Periscope
Save the shades: experts
The Lands Department and the Agriculture, Fisheries and
Conservation Department both just said they would work closely
together as well as with other relevant departments.
Even the government itself seems not to be
virtuous. Lawmaker Choy So-yuk blamed the
government for trying to prune four trees in
Tai Wai in last November, which are on the Old
and Valuable Trees Register, a non-legally binding
list for the identification and protection of more
than 500 trees on unleased government land.
Ms Choy, who is also chairwoman of Hong
Kong Trees Conservation Association, said the
government halted the plan after her protest.
"It is ridiculous that trees can be treated this
way even when they are on the register,” she
said. "Who can guarantee that the trees can
survive the trimming?”
Other experts, meanwhile, say more tree care
is needed apart from legal protection.
Lau Hing-tat, former president of the Hong
Kong Institute of Landscape Architects, said
the government had no departments particularly
in charge of pruning. "Pruning is a specialist
expertise, but there is not enough emphasis on
(proper) pruning from the government,” he said.
Certified arborist Ken So Kwok-yin, who is
a senior conservation officer at Kadoorie Farm,
said pruning works in government projects were
usually outsourced to private contractors, and "there is no
control on private companies' pruning”.
People without any professional training or qualifications can
prune trees for the government, said Mr So, who is one of the
21 arborists in Hong Kong certified by the International Society
of Arboriculture based in the United States.
"Many people simply claim themselves arborists after having
five to 10 years' trimming experience,” he said. "It is better to
have more certified arborists.”
Mr So said many pruned trees in Hong Kong were "topped”,
instead of being "trimmed”. In "topping”, all parts of a tree
outgrowing a certain height, including all branches and leaves,
are cut off. But in trimming, the tree's recovery after the trim
will have to be considered.
The specialist said topping would cut off the tree's "food
supply”, and that was the case for the trees in Leung King
Estate. Mr So said people at the estate did not know the kind
of pruning they did was damaging to the trees. "The wound is
too large for them (the trees) to recover,” he said.
However, a tenant, who declined to be identified, said: "There
is nothing wrong about the pruning.” The place "looks brighter
now” and the branches will grow when warm season comes,
she said.
Those residents who have objected to the pruning agree to
tree experts' views.
"The trees are dead and there is no shade…making the place
even hotter,” said one resident, who did not give her name.
"(The pruners) didn't listen, they just did whatever they wanted.”
Both the owners' corporation and the management company
of the estate declined to comment on the matter.
Trees are said to be pruned for safety reasons, pests
problems and blocking of light.