薄扶林村人口約 3000 人，屬香港最古老的鄉村聚落，擁有近 300 年的歷史。它也是香港島現存的少數村落之一。跟四周的中高級住宅相比，細小的房子和寮屋坐落在地勢低窪的斜坡上，薄扶林村的外觀毫不起眼，但其豐富的文化遺產卻讓人大吃一驚。每年中秋節舉行的傳統舞火龍活動和其他仍然保留著的村落傳統、被評級的建築，包括牛奶公司在香港首個、亦是最大的農場 牛奶場的農場、法定古跡伯大尼教堂和德格拉斯堡等，都顯示了薄扶林村重要的物資和非物資文化歷史價值，以及需予以保護的文化多樣性。

 

面對迫在眉睫的城市化威脅和政府的重建政策，薄扶林村發起了 "留住 "運動，以表達他們對村落生活的寄望。這項運動吸引了更多公眾的關注，2013 年，世界文物建築基金會將薄扶林村列入 2014 年世界文物建築監察名單。這不僅是香港歷史上首次有遺產地被列入名單，也是對薄扶林村歷史意義和因重建而面臨拆遷風險的認可。該組織認為薄扶林村 "經歷香港過去仍能以非凡的方式生存下來，但它現正面臨著城市重建計劃的壓力" 以及有"研究、教育和宣傳香港傳統和多樣性的價值，並為未來發展保育和可持續生活管理模式開展重要性的一頁"。

 

國際機構的認可以及來自香港和世界各地的積極評價，讓村民們意識到鞏固遺產和培養文化力量的重要性。2015年，村民與非牟利社區發展機構明愛合作，就發展局「活化歷史建築夥伴計劃」提出申請，將有137年歷史的舊牛奶公司高級職員宿舍改建為多功能歷史文化地標 「薄鳧林農場」。該項目被譽為薄扶林村落保育運動的里程碑。

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Pokfulam Village, with a population of around 3000, is one of the oldest rural settlements in Hong Kong, with a history dating back almost 300 years. It is also one of the few remaining villages on Hong Kong Island. The unassuming appearance of Pokfulam Village - small houses and squatter shelters on a sloping hillside in a low-lying area compared to the middle-class neighbourhood - may surprise you with its rich cultural heritage. The traditional Fire Dragon Dance held every year during the Mid-Autumn Festival and other active village traditions, graded structures including farm settlements of the Dairy Farm established its first and largest farm in the Pokfulam area during the colonial era, declared monument Béthanie Church and Douglas Castle etc. show the significant historical values, both tangible and intangible, and cultural diversity of the village that should be preserved.

 

Faced with the looming threat of urbanisation and the government's policy of redevelopment, the villages created the "Retention" conservation campaign to express their desire to maintain their village life. The movement drew the attention of a wider public, and in 2013 the World Monuments Fund included Pokfulam village in its 2014 World Monuments Watch List. This is not only the first time in Hong Kong's history that a heritage site has been included, but also an acknowledgement of its historical significance and the risk of demolition for redevelopment. The organisation sees Pokfulam Village as "a remarkable survivor of Hong Kong's past, but it is under pressure from urban redevelopment plans" and "it is important to study, educate and advocate the value of Hong Kong's traditions and diversity, and to initiate a conservation and sustainable management model for future development". 

 

The recognition from the international institute and the positive comments from Hong Kong and around the world made the villagers realise the importance of consolidating their heritage and cultivating their cultural power. In 2015, the villagers, in collaboration with Caritas, a non-profit community development organisation, applied to the Development Bureau for the Revitalising Historic Buildings Through Partnership Scheme to convert the Old Dairy Farm Senior Staff Quarters - The Braemar, a 137-year-old building, into a multi-purpose heritage site called The Pokfulam Farm. It is being hailed as a milestone in the Pokfulam village preservation movement.