 2022 and June 2025 for failing to deploy the required number of cleaners, its own visitor surveys found that 20 to 50 per cent of respondents rated the availability and hygiene of country park toilets as “poor” or “very poor”.
Visitor complaints mainly concerned hygiene, faulty facilities and water supply systems.
“The overall quality of cleaning services” showed “a substantial disparity … with public expectations”, the report said, adding that the department’s contractor assessment system focused too heavily on compliance with contract terms while failing to pay proper attention to the actual quality of services provided.
It recommended introducing a contractor performance rating system that could be used when deciding contract renewals and future tenders.

The ombudsman also called for tougher action against littering, noting that only two prosecutions and 164 fixed-penalty notices had been issued between 2020 and June 2025, despite country parks receiving more than 10 million visitors a year.
It recommended regular joint patrols with police, the Marine Department and the Food and Environmental Hygiene Department during holidays and peak hiking seasons, particularly at visitor hotspots such as Sharp Island and the High Island Reservoir East Dam.
Responding to the report, the AFCD said it was committed to enhancing the management of country parks to provide the public and tourists with “safe, eco-friendly and educational recreation experiences”.
The department said it regularly upgraded hiking trails, visitor centres, information boards and toilets, while reviewing the carrying capacity of popular countryside destinations to “ensure the safety of the facilities, enhance the convenience of public use and minimise the impact on the natural environment”.


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‘Deficiencies’ in maintenance, repairs at Hong Kong parks mar visitor experience

Visitors queuing to use a toilet in Ham Tin, Sai Kung East Country Park. The city’s ombudsman has cited “deficiencies” in repair work and cleaning services in Hong Kong’s country parks. Photo: Edmond So

The ombudsman cited a rain shelter in Aberdeen Country Park as an example, saying it took nearly six years to rebuild after its roof was first reported damaged in April 2019. Photo: Handout

Authorities patrol High Island Reservoir East Dam in Sai Kung during the Labour Day holiday in May. Photo: Edmond So

Hikers on a trail in Long Ke Wan, part of the Hong Kong UNESCO Global Geopark in Sai Kung. Photo: Edmond So

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Ombudsman urges authorities to overhaul management of country parks, including addressing delays in repair works and poor cleanliness


Ombudsman urges authorities to overhaul management of country parks, including addressing delays in repair works and poor cleanliness.


‘Deficiencies’ in maintenance, repairs at Hong Kong parks mar visitor experience

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Ombudsman urges authorities to overhaul management of country parks, including addressing delays in repair works and poor cleanliness

Ombudsman urges authorities to overhaul management of country parks, including addressing delays in repair works and poor cleanliness