Development and conservation can go hand in hand. This has been proved in Hong Kong with rail officials deciding to build a tunnel under a wetland after conservationists thwarted a move to run the tracks through the wetland. The government-owned Kowloon-Canton Railway Corporation wanted to build a new train line running through Long Valley, the wetland that is home to many endangered bird species (see Down To Earth, Vol 9, No 24, May 15, 2001, p12). But environmental regulators refused to issue a permit last year and the company lost its appeal. Therefore, it had to come up with the alternative plan.