In the 1980s, Hong Kong's high-rise construction boom marked a golden age for the building industry, propelling the local sawmilling and woodworking sectors to their historical zenith. However, as times changed, the rise of environmentalism and the city's industrial transformation gradually silenced the whirring of saw blades. Today, the few remaining local sawmills have adapted to this new era, transforming into centres for urban forestry renewal. They now specialise in processing trees felled by urban development, typhoons, or natural decay, thus extending the life of this valuable resource. This shift represents not only an industrial transformation but also an opportunity to re-examine our relationship with the land.

With the launch of this year's Growth Ring programme, we invite our participants and the public to visit a new-generation sawmill in Fanling. You will trace the journey of trees from our own grounds and learn about the entire process from felling and drying to their transformation into usable timber. The tour covers the salvaging of local tree species, the timber treatment process, and a live sawmilling demonstration. We invite you to witness how a tree is recycled and transformed into a beautiful, tactile material for creation.

Speaker

Roy Ng   Ng Ting Ho is an installation artist and woodworker who graduated from the Department of Fine Arts at The Chinese University of Hong Kong in 2008. He established a studio and workshop in Fo Tan, focusing on creating woodwork and sculptures. Through his work, he integrates mechanical technology with found objects to explore the relationship between humanity and nature. In 2022, Ng opened a timber mill in Fanling to salvage, process and upcycle fallen trees from across Hong Kong.

Date
15 February 2026 (Sun)

Time
10:00 am# – 1:00 pm
#Meet at Fanling Station at 9:45 a.m. to take a coach to the visit site.

Location 
Fanling

Language
Cantonese

Target Audience
Aged 16 years and above

Capacity
15 people

Fee
HK$350 per person*
*Includes transportation cost from Fanling MTR Station to the sawmill.

Note

• Participants will be dismissed at the venue after the activity ends.
• Payment is not refundable after acceptance, unless the programme is cancelled due to inclement weather or under-enrolment.
• ​The programme does not provide any form of allowance, stipend or insurance.
• Please be reminded that people with G6PD Deficiency need to state this clearly on the application form.

Application
Please CLICK HERE to submit your online application before 8 February 2026.
Applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

Enquiry
Contact Ms Michelle Tam at 2483 7228 during office hours or email michelle.tam@kfbg.org.

About Growth Ring
As part of our routine tree management at Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, we sometimes need to prune or even remove certain trees. The timber, sourced from our own forests, possesses unique grain patterns that serve as an imprint of our local landscape. Unwilling to see this valuable material go to waste, we process the large volume of wood generated from our tree work through a dedicated Wood Recycling Programme, converting much of it into agricultural resources. Larger logs and timber are repurposed as materials for on-site facilities and Nature Art Programmes, and formed the foundation for Growth Ring: Empowering Wood Upcycling through Training and Innovation.

In this programme, participants first learn about tree species and wood processing from our experts. Veteran local artisans then teach traditional woodworking, furniture making, and carving—skills recognized as Hong Kong Intangible Cultural Heritage. Upon completion, participants become apprentices, gaining further experience as teaching and studio assistants, thus fulfilling the complete cycle of our "Holistic Education" philosophy.

Funded by

Related Links

• Kadoorie Earth Programme (KEP) is an initiative co-created by KFBG and its network of collaborators and volunteers. By integrating the various strands of KFBG’s nature conservation, sustainable living and holistic education programmes, it provides life-transforming learning experiences that reconnect people with themselves, each other and the rest of nature and enable them to cultivate resilience in the face of global challenges.

• Nature Art Programmes: Immerse yourself in silent contemplation of nature. Deepen your awareness of beauty and connect with nature through art. KFBG organises a variety of art workshops including Zentangle drawing, sketching and wood art, and exhibitions to guide participants, with or without artistic background, to create nature art.

• Nature Education Programmes: Become animal detectives and explore the mysteries of wild animals. Use different sense to discover the beauty of plants. Learn about the significance of forest, trees and even soils through field visits, experiments and woodwork, to reconnect with nature.

• Group Guided Tours: Led by trained environmental interpreters, the content includes experiential and hands-on activities. We encourage a passion for nature, conservation and ecology by nurturing an appreciation of the natural world.
  
  
• Corporate Programmes: Our Holistic Education Department staff can design either half-day or full-day nature education and art programmes for corporate staff or their family members based on specific needs. Leveraging the unique natural landscape and cultural ambiance of Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden, our activities may include guided tours, farm-to-table experiences, nature-based workshops, talks and art activities, aiming to promote understanding and practice of sustainable living for organisations.