Countryside Conservation Funding Scheme
To protect the natural ecology of the countryside, revitalise the architectural environment of villages and conserve cultural as well as heritage resources, the Countryside Conservation Office (CCO) was established in July 2018 pursuant to the Chief Executive 2017 Policy Address. The Government has earmarked $1 billion to support countryside conservation initiatives implemented under the CCO, of which $500 million will be deployed to provide financial support to local non-profit-making organisations (NPOs) and villagers through the Countryside Conservation Funding Scheme (CCFS) for organising diverse and innovative conservation activities or projects in the countryside (except Lantau Island) based on an interactive and co-operative approach.
The CCFS is dedicated to support sustainable and holistic conservation efforts in Hong Kong’s rural countryside through an integrated funding source covering a wide spectrum of areas on different levels ranging from the natural environment/habitats, non-graded built heritage to cultural and historic assets, etc. Four types of projects have been implemented, namely the Nature Conservation Management Agreement Projects, Formulation of Proposals on Restoration of Built Heritage, Cultural Rehabilitation/Revitalisation Projects and Research Activities on Countryside Conservation and Revitalisation.
A new project type entitled Proactive Conservation (PC) was introduced under the CCFS in February 2023, with a view to deepening the sustainable conservation and revitalisation efforts for the countryside. Different from the prevailing four project types which are initiated by NPOs, the PC projects are initiated by the CCO in collaboration with relevant Government Bureaux/Departments to proactively identify sites worthy of conservation, and implement targeted conservation work. The PC projects would be run by NPOs, selection of which follows the established procurement and tendering procedures of the Government.