Pioneering Paulines

Jim Chi Yung graduated from St. Paul’s College in 1970. He is one of the world’s leading urban biogeographical researchers. His research spans multiple disciplines, including urban forestry and greening, urban design and landscape planning, soil science, and the environmental impacts of recreation and tourism, with a geographical focus on Hong Kong and the southern China region. Jim currently lectures at the Education University of Hong Kong.

Jim is an arborist in addition to doing research and giving lectures. He is a strong supporter of Hong Kong's historic trees, their preservation and conservation, and greening cities for the future. His relentless devotion to the city’s greening process earned him the sobriquet ‘tree whisperer’.

Jim fondly reminisces of his time at St. Paul’s College. He vividly remembers the teachers who gave him inspiration for his future career. The former college gardens may have sown the seeds for his environmental conservation work.

Jim tells teenagers that when it comes to their futures, they should follow their hearts instead of blindly going after fame. Using himself as an example, he recalls his dilemma between practising medicine or geography. In the end, he chose to follow his passion and choose the latter.

詹志勇在一九七〇年畢業於聖保羅書院，爲世界領先城市生物地理學硏究人員之一。他的硏究涉及城市林業和城市綠化、城市設計和景觀規劃、土壤科學以及休閒和旅遊之環境影響，地理重點爲香港和華南地區。詹氏現於香港敎育大學任敎。

除涉獵硏究和講學外，詹教授亦積極推廣古樹保育，以及培育城市綠化及樹木保育理念的需要。對城市綠化過程的不懈奉獻，爲他贏得「樹醫」的美譽。

詹氏喜歡回憶他在聖保羅書院的時光，猶記得那些給他未來職業生涯靈感的老師，昔時書院的花園萌發了他對環境保護的興趣。

詹氏敦促青少年選擇未來的道路時，要追隨自己的內心，而非盲目追求名利。以己爲例，他回憶自己當時陷入選擇行醫或地理之間的困境，他最終選擇了追隨自己的志向。