Forests and Countryside Ordinance

Forests and Countryside Ordinance
Legislative Council of Hong Kong
Long title An Ordinance to consolidate and amend the law relating to forests and plants, and to provide for the protection of the countryside.
Citation	Cap. 96
Enacted by	Legislative Council of Hong Kong
Legislative history
Introduced by	Attorney General C. G. Alabaster
First reading	23 June 1937
Second reading	28 July 1937
Third reading	28 July 1937
Amended by
1948, 1969, 1970, 1972, 1974, 1977, 1981, 1982, 1983, 1984, 1992, 1993, 1996, 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2007[1]
Status: Current legislation

The Forests and Countryside Ordinance is a Hong Kong ordinance "to consolidate and amend the law relating to forests and plants, and to provide for the protection of the countryside".^[2]

Under the Ordinance, no people, without lawful authority or excuse are allowed to:

• cut grass, remove turf or earth, rake pine needles;
• pluck or damage any bud, blossom, or leaf of any tree, shrub, or plant;
• trespass or pasture cattle or goats or permit cattle or goats to trespass;
• fell, cut, burn or otherwise destroy any trees or growing plants,

..in any forest (any area of Government land covered with selfgrown trees) or plantation (any area of Government land which has been planted with trees or shrubs or sown with the seeds of trees or shrubs) of Hong Kong.

Forestry Regulations Cap. 96A is a part of Forests and Countryside Ordinance Cap.96. Under the regulations, it is illegal to sell, offer for sale, or have in one's possession or under one's custody or control any portion without legal excuse.

• List of protected species in Hong Kong

• Department of Justice: Bilingual Laws Information System