This year, under our Kadoorie Earth Programme theme We Are Nature, we are happy to introduce our sub-theme, "Touching the Soil". On this page, you can see activities happening at the farm under this sub-theme, and how you can join us.

“How many times have we touched the soil in the past week?” - This question is posed to us by Indian activist and writer Satish Kumar. He continues: “and how many times have we touched our phones?” 

The current distorted worldview has given humans higher status than all other beings, and separate from nature: “Nature is out there’”. This has proved to not be helpful for harmony and sustainable development. Even worse, with our modern world being developed under this worldview - with our lives designed to keep us away from nature - the worldview of separation is further reinforced. 

In fact, soil represents nature and sustains the entire life-system. All living beings depend on the soil and soil treats all living beings equally. Soil loves us all unconditionally and feeds us all indiscriminately.  Seeds are life and gifts from the divine. Through seeds, we learn that every species in nature maintains itself by cooperating with other species. It is time for humanity to connect with nature as a whole, transitioning from ownership to sharing, and from consumerism to sustainable development.

To break the loop, we need to think differently. In order to think differently, we need a whole new experience with nature. By touching the soil, we experience nature, letting our new experience guide us, to re-learn what soil is. 

Our farm undertakes a variety of activities to protect our soil and seeds, and there are various in-person soil programmes you can take part in. Come and connect with soil through:

KFBG’s Work on Soil

Soil Enhancement To make restoring our forest possible, the first and foremost task is to rectify soil fertility. The presence of top soil helps forest plants to germinate and establish themselves on the forest floor. Steps taken to amend and improve the soil across the farm include applications of compost, wood chip and biochar produced through our own wood recycling programme (more details below). To learn more about KFBG’s work on Soil Enhancement: Click HERE
Seed Collection To achieve a breadth of genetic diversity within each target plant species, our field botanists are able to source seeds and propagules, such as cuttings, from wild plants across Hong Kong for propagation in our nurseries. Particular species and sample across the territory were cut out to search, making the fieldwork take place all year round, with the peak seed collecting season usually running from October to January. Each species presents its own unique challenges for seed collection. To learn more about KFBG’s work on seed collection: Click HERE
Wood Recycling Programme A vast amount of wood debris is generated as a by-product of our routine tree works.  From a sustainability point of view, it is undesirable to dispose of the debris in landfills and, moreover, the organic material is itself an invaluable resource. Constant removal of this organic material from the site would slowly but surely deplete KFBG’s soils. Taking these factors into consideration, KFBG has set up and implements its very own wood recycling programme to recycle all wood debris generated on-site, including trunks, branches and leaf litter. To learn more about KFBG’s work on seed collection: Click HERE

Our Soil-Related School Programmes:

Soil and Us

Soil is essential for supporting our lives and other life forms. However,  it is often overlooked and undervalued. In  recent decades, human activities have posed a significant threat to the health of the soil, as we opt for economical growth while neglecting the importance of maintaining healthy soil. Through this programme, we aim to help students to appreciate the soil that is present in our daily life and surrounds us, explore the fascinating world of soil, and learn how to conserve and protect it for our future generations.

The one-day programme comprises both indoor and outdoor activities, focusing on exploring the following themes:

• What is soil?
• The soil crisis
• The critical Role of Soil Fauna
• Healing the soil

It is specifically designed for senior secondary school students who study science and geography, and have a passion for nature conservation. 

Details to be announced soon.

Our Upcoming Soil Activities:

We hope to see you at the above in-person / online opportunities to connect to like-minded people and to the farm.

APRIL
Online Talk: “Soil Is the Source of Life” with Satish Kumar

Opening this year’s series on Earth Day, Satish reminds us on how we are connected to soil and to the web of life.
Details & registration: Click HERE

MAY
Online Talk: “We Are Seed, We Are Soil, We Are Shakti’” with Dr. Vandana Shiva

Dr. Vandana Shiva, who will inspire us to connect to the power of the seeds as an integral part of this web.
Details & Registration: Click HERE

AUGUST
Book Reading Club: Soil. Soul. Society: A New Trinity for Our Time

In Soil. Soul. Society, Satish presents the new trinity for our age of sustainability. This trinity shares the knowledge that we ourselves are very much part of nature; that what we do to nature we in fact do to ourselves; and that the earth is soulful. In this book, he inspires readers with the knowledge that we are all leaders and can create change. He urges readers to create a new consciousness that reveres nature and explores how to achieve this, and to bring about change in the world we must be the change we wish to see. By joining the book reading club, you get the opportunity to read, contemplate, discuss the content, and make connections to your own life and reflections on the topic. This is also a chance to learn with like-minded people and exchange knowledge and inspiration in an interactive way.  Details to be announced soon.

OCTOBER
Residential Retreat with Satish Kumar

Nothing is more powerful than face-to-face contact, to inspire, exchange and create meaningful dialogue. Satish has very kindly offered us an opportunity to interact in person, and live together in a residential retreat.  Satish's words help us connect with the whole of nature, including soil. Closer to the time, we will share more details about the retreat. Tentative Date: End of October Details to be announced soon.

November 
Artist in Residence Programme: David Sheil on Soil Creation 

Details to be announced soon.