Residents opposed to a new marine life centre built by the World Wide Fund for Nature Hong Kong (WWF) fear the launch of a set of stamps and a souvenir pack - designed to raise awareness of the centre - will add to the public pressure on Hoi Ha Wan in Sai Kung West Country Park.
Karl Lung Hak-kau, who rents a weekend home in Hoi Ha village, said he was concerned about the additional publicity for the area, which already attracts thousands of weekend visitors.
'Publicity is one way of raising awareness of the environment, but you have to make sure that the increased traffic into Hoi Ha can be managed to prevent damage to the environment. I am quite sure that it is already beyond the level where it can be managed,' he said.
Hoi Ha resident Nicola Newbery said since a special permit was required to enter the country park, it was irresponsible to promote the centre on a wide scale.
'The WWF's excessive publicity, aimed at adults and not at secondary schools, is totally irresponsible. People cannot just turn up at the gate and expect to have a look around the much-publicised centre,' she said. 'The only publicity should be aimed at secondary schools as they are supposed to be the WWF's primary market.'
WWF Hong Kong executive director Winnie Sek said promotional campaigns at schools had been disrupted by the Sars outbreak and the closure of schools.