Dear friends of OxHKScholars and OUTSS (although this year separately)
It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the Autumn Walk at Harcourt Arboretum. This tour was launched a few years ago between the Oxford University Hong Kong Scholars Association (OxHKScholars) and Oxford University Taiwanese Students Society (OUTSS), which together have collaborated many synergistic events. While the societies represent the Hong Kong and Taiwanese community here, taking care of the wellbeing of members has naturally been their top priority. I wish that this Autumn Walk will allow you to take time to relax, make friends, and enjoy the aflame autumn colours, while surrounded by the nature.
May I quote Anne Frank's words from The Diary of a Young Girl to begin this journey:
The best remedy for those who are afraid, lonely or unhappy is to go outside, somewhere where they can be quite alone with the heavens, nature and God. Because only then does one feel that all is as it should be and that God wishes to see people happy, amidst the simple beauty of nature. As longs as this exists, and it certainly always will, I know that then there will always be comfort for every sorrow, whatever the circumstances may be. And I firmly believe that nature brings solace in all troubles.
This Walk also (in one way or another) commemorates four centuries of international-leading botanical research and teaching at Oxford —— Oxford Botanic Garden was founded in 1621 and was then joined by the Harcourt Arboretum in 1835 to become the Oxford Botanic Garden and Arboretum (OBGA). This is part of the history you should not miss.
I hope you will enjoy this Walk with the new and old faces. Thank you for your unfailing support to OUTSS and OxHKScholars.
Henry Hung Former President of OxHKScholars (2021–2022) Former Public Relations Officer of OUTSS (2020–2021)
Henry is a forest scientist at the University of Oxford as a Fulford Fellow at Somerville and a Lecturer in Biology at Magdalen and St Hilda’s. His main research concerns the adaptation and genomics of forest trees from tropical to temperate systems. His field work spans across Southeast Asia, North America, and Europe. In particular, he also conducts research in Wytham and Blenheim in Oxford.