Going to the hills in treacherous weather as many Hong Kong people did during the cold spell on the weekend may seem foolhardy to some. But as a young father said on television, it is important for his children, a boy and a girl seen shivering in the cold, to experience the raw force of nature so they can understand and respect it.

These are words that should not be missed by city planners tasked with increasing the supply of housing - sometimes at the cost of ruining the environment in parts of Hong Kong. To be sure, the high cost of housing is a major source of social discontent. A recent study has shown that housing in Hong Kong is the least affordable among major cities in the world. It is understandable that the government has placed the increase in housing supply at the top of its priorities.

But those people who ignored their own safety to climb up the hills in sub-zero temperature to get a rare glimpse of snow have shown that the mystery of nature still holds the fascination of many in this already overbuilt city. Some academics sitting in their ivory towers have carelessly dismissed the value of Hong Kong's many country parks, citing figures to show that they are "under-used".

It is pointless to take these people seriously. Suffice to say Hong Kong people love their country parks, where a slice of nature is preserved for those of us who are willing to take the time to enjoy it. These country parks are not commercial theme parks that have to survive on paying visitors. Rather, they are part of Hong Kong people's common heritage whose value cannot and should not be measured by visitor traffic.

In land-scarce Hong Kong, the need for housing will always come into conflict with environmental concerns. It is a dilemma that will continue to test the political skills of the city's leaders.

Sounding like a broken record, many politicians and civic leaders have repeatedly professed the need to strike a balance between housing and conservation. It is easier said than done because the goalposts change all the time in accordance with the fleeting public mood and demand.

But the father who took his children to the hills in the early hours of one of the coldest days in Hong Kong has made the statement that Hong Kong people's fascination with nature has not waned.

(HK Edition 01/27/2016 page7)