An oasis in the city: CityUHK Biodiversity Garden shares harvest with the community
Walking through University Circle, several golden sunflowers sway gently in the breeze, brightening up the campus atmosphere. These lively sunflowers draw their vitality from the “Biodiversity Garden” atop the Li Dak Sum Yip Yio Chin Academic Building, a space meticulously tended by a team comprising CityUHK students, current and retired staff, and alumni.
This green oasis is home to more than just sunflowers; it teems with a bounty of seasonal fruits, vegetables and herbs, featuring a specially designed Butterfly Garden which enriches the urban ecological landscape. Following a recent successful harvest of white radishes, the Garden has donated over 25 kilograms of the produce to the nearby Sham Shui Po community. Through Pei Ho Counterparts—the social enterprise restaurant founded by local hero “Ming Gor”—the fresh radishes were shared with those in need, effectively spreading warmth and care across the district.
CityUHK also regularly hosts organic farming workshops and planting activities to promote community understanding of the campus’s green environment and bring faculty and students closer to nature. With the collaboration and guidance of colleagues from Student Development Services and the Facilities Management Office, over ten local and international students visited the Biodiversity Garden on 2 December. They received hands-on training, learning not only how to harvest, clean, and cook white radishes but also how to make pickles from the radish leaves. The workshop concluded with everyone enjoying a delicious radish oden broth together at the student residence, cementing a practical understanding of sustainable living.
The Biodiversity Garden is an initiative launched by “GROW CityUHK” in 2017, is dedicated to promoting rooftop farming and sustainable development education. Currently, the GROW team consists of about 40 dedicated volunteers who take turns managing all aspects of the Garden, from cultivation and care to harvesting and seed saving, adhering to organic agriculture methods free of chemical pesticides and herbicides to protect the natural purity of the soil and plants.
Although CityUHK is located in the heart of the bustling city, it remains resolutely committed to integrating green living initiatives and sustainable development into its daily operations and teaching and research. The campus boasts over two thousand trees and various flowers and plants, with the Chinese Garden providing the CityUHK community with a tranquil “urban oasis”.
CityUHK is also actively pursuing the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals through a multi-pronged approach. On one hand, the university delves into the challenges of sustainable development through innovative research, and on the other, it reduces waste and promotes resource conservation at the campus level, actively building a self-sufficient campus.
From the flowers that uplift the campus atmosphere to the delicious produce that delivers warmth to the community and beyond, the Biodiversity Garden is a key initiative that not only brings a green touch to the campus environment but also brings together CityUHK community members to join hands and drive sustainable development. Through agriculture and produce sharing, it stands as a testament to the University’s vision of a green future and a harmonious community.