ISA HK/China --- HK Tree News (Falling apart of the 200 year old 'Champion' Ficus)

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Dear Station Members,

As predicted by many, the 200 year old 'Champion' Ficus eventually fell off 1/3 of its tree parts at 1 pm yesterday in the rain. It hit & trapped a passer-by, & scared him to pieces. Luckily, the victim was caught between branches & escaped with only a scratch. He may never stand underneath a Mature Tree in HK in future after this event.

The report of this incident is captured in the attachment & in the newspaper links below:

1. http://hk.news.yahoo.com/070813/60/2diaf.html
2. http://hk.news.yahoo.com/070813/60/2dia4.html

It appears that the media has been collecting better history & data of the Mature Trees of HK than this Station. One media has also the excellent foresight to urge the Govt to require an Arborist Report in Tree Work which can be defined as Tree Selection, Tree Installation, Tree Maintenance, Tree Pruning, Tree Transplantation, Tree Inspection, Tree Risk Management & Tree Preservation in Construction Site.

A lot of the Tree Work mentioned will require Tree Climbing. ISA HK/China has already linked up with CUGE in Singapore & Tree Climbing International to provide such training overseas. Our Govt has made laws against Tree climbing in our urban parks & housing estates in the name of safety, & even qualified Tree Climbers are not allowed to climb trees with international safety standards in HK at present.

Arboriculture is all about proper Tree Care & Arborists are trained to look after trees from cradle to death. Arborists are Tree Doctors & Tree Detectives. Arborists in HK/China is governed by the ISA HK/China Station & our Station believes in Integrity, Professionalism & Participation with an attitude of fact-finding & truth-telling. Our Station maintains good discipline & high respect for our Station Members & our CA Family. Arborist in the CA Family are selected individuals to abide to the Code of Honour required of a Professional Arborist. Eviction from the CA Family is the highest disgrace that any Arborist can receive in the HK/China Region. A simple phone call or e-mail to this Station can confirm anybody in the CA Family or not.

Our Station works like a Gymnastic Contest in our discipline. Any Station Member coming in will receive a full mark of 10. If a Station Member does not comply with our Code of Honour, marks will be deducted to until he/she will be terminated. Any terminated Station Member may never re-join this Station as a matter of respect to our Station. Termination is more painful than prison for an Arborist. Eviction from the CA Family may be announced in public Station Mail.

Therefore, Arborists have established ourselves with a new position in the landscape industry in the HK/China Region. In the 2.5 years of history among the current 41 no. Certified Arborists in our territory, this Station has not received one single complaint for mal-practice of any of our Arborists in public or private communication. This Station intends to keep up our image in this manner & let Arborist be someone to be respected in our landscape industry.

Some Govt Depts will be sending large number of candidates to attend the CA exam later this October. This Station hopes the graduated CA from these Govt Depts can join us & carry on our tradition, so that the Arborist Profession will become a breath of fresh air in our Greenery development.

best regards,

Sammy Au
Station Manager