ISA HK/China --- HK Tree News 乱锯树被罚20万

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Dear Station Members,

For those of you who can search newspaper online, please kindly look up South China Morning Post Saturday May 7, 2011 at 'City' section, for a piece of local news on "Top girls' school hit with heavy fine for tree pruning".

According to the newspaper report, the fine is HK$200,000.00 for incorrectly pruning a Candlenut tree (Aleurites moluccana), something that some agreed as just, & some disagreed. The incident came from a tip-off by a local group after they saw the pruning, to the Govt authorities for action. A local Arborist commented on the work, so did other Tree Experts. There appears to be no common approval on the quality of the work, although no international standards have been brought up against it, but only personal opinions.

From the photos acquired, the work looks more like Topping than Structural Pruning. Stubs were left & tree parts were cut in random. Apparently no justifiable pruning design had been conducted before the work, & it was said that the leading worker on the pruning gang was once a Certified Tree Worker working for the Govt. We wonder who he is? All Certified Tree Workers in HK were evaluated by the Station Manager who has been the Chief Proctor since Nov 2006. Would it be someone before that period? This case may go to the Ethics Committee of ISA to revoke his certificate as a maximum penalty, if proven & justified.

This girls' college is the second in line for heavy pruning fines after the previous hospital in Aug 2010. This is suggesting that the HK Govt is paying attention to unacceptable treatment to damage trees. It may be a reality in HK that trees become more damaged after 'pruning' than before. Look up those trees in natural forest without artificial pruning. Do they fail more than the city trees given with frequent pruning? HK needs to learn more on proper pruning, & this cannot be done without getting the Arborist up on a tree with ropes & chainsaws. Anyone designing or supervising Tree Pruning without having doing it himself for some time to understand the biomechanics & reaction of trees after pruning, would be like employing a doctor who has never operated in surgical theatre before for removing body parts. Can he really manage the complicated work?

HK has many 'Office Arborists' but lacking Practicing Arborist. ISA HK/China is fully aware of this in our drive towards China. Or else, our brothers & sisters would simply find somebody better to replace us.

best regards,

Sammy Au
President (Station Manager)
Registered Consulting Arborist no. RCA#497  (http://isahkchina.blogspot.com/2010/12/isa-hkchina-first-rca-in-asia.html)
ISA Board Certified Master Arborist / Certified Tree Worker no. HK-0174BT  (http://isahkchina.blogspot.com/2011/03/isa-hkchina-first-bcma-in-asia.html)
Independent Practicing Arborist no. IPA-010908  (http://isahkchina.blogspot.com/2010/04/isa-hkchina-hk-tree-news-14410-report.html)

"Providing treatment without in-depth diagnosis & research support is professional misconduct. "


"Casual tree assessor delivers wanton tree assessment. Mother Nature makes the rules."

各位会员，

若各位能够在网上溜览报章的话，请翻查2011年5月7日星期六的南华早报’ 城市’ 版，一则本地新闻关于” 修剪树木，著名女子学校受重罚” 。

根据报章报导，错误修剪一棵石栗树的罚款是港币$200,000，有些人认为罚款是恰当的，但有些人不以为然。事件的起因，是由本地某个团体看见修剪树木之后而暗中向政府密告，希望政府采取行动。某一位本地树艺师评论此事，其地树木专家也是一样。虽然没有引用国际标准去否定此事，但对于工程质素，没有一致的肯定，只是个人的意见而已。

从图片得知，修剪工作像斩顶而多于结构修剪。残枝仍然留在树上而树的各部份也是随意修剪。明显地，在工程之初，没有进行过适度的修剪设计；及有人说，修剪队伍的领导曾是为政府工作的注册攀树师。我们猜度究竟他是谁？所有在香港的注册攀树师也会由会长 --- 从2006年11月至今的主考官 --- 评核过。也许是在之前的某人？这事件可能会上达至ISA的道德委员会，若证明失德有理，最高的惩罚是撤销他的证书。

在2010年8月，某一间医院也因过度修剪树木而接受重罚，而这间女子书院是同类事件的第二宗。这表示香港政府对于一些做成树木有伤害性的做法开始注意。树木’修剪’之后比之前更伤或许是一个事实。纵观没有接受过人工修剪过的天然树林，它们会比在城市中经常接受修剪的树木倒塌得更多么？香港需要在正确修剪上多学习，这需要树艺师会用绳索攀树及在树上操作炼锯，缺一而不行。任何设计或监督树木修剪的人士，自己已经有一段时间没亲身尝试及不理解生物力学和修剪后树木的反应，就像雇用一位从没有在手术室动过手术的医生，去进行切除身体器官一样。他能否真正地兼顾这样复杂的工作吗？

香港拥有很多 “办公室树艺师" 但缺乏能够在现场操作的 “执业树艺师”。ISA中国地区分会在我们进军中国之时已充分警觉此事。事态若是如此发展，国内的兄弟姊妹可能会简单的找一些更能在现场操作的工人去取代我们的“办公室树艺师"来修树, 这是否我们愿意见到的呢?

此致

国际树木学会 中国地区分会 会长

欧永森
顾问树艺师号 RCA#497  (http://isahkchina.blogspot.com/2010/12/isa-hkchina-first-rca-in-asia.html)
资深树艺师 / 注册攀树师号no.HK-0174BT  (http://isahkchina.blogspot.com/2011/03/isa-hkchina-first-bcma-in-asia.html)
执业树艺师号IPA-010908  (http://isahkchina.blogspot.com/2010/04/isa-hkchina-tree-news-14410-report.html)

“没有深入诊断及探究支持去作出治疗，是专业失误。”


“速成出来的树木评估员，只会作出胡乱的树木评估。大自然会决定成败。”


(以上由周志贤注册树艺师HK-0280A 翻绎。一切内容以英文版本为准!)