Fragrant memories

Savior of the incense tree

The dangerous encounter did not deter Ho. She pressed on with her campaign and demanded that the government do more to protect the trees.

By late 2015, Ho was listed as the principal complainant on the Legislative Council, as she urged government departments with environmental mandates and the police to enhance monitoring and protection of the incense tree. She submitted her data and materials about the habitats, their locations and poaching scenes to the legislature and asked for clearly stipulated responsibilities among governmental departments.

Responding to Ho and the request of lawmakers, the government stipulated in mid-2016 that the police would conduct criminal investigations into all suspected cases on incense trees. Offenders involved in the illegal felling of the trees would be prosecuted mainly under the Theft Ordinance, which carries a maximum penalty of 10 years' imprisonment.

The government also worked with Ho, implementing the trial use of metallic tree guards, which are set to provide a secure barrier against felling or vandalism. By February, more than 140 incense trees in Hong Kong had been provided the barrier protection.

The barrier idea was raised by Ho in mid-2016. She found sponsors, who assisted in the production of iron bars, numbering 200 to 300 bars for each tree. They cost around HK$10,000 per tree. She created a team of volunteers to carry the bars to the deep mountains. Without any professional aid, it took more than eight hours for Ho and her volunteers to install the barriers for each tree. Ho installed barriers for eight trees. The entire project took her eight months.

In the June response, another significant development came when police added guarding of the incense trees as one of their duties. This may be due in part to Ho's persistence.

Police officers in Tseung Kwan O are old friends of Ho. Every time Ho reported an illegal felling, she stayed at the scene until the police came.

In 2015, a village in Tseung Kwan O lost a dozen incense trees. As usual, Ho and another volunteer went to the scene and called the police. They waited until dark but no police officer showed up. The volunteer told Ho she was going home for supper and then left. Ho, stayed, alone, in the deep mountain forest till late at night, until the police arrived.