Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden (KFBG) is celebrating the grand opening of its Jockey Club Nature Conservation Centre (JCNCC), marking the dawn of a new era in its commitment to nature conservation, holistic education and sustainable living. This new chapter for KFBG builds on a strong foundation of conservation work: its excellence was recently recognised with the achievement of TGBS Premium-Tier Certification, the highest award from the Global Biodiversity Standard, honouring KFBG’s world-leading performance in achieving measurable, positive biodiversity outcomes.
The JCNCC’s construction, which commenced in 2019, was made possible by generous donations from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and The Kadoorie Foundation. The Centre will serve as a dynamic hub for KFBG’s environmental conservation, holistic education and sustainable living programmes.
The JCNCC sets a benchmark for nature-friendly and sustainable architecture. Designed as a “landscraper”, following the contours of KFBG’s terraced hillside, it seamlessly blends into the environment. Its eco-conscious design features a green rooftop, skylights, integrated Low-E glass and a solar heating system. An eco-friendly gabion wall provides habitats for small animals and insects, complemented by bird and bat boxes. These features are not merely aesthetic but are integral to the building’s function, contributing to biodiversity and demonstrating a practical commitment to environmental stewardship. The building has achieved a Provisional Gold rating under BEAM Plus New Buildings, a voluntary rating scheme which rewards and recognises buildings that adopt best environmental practices. At the ceremony, Chan Kwok-ki GBS, IDSM, JP, the Chief Secretary for Administration, said “The Government is deeply committed to protecting Hong Kong’s biodiversity and environment. Last month, we published our updated Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan, which reflects both global goals and our country’s national strategy for conservation. The Plan outlines how Hong Kong will protect nature and support sustainable development over the next decade. I am pleased to say that KFBG played a significant role in this updated plan.” He further emphasise the importance of collaboration, “Nature conservation and biodiversity require constant care and collaboration. I look forward to continuing our cooperation with KFBG, the Jockey Club, scholars, researchers, environmentalists and the general public – to keep nature at the heart of Hong Kong’s future.”
Lester Huang, Deputy Chairman of The Hong Kong Jockey Club, said that Sustainability is one of The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust’s nine impact programmes. The Trust’s support for the Jockey Club Nature Conservation Centre reflects its strong commitment to advancing sustainability and building a liveable Hong Kong.
Andrew McAulay, Chairperson of KFBG, said, ” To support all this work, we badly needed a new space, with offices for over a hundred staff, as well as educational facilities for the public. With its modern, efficient and nature-friendly design, the JCNCC is more than fit for purpose. Once again, let me extend our heartfelt gratitude to the Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust for their generous sponsorship, which has made this vision a reality. Finally, our sincere thanks to the Hong Kong government for their ongoing support for KFBG in a relationship that goes back 70 years.”
The building’s architect, Humphrey Wong of Meta4 Design Forum, explained the philosophy behind its unique design. “When we brainstormed the design, we thought of it as a landscraper, not a skyscraper. We envisioned Architecture for All – not just for people, but also for plants and animals. Every element, from the cascading building form that respects the site character, to the gabion walls that provide habitats for wildlife, is designed to be in dialogue with nature.”
To commemorate the opening, a group of rehabilitated native spotted dove, was released back into the wild. The act symbolised the core mission of KFBG’s Wild Animal Rescue Centre, which has rescued over 76,000 wild animals since 1994. The act served as a powerful reminder of our collective responsibility to safeguard the environment and tangible impact of KFBG’s decades-long conservation efforts.
The new centre will enable KFBG to expand its public engagement, with programmes projected to reach more than 42,000 members of the public annually, including children and people with disabilities, through immersive nature and sustainable living education experiences.
Introduction of Jockey Club Nature Conservation Centre
The development of JCNCC was made possible through a generous donation of HK$130 million from The Hong Kong Jockey Club Charities Trust and HK$65 million from The Kadoorie Foundation.
The new building, addresses problems that KFBG has long faced: and inadequate old office, a limited number of function rooms and accessibility issues. With new function rooms for public use and accessible indoor and outdoor spaces, we look forward to serving more people than even before. In total, a quarter of the indoor space and more than half of the outdoor space is allocated for public educational programmes.
Expanded Public Programmes
The JCNCC will host a wide array of new and expanded public programmes, including:
Nature Artist-in-Residence; Permaculture Design Courses; Advanced Farming Courses; I Nature Photography Workshops; Art and Music in Nature; Teacher Training; Children’s Camps; Meet the Expert talks; International Capacity Building for conservation professionals; Mindfulness sessions; Sustainable Living Challenges; Vegan cooking classes and more.
Expected public engagement: 42,000 people per year
Expected programme interactions: 140,000 interactions per year
TGBS Premium-Tier Certification: Global Recognition of Excellence
Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden’s long-running, scientifically informed forest restoration programme has been awarded Premium-Tier Certification by The Global Biodiversity Standard, the first site in the world to achieve this accolade.
The award recognises nearly 30 years of scientifically informed work to restore native biodiversity on its degraded upper slopes, achieving a score of 9.3 out of 10 – the highest yet for any project assessed globally.
KFBG’s approach prioritises ecological quality and long-term viability over simple tree-planting metrics, using an active, science-driven methodology to overcome barriers to natural recovery. This achievement establishes KFBG as a global model for nature-based solutions. As the sole TGBS Hub in East Asia, KFBG is now authorised to mentor and assess other restoration projects, helping to upscale high-quality conservation efforts and provide assurance that investments deliver measurable, best-in-class biodiversity outcomes.
With its decades of experience in nature restoration and reforestation, and now this Premium-Tier certification, KFBG aims to inspire and support similar efforts in Hong Kong to further enhance its natural beauty, making it the most biodiverse city in Asia.
