New bird in the hand

New rules for closing Mai Po nature reserve (保育區) in a bird flu (禽流感) alert face their biggest test (note 1) as Hong Kong's peak flu season nears.

The reserve will be closed for 21 days only if three or more infected (感染) birds are found - dead or alive - within a period of 10 days.

WWF, which manages the site, says it lost a total of HK$1.2 million over the past six years when Mai Po was closed for 21 days each time just one dead bird was found with H5N1 bird flu.

The environmental group hopes that the government's new three-dead-bird policy means there will not be any unreasonable (不講理的) closure of Mai Po and ease public worries (note 2) they can catch bird flu from wild birds.

This winter - the flu peak season for Hong Kong - will test to its fullest the policy of closing Mai Po when no fewer than three infected birds are found within 10 days in the three-kilometer- radius (三公里範圍) reserve.

"Our calculation was that for those 21 days, it cost HK$200,000 each time in lost revenue," Mai Po Reserve manager Bena Smith said.

"We were closed under that policy six times. If you add that up, it's HK$1.2 million, which is an astonishing (令人驚訝的) amount of money for an NGO like ourselves which is trying to manage a site (note 3). We have limited resources (note 4) and government funding for this site is very poor," he said.

In an interview as migratory (候鳥) birds begin to arrive at Mai Po, Smith said the loss of revenue hit WWF's operation as well as caused administrative headaches (note 5) through re-scheduling site visits.

It costs about HK$5 million a year for the Mai Po wetland management and biodiversity (多種生物) operation.
From good to better English:

(note 1) face their biggest test=面對最大考驗。Face=面對，對著, 勇敢承當, 對抗，抵抗。face the wall=向著牆壁。faced with danger=面臨危險。 The picture faces page 8 of Victor’s book=插圖在Victor書本第8頁對面。 a house facing the street=臨街的房屋。 a wall faced with concrete=水泥覆面的牆壁。

(note 2) ease public worries=減輕公眾疑慮。Ease=使安逸，使暢快；使安心；減輕, 放鬆, 減緩。at ease=自由自在，心情舒暢，安心。 Be [feel] ill at ease=不安心，侷促不安，心神不寧。 Ease of mind=心情舒暢。 Set Julian’s heart at ease=使Julian安心。 Stand at ease=稍息。 Well at ease=安心，暢快。 With ease=容易。

(note 3) manage a site=經營一塊場所。construction site=建築工地。 firing [launching] site=(火箭等)發射場。 historic sites=歷史遺址。 nuclear test site=核子試驗場。 the site of a battle=戰場。

(note 4) limited resources=有限的資源。Limit=限制，限定。limit the number to fifty=把數目限制到五十。 limit the expenses=節省開支。reach the limit of Victor’s patience =令Victor忍無可忍了。

(note 5) caused administrative headaches=導致行政上的問題。

Victor’s View: It is great news to learn that the Mai Po nature reserve will close less frequently than previously this winter due to relaxed rules. Hurrah!
(Victor Fung Keung, director of HK Baptist University’s M.A. in international journalism program, has published 4 books on English-enhancement [the latest, titled <<學會演說、改變你的人生>>, was published on July 18] and plans to write 6 more by the end of 2012. Write to him: deanfungenglish@gmail.com)