Concrete has often been regarded as the most representative building material of the twentieth century. Renowned Japanese architect Kengo Kuma even described the twentieth century as “the century of concrete.” Kuma points out that concrete is cheap, fast to construct with, earthquake and fire resistant, and easy to standardize and replicate. It perfectly embodies the uniformity, detachment, and ecological destruction associated with industrial and globalised societies. Such standardised technologies often erase regional diversity, alienate architecture from its surrounding environment, and encourage the illusion that humans can fully control nature.
Are there alternatives? In recent decades, more people have sought different approaches. Within the field of construction and environmental engineering, eco-technology offers a more environmentally conscious methodology.
Eco-technology emphasises adapting to local conditions, using locally available materials, allowing ecological systems space to recover and self-regulate, and accepting greater variability and uncertainty. Nature is treated as a collaborative partner rather than an object to dominate. At the same time, eco-technology does not ignore safety or structural stability. Although the costs may sometimes be higher, the resilience of the overall system is also strengthened. Eco-technology techniques are diverse and can be applied to the construction of trails, stone walls, riverbanks, and many other landscape features.
The old village paths built by former villagers similarly responded to local terrain and conditions. Stones were manually quarried and shaped to pave gently sloping pathways, reflecting principles remarkably close to those of eco-technology today. After the gradual depopulation of Mui Tsz Lam and Kop Tong during the 1970s, many surrounding trails fell into disrepair due to erosion, landslides, and unchecked vegetation growth. The current concrete main path connecting Lai Chi Wo and Mui Tsz Lam was reconstructed by the government in recent years.
Since late 2021, the “Forest Village” project has invited experienced trail-building instructors to organize the “Eco-technology Training Programme,” where volunteers work together to construct multiple eco-craft trails throughout the villages. These eco-crafted trails are practical outcomes of eco-technology principles and also embody a philosophy of sustainable trail stewardship.
The goal of eco-crafted trails is to create and maintain safe, environmentally friendly, and sustainable mountain paths. Like eco-technology, they emphasize adapting to local conditions, using locally sourced materials, and often integrating traditional craftsmanship. They also value volunteer participation, allowing members of the public to develop a deeper appreciation for trails and nature through hands-on involvement in the construction process. Many trail builders say that the highest level of trail work is when “after construction, it feels as though nothing has been altered” — the trail should blend naturally into the surrounding ecological and cultural landscape rather than appear as an intrusive artificial object.
Although this philosophy has gained prominence in recent years through developments in Taiwan, similar approaches were already practised in Hong Kong during the 1970s, when staff of the former Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department specialised in trail construction and maintenance using comparable principles.
Trails in Mui Tsz Lam
- Feng Shui Woods Trail
- Lookout Trail
- Campsite Area Trail
- Upper Terrace Trail Behind the Campsite
If you are interested to experience building Eco-crafted trails, don't hesitate to join as a volunteer!
Video about Mui Tsz Lam eco-crafted trails:
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