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*** Our weekly Station Mail is for the information of Station Members only, but Station Mail has given up copyright & can be freely circulated. For administrative reasons, comments from outsiders are usually not entertained & may be circulated within our system locally & overseas. Please note Station Mail is sometimes given in Blog at http://isahkchina.blogspot.com , although images are usually not attached due to size. ***
Dear Station Members,
From the attached media report & the internet news below, it appears that the HK Govt are now seriously considering to set up a Tree Assessment Office (TAO) of some kind to monitor & control Hazard Trees. ISA HK/China regards this as a good move in view of the current financial situation in HK as well as respecting the impact that a general Tree Office may produce among the +10 Govt Depts handling trees at present. We also admire the skills of our Administrative Officers in their policy formulation to be inclusive & thorough, not to be sentimental or biased but sensible & determined, to answer public demand & to satisfy internal need.
On the other hand, the proposed TAO may also serve as a beginning for a general Tree Office later to monitor & control all Tree Affairs in HK from design, installation, maintenance, risk assessment to protection & preservation. Urban Trees can become Time Bombs if not careful & it will be 'Mother Nature makes the Rules' for any Tree Planting. The correct professionals, like Arborists, must be placed in charge of any Tree Affairs, like planting the ' Right Trees in the Right Places.' The abilities of the Arborists are highly regarded by the Govt Seniors to be a scientific discipline, & various Govt Depts are training their own Arborists to supervise their trees.
For a slightly further vision, there may be 3 major areas requiring imminent attention as seen required:
1. LAO Practice Note 7/2007 --- The Tree Design & Tree Assessment sections may require the signature of Arborists to ensure the Right Trees in the Right Places in any design, & unwanted trees are not to be retained or transplanted further to squander public funds. Trees should not be planted too close by too many, & quality trees should be selected for Structure & Health, rather than just 'flowering & scent' alone. Small Tree Pits must not house large trees, & ongoing maintenance must be carefully considered not just for an 'Instant Effect'. Incorrect Tree Planting will lead to expensive maintenance, & the usual outcome of keeping poor quality trees is an eventual removal amidst a built up urban location which can be difficult to operate & extremely costly.
2. ETWB Technical Circular 3/2006 --- Trees must be re-defined in accordance with international practice not to include bananas, bamboos & certain palms. The Compensatory Planting must consider whether the finished area can truly house the replaced trees or not, & Time Bombs must not be created by squeezing in unnecessary numbers just for making up the balanced sheet. Tree Survey should be carried out & signed by Arborists for their professional responsibilities. Tree Pruning should be carried out & supervised on site by qualified Arborists (IPA http://isahkchina.blogspot.com/2008/08/isa-hkchina-independent-practicing.html, or similar) who have Tree Climbing & Chainsaw expertise.
3. Old & Valuable Trees --- The general concept of selection & maintenance for the 500 no. or so OVT's should be revised to keep out hazardous & costly maintained trees. 'Old, big & thick' do not necessarily mean 'good' for keeping a mature tree. Those without hope & potentially hazardous should be taken off the list & newly found worthwhile should be added in for scientific & sentimental reasons. Arborists must be included in the Expert Group for decision to make sure the right trees are selected & kept in a scientific manner.
It appears that if internal secondment has become necessary in setting up the proposed TAO, LCSD Staff would be likely to provide the largest number with their traditional expertise & qualification. ISA HK/China knows a number of good staff in LCSD to be able to take up this job, & we have faith in the HK Govt to make the correct decision.
May the new TAO, if ever inaugurated, truly serve the people of HK to manage our trees in an admirable manner. ISA HK/China will carry on support the HK Govt to make the right decision & throw our support behind the TAO concept whenever desired.
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
"If a tree is not designed, installed, maintained & inspected properly, it is likely to become a liability rather than an asset."
"Trees are good for the community. Trees need care like human beings. Arborists are the Tree Care Professionals."
港府擬設專責單位保育樹木
*** Our weekly Station Mail is for the information of Station Members only, but Station Mail has given up copyright & can be freely circulated. For administrative reasons, comments from outsiders are usually not entertained & may be circulated within our system locally & overseas. Please note Station Mail is sometimes given in Blog at http://isahkchina.blogspot.com , although images are usually not attached due to size. ***
Dear Station Members,
From the attached media report & the internet news below, it appears that the HK Govt are now seriously considering to set up a Tree Assessment Office (TAO) of some kind to monitor & control Hazard Trees. ISA HK/China regards this as a good move in view of the current financial situation in HK as well as respecting the impact that a general Tree Office may produce among the +10 Govt Depts handling trees at present. We also admire the skills of our Administrative Officers in their policy formulation to be inclusive & thorough, not to be sentimental or biased but sensible & determined, to answer public demand & to satisfy internal need.
On the other hand, the proposed TAO may also serve as a beginning for a general Tree Office later to monitor & control all Tree Affairs in HK from design, installation, maintenance, risk assessment to protection & preservation. Urban Trees can become Time Bombs if not careful & it will be 'Mother Nature makes the Rules' for any Tree Planting. The correct professionals, like Arborists, must be placed in charge of any Tree Affairs, like planting the ' Right Trees in the Right Places.' The abilities of the Arborists are highly regarded by the Govt Seniors to be a scientific discipline, & various Govt Depts are training their own Arborists to supervise their trees.
For a slightly further vision, there may be 3 major areas requiring imminent attention as seen required:
1. LAO Practice Note 7/2007 --- The Tree Design & Tree Assessment sections may require the signature of Arborists to ensure the Right Trees in the Right Places in any design, & unwanted trees are not to be retained or transplanted further to squander public funds. Trees should not be planted too close by too many, & quality trees should be selected for Structure & Health, rather than just 'flowering & scent' alone. Small Tree Pits must not house large trees, & ongoing maintenance must be carefully considered not just for an 'Instant Effect'. Incorrect Tree Planting will lead to expensive maintenance, & the usual outcome of keeping poor quality trees is an eventual removal amidst a built up urban location which can be difficult to operate & extremely costly.
2. ETWB Technical Circular 3/2006 --- Trees must be re-defined in accordance with international practice not to include bananas, bamboos & certain palms. The Compensatory Planting must consider whether the finished area can truly house the replaced trees or not, & Time Bombs must not be created by squeezing in unnecessary numbers just for making up the balanced sheet. Tree Survey should be carried out & signed by Arborists for their professional responsibilities. Tree Pruning should be carried out & supervised on site by qualified Arborists (IPA http://isahkchina.blogspot.com/2008/08/isa-hkchina-independent-practicing.html, or similar) who have Tree Climbing & Chainsaw expertise.
3. Old & Valuable Trees --- The general concept of selection & maintenance for the 500 no. or so OVT's should be revised to keep out hazardous & costly maintained trees. 'Old, big & thick' do not necessarily mean 'good' for keeping a mature tree. Those without hope & potentially hazardous should be taken off the list & newly found worthwhile should be added in for scientific & sentimental reasons. Arborists must be included in the Expert Group for decision to make sure the right trees are selected & kept in a scientific manner.
It appears that if internal secondment has become necessary in setting up the proposed TAO, LCSD Staff would be likely to provide the largest number with their traditional expertise & qualification. ISA HK/China knows a number of good staff in LCSD to be able to take up this job, & we have faith in the HK Govt to make the correct decision.
May the new TAO, if ever inaugurated, truly serve the people of HK to manage our trees in an admirable manner. ISA HK/China will carry on support the HK Govt to make the right decision & throw our support behind the TAO concept whenever desired.
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
"If a tree is not designed, installed, maintained & inspected properly, it is likely to become a liability rather than an asset."
"Trees are good for the community. Trees need care like human beings. Arborists are the Tree Care Professionals."
港府擬設專責單位保育樹木
2009年5月23日 星期六 06:30
(綜合報道)
政務司司長唐英年昨日出席立法會特別內務會議，交代「樹木管理檢討」的文件。他指未來需要成立獨立單位處理樹木保育工作，以解決現時樹木管理涉及不同部門、出現互相推莊的情況。會上有議員昨日追問唐英年對六四事件的立場，以及金管局總裁的聘任問題，但唐英年未有直接回應。
唐英年昨日出席會議時，指未來需要成立一個獨立的專責單位負責保育樹木的工作，解決現時樹木管理涉及不同部門、出現互相推莊的情況：「希望通過這次檢討，釐清部門之間的分工，強化整個政府的一體性，每當有個案需要處理時，盡早確定負責的部門，減少部門之間的轉介……不要令市民遊走於部門之間。」
唐英年又指正研究是否設立一個專業權威的單位，以強化樹木管理及風險評估的專業能力，在遇上較複雜的個案時，則可邀請本地和海外的專家提供意見。
現時本港樹木數目眾多，當局會首先保育及護養古樹名木，以及人流車流較集中地方的樹木。唐英年指明白市民愛惜樹木的心，承諾只要樹木尚有一綫生機，都會投放大量資源盡力補救，但亦須顧及其中的社會成本，如要保住一棵樹需用數十萬元搭一個鋼架作支撐；或者某一個發展項目，要用過百萬元去移植一棵大樹，但樹木移植後未必有很高的存活機會，這些都是保育過程中需要面對的實際問題。
工聯會潘珮璆關注現時前綫保樹職員的資歷，希望當局開設培訓班專責培育人才。發展局局長林鄭月娥指出，不少前綫的同事均有「樹藝師」的資格，但這並非一個入職的要求，是次檢討計畫中亦考慮如何鼓勵更多同事有「樹藝師」的資格。
樹木保育問題之外，民主黨甘乃威追問唐英年對六四事件的立場，公民黨湯家驊則問及遴選金管局總裁職位的三人小組工作，但唐英年都不作評論。
