Wi-Fi ‘Guard’ device to protect incense trees – SCMP article

HF: Today’s SCMP has an article about the latest effort to protect the endangered incense tree in Hong Kong. Namely, a ‘tree guard’ system that monitors realtime data about trees to stop them from being illegally felled or stolen.

The system has been developed at Chinese University. Prof Chiu Siu Wai, of the University’s School of Life Sciences, says it serves as a safety measure in addition to a means of conservation, as it provides an early warning system  for trees about to collapse.

Incense trees are frequently poached from Hong Kong and taken to China to produce high-end perfumes and expensive incense.  2013 saw 96 cases of illegal felling of the trees, up from 67 in 2012. They are nearly extinct on the mainland.

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department does not maintain a record of the local incense tree population.

See: SCMP article  – ‘Guard’ device gives endangered treese digital voice 29th October 2014

Related Indhhk articles

1. The Incense Tree in Hong Kong –  vanishing species
2. Export of ‘kuan-hsiang’ 莞香 incense from Hong Kong Ts’un, Aberdeen Harbour – Ming Dynasty
3. Incense tree plantation in Hong Kong
4. Origins of the name ‘Hong Kong’
5. A joss-stick Mill in Tsuen Wan
6. Tsuen Wan Water Mill
7. A water powered tilt-hammer incense mill