Dr. Billy Hau got his PhD in The University of Hong Kong (HKU) on forest ecology. He is a terrestrial ecologist and a conservationist. His research focus is ecological restoration, especially for terrestrial habitats in degraded tropical East Asia.  He aims to bring back native forest and the associated forest biodiversity into the degraded landscape in Hong Kong and South China. He founded the Native Tree Nursery of the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden (KFBG) which promotes the use of native plant species in forest restoration work. He is also one of the founders of the China programme of KFBG which aims at halting biodiversity loss in South China. He has set up a 20 ha forest dynamic plot in Tai Po Kau Nature Reserve, Hong Kong under the Center for Tropical Forest Science (CTFS) – Forest Global Earth Observatory (ForestGEO) programme of the Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. It is a global network of forest research sites that is strategically positioned for monitoring, understanding, and predicting forest responses to global climate change. On the other hand, he has been a key ecologist in sustainable rural revitalization projects in Long Valley and Lai Chi Wo respectively.     

He is also interested in promoting urban biodiversity through applied research. He is a local expert in ecological restoration on man-made slopes and natural terrains and often engaged in contract research projects on slopes in Hong Kong. His contribution to the “Comprehensive Street Tree Management Plan for Hong Kong” for the Development Bureau in promoting urban biodiversity through the planting of appropriate tree species in urban Hong Kong has made him a Winner in Landscape Policy and Research of the Landscape Institute Awards 2014 (UK).
   
He has been teaching ecology and biodiversity at HKU for more than 10 years and is currently the Programme Director of the MSc in Environmental Management. He has been instrumental in developing experiential learning and knowledge exchange programmes for his students. He is very keen in promoting biodiversity conservation to different sectors of the community through teaching, research and field study programmes. He is a mentor of many young conservationists in Hong Kong who are now contributing to environmental conservation locally, regionally and internationally. Dr. Hau strongly believes in the importance of youth development as the society’s future leaders. He is currently the Deputy Master of New College, an intellectual residential hall of HKU and was previously the Warden of Morrison Hall.
   
In terms of professional services, he has been serving various environmental NGOs and government committees on ecology and conservation. He is currently a member of the Town Planning Board .