Conservancy Association  The Conservancy Association () is a Hong Kong non-governmental organisation founded in 1968. The organisation focuses on the protection of the environment and the conservation of natural and cultural heritage. It also seeks to enhance the quality of life of both current and future generations, and to ensure that Hong Kong shoulders her regional and global environmental responsibilities. The organisation advocates appropriate policies, monitors government action, promotes environmental education and takes a lead in community participation. In 1967, John H. Pain (1930 - 2018) of Hong Kong Tourist Association, Prof. Brian Loft (1929 - 2015) of the University of Hong Kong, Jeremy Brown of Jardine Matheson and a Scottish lady Agnes Black formed a rambling group called "Bauhina's Circle". Their regard for the Hong Kong countryside came at the right time as the Hong Kong government made plans in 1968 for a "Provisional Council for the Use and Conservation of the Countryside", an idea from a government-commissioned report "Conservation of the Hong Kong Countryside" by Lee M Talbot. The idea of forming an association came during one of these walks when they saw the destruction of the village land. In October 1968, they gathered at Helena May Institute and declared themselves "the Conservancy Association" - thus was born the first ever green group of Hong Kong. Soon they recruited Robert N. Rayne of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, together with Prof. S. Y. Hu of the Chinese University of Hong Kong, Michael A. Webster, a keen bird-watcher, Sir Lindsay Ride, former Vice Chancellor of Hong Kong University and the others. Father H. Naylor of Wah Yan College, was invited by Robert N. Rayne. They became the founders of the association. In late 1969, it was formally registered as a society. The first Annual General Meeting was held in 1970 and Robert N. Rayne was elected as Chairman with Michael Webster as Secretary. In 1971, Dr. Ding Lik-kiu was invited by John H. Pain to join the association. A membership drive and fund raising campaign was then launched. On 11 May 1972, the Conservancy Association published a full-page advertisement on South China Morning Post by listing their "Founding Members". At a 1972 workshop, members of the association reached a consensus that Hong Kong's countryside was threatened and would "cease to exist in an acceptable form" unless concrete action was taken to protect it. The association also considered pollution in urban areas an imminent threat to public health.