*** 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,
Tree Failures during rain storms these days would hardly make headlines in our territory anymore, since they are nearly as common as traffic accidents to an extent. However, the one below has damaged & nearly killed a local celebrity, & this one might possibly draw attention in local tabloids & gossips among housewives.
This incident may help bring better public awareness on regular Tree Inspection & careful Risk Management for our mature trees which we have many in our territory. After all, if our mature trees are not properly cared for by properly trained professionals, they would simply become Time Bombs in our city. In our opinion, Independent Arborists working impartially without Conflict of Interest with anybody should be involved with the job.
Therefore, enjoy the message below & maybe think of our mature trees at the same time when you are reading it.
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
The ISA Mission - Through research, technology, and education, promote the professional practice of arboriculture and foster a greater public awareness of the benefits of trees. (www.isa-arbor.com)
塌樹壓座駕 楊千嬅嚇呆 (星島) 06月 12日 星期四 05:30AM
(星島日報報道)
歌影天后楊千嬅，昨凌晨返回赤柱住所途中遇險。當乘坐的七人車，在黃麻角道停下等候燈號時，不到五秒，路旁一棵二十呎高巨樹突然倒塌，將車壓個正，擋風玻璃爆裂，楊千嬅及司機一同被困，司機被玻璃碎片濺傷，警方趕至協助兩人由車尾爬出脫險。楊事後發出書面回應表示：「很害怕……媽咪話要還神……咁都平安無事真係好好彩！」
本報突發組
曾參演電影《新師妹》、演活出生入死女警的楊千嬅，昨凌晨在現實生活中亦經歷死裏逃生一幕。驚魂甫定的楊千嬅，在書面回應中親自講述事發經過及感受，她慶幸自己得以逃過大難，全因當時坐在車尾：「停了下來不到五秒，我只廳到『轟』一聲巨響…….一些玻璃碎片擦傷了我的司機。我坐在後座，所以沒受傷。」
玻璃碎片濺傷司機
她又說：「下車後回望自己的車，感覺十分震撼，比發生意外時更驚……棵樹大得幾乎壓住了大半架車……我當時沒打電話回家，我怕嚇親媽咪……我個司機受少少傷……他不肯去醫院……但我命令他一定要去……檢查一好。」
綜合楊千嬅及警方提供資料，昨凌晨一時許，楊千嬅（三十四歲）與朋友吃飯聊天後，乘坐由姓林司機（五十五歲）駕駛的銀灰色七座位明星保母車，返回赤柱富豪海灣寓所，保母車沿黃麻角道行駛，至聖士提反灣對開，因該處進行路面工程，放有臨時交通燈，改為單行車，當時剛巧紅燈亮起，楊的保母車遂停下等候。
詎料路旁圍網內一棵高約二十呎、樹幹直徑約兩呎、枝葉茂盛的大樹，突連根拔起塌向馬路，壓落保母車的車頂及車頭，大半車身被樹冠覆蓋，僅露出車尾，車頭擋風玻璃被樹枝擊中爆裂，玻璃碎片濺入車廂，司機首當其衝，被碎片割傷手部，兩人同被困，不敢冒險爬出車外，即致電報警。
警打開車尾門救人
警員趕至打開車尾門，協助楊千嬅與司機爬出車外，楊飽受驚嚇，幸無受傷，司機則受輕傷，但拒絕送院，楊致電富豪海灣的管理處，派來一輛私家車接她回家，楊為免母親擔心，只輕描淡寫交代車被樹壓，故乘大廈的車回來。
說會遵慈母命還神
警方通知有關部門人員將倒塌大樹鋸斷放回樹叢內，司機將保母車駛走，現場交通回復正常，經初步調查，懷疑近日天雨令泥土鬆軟，致大樹倒塌，壓毀楊千嬅的座駕。
楊千嬅九五年加入娛樂圈，曾多次在拍戲及舉行演唱會時不慎跌傷，但從未經歷昨晨驚險一幕，她不諱言感到驚慌，但會遵從母命還神。向來孝順的她，在事發後擔心母親受驚，沒有即時告知母親，只致電屋苑管理處派車來接她，其母亦是昨晨才知此事。
Thursday, June 12, 2008
Tuesday, June 10, 2008
ISA HK/China --- Independent Arborist vs. In-house Arborist
*** 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 xxx,
Thank you for your phone call.
We are repeating our reply to you in an open Station Mail because your enquiry may serve as a good example for other Certified Arborists (CA) in our Station. On the other hand, we do carefully protect your identity with possible memory loss of the Station Manager during your phone conversation. It is also true that we can not tell who you genuinely are over a phone call anyway. Any person can always claim he is somebody over the phone.
Your enquiry reflects the Conflict of Interest in your work for your employer who would put you into a situation against your professional knowledge of a CA to act on company's behalf. This is always true anywhere in the world if the CA is working for somebody & the employer may not always understand why Arborist would make decision against common commercial interest. In an event as such, our advice to you would be not to put down your CA Certification Number in any formal reply to anybody, so that you would not be using your professional status to represent yourself in a response.
Please note that in any Arborist Report with a signature & CA Certification Number on it in our territory, it would be deemed to be legally binding & may have lawful consequence if anything would go foul afterwards. Both the victim(s) & ISA HK/China may be required to induce investigation when pursued, & disciplinary action may follow if findings would substantiate such necessity. Therefore, please use your credential with care.
In this open reply to you, ISA HK/China would also urge Contract Administrators to consider the employment of an Independent Arborist to act impartially in place of an In-house Arborist to avoid any Conflict of Interest of the latter, since the In-house Arborist would be under pressure to work for the employer's commercial interest. Forcing the In-house Arborist to go against his/her professionalism is not fair, & can lead him/her into mishaps.
Thank you for your enquiry & ISA HK/China hopes by openly addressing your concern, can also inform the Contract Administrators to take necessary actions to protect & develop this new profession for the benefit of our community.
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
The ISA Mission - Through research, technology, and education, promote the professional practice of arboriculture and foster a greater public awareness of the benefits of trees. (www.isa-arbor.com)
Dear xxx,
Thank you for your phone call.
We are repeating our reply to you in an open Station Mail because your enquiry may serve as a good example for other Certified Arborists (CA) in our Station. On the other hand, we do carefully protect your identity with possible memory loss of the Station Manager during your phone conversation. It is also true that we can not tell who you genuinely are over a phone call anyway. Any person can always claim he is somebody over the phone.
Your enquiry reflects the Conflict of Interest in your work for your employer who would put you into a situation against your professional knowledge of a CA to act on company's behalf. This is always true anywhere in the world if the CA is working for somebody & the employer may not always understand why Arborist would make decision against common commercial interest. In an event as such, our advice to you would be not to put down your CA Certification Number in any formal reply to anybody, so that you would not be using your professional status to represent yourself in a response.
Please note that in any Arborist Report with a signature & CA Certification Number on it in our territory, it would be deemed to be legally binding & may have lawful consequence if anything would go foul afterwards. Both the victim(s) & ISA HK/China may be required to induce investigation when pursued, & disciplinary action may follow if findings would substantiate such necessity. Therefore, please use your credential with care.
In this open reply to you, ISA HK/China would also urge Contract Administrators to consider the employment of an Independent Arborist to act impartially in place of an In-house Arborist to avoid any Conflict of Interest of the latter, since the In-house Arborist would be under pressure to work for the employer's commercial interest. Forcing the In-house Arborist to go against his/her professionalism is not fair, & can lead him/her into mishaps.
Thank you for your enquiry & ISA HK/China hopes by openly addressing your concern, can also inform the Contract Administrators to take necessary actions to protect & develop this new profession for the benefit of our community.
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
The ISA Mission - Through research, technology, and education, promote the professional practice of arboriculture and foster a greater public awareness of the benefits of trees. (www.isa-arbor.com)
Thursday, June 5, 2008
ISA HK/China --- China Tree News (Restricting Mature Trees in Beijing and Repairing Cavities)
*** 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,
Attached are two recent sets of tree news from China media:
1. Restricting use of Mature Trees in Beijing
Beijing, the capital of China, has recently issued order to restrict the use of Mature Trees in view of the many past failures to waste money & time in the Forbidden City. Beijing has learned it the hard way & now would not approve in general principle to use any deciduous trees over 20cm DBH & evergreen tress taller than 6m. This would serve as a reference to our local designers in Southern China.
From memory of the Station Manager in his landscaping experience since 1984, the use of Mature Trees in landscaping appeared to kick off in HK with some designers favouring large trees for their so-called ' instant effect', without regard to whether topping or miniaturized rootball would be a consequence during transport. This practice appeared to spread into China with HK designers penetrating this market to expand business. Guangdong appeared to be the first to adopt Mature Trees in her cities during the rapid urban development in the 1990's. Many of these cities then demanded ' instant landscape' to green their many of Mature Trees new communities.
Nurseries in Guangdong saw this as a commercial opportunity & frantically dug out Mature Trees in natural reserves & countryside to exchange for quick dollars. Any eventual death would be deemed Act of God or poor species adaptation, never the ability of the Mature Trees to survive transplanting mal-practice.
Now with Beijing waking up to ban the use of Mature Trees in Govt landscape, a revolution in design concept has quietly begun in China. What the capital would do would affect the rest of China, & who would like to challenge the experts there with their own interest?
If any more of it is turning into the right direction for tree design & tree care in Mother China, it might be time for ISA HK/China to go into China eventually. It appears to be not for long too, with over 100 Chinese 'experts' from various cities to meet us at the Singapore Garden Festival 2008 Expo in July 24 - 26, 2008.
2. Repairing Cavity with Fillings & Artificial Bark
Here is another yet wonderful invention from 'experts' in China.
Some geniuses have experimented to put fillings composing of polyester, woodchip, wire mesh & non-woven geotextile into tree cavities. It was said that the fillings would occupy the void within, be plastic enough not to damage tree body during wind & were waterproof to fence off decay development.
The true magic came with the artificial bark to put on as cover on the fillings to ' repair' the tree to its original form. The material so used as bark would be Glass Fibre, with colouring to match the natural colour & marked grains to resemble the natural appearance. It was also said that cavities so repaired in this manner would appear to be so real that only trained eyes could tell the difference.
If this practice would work, these China ' experts' should be invited to publish a research paper in ISA to teach the world why others could not. Maybe the theory of CODIT would need to be re-examined & decay could be stopped by meticulously filling in. The world may be at lost when seeing what these 'experts' had claimed to do.
Can ISA HK/China really be able to communicate with 'experts' as such ??
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
The ISA Mission - Through research, technology, and education, promote the professional practice of arboriculture and foster a greater public awareness of the benefits of trees. (http://www.isa-arbor.com/)
Dear Station Members,
Attached are two recent sets of tree news from China media:
1. Restricting use of Mature Trees in Beijing
Beijing, the capital of China, has recently issued order to restrict the use of Mature Trees in view of the many past failures to waste money & time in the Forbidden City. Beijing has learned it the hard way & now would not approve in general principle to use any deciduous trees over 20cm DBH & evergreen tress taller than 6m. This would serve as a reference to our local designers in Southern China.
From memory of the Station Manager in his landscaping experience since 1984, the use of Mature Trees in landscaping appeared to kick off in HK with some designers favouring large trees for their so-called ' instant effect', without regard to whether topping or miniaturized rootball would be a consequence during transport. This practice appeared to spread into China with HK designers penetrating this market to expand business. Guangdong appeared to be the first to adopt Mature Trees in her cities during the rapid urban development in the 1990's. Many of these cities then demanded ' instant landscape' to green their many of Mature Trees new communities.
Nurseries in Guangdong saw this as a commercial opportunity & frantically dug out Mature Trees in natural reserves & countryside to exchange for quick dollars. Any eventual death would be deemed Act of God or poor species adaptation, never the ability of the Mature Trees to survive transplanting mal-practice.
Now with Beijing waking up to ban the use of Mature Trees in Govt landscape, a revolution in design concept has quietly begun in China. What the capital would do would affect the rest of China, & who would like to challenge the experts there with their own interest?
If any more of it is turning into the right direction for tree design & tree care in Mother China, it might be time for ISA HK/China to go into China eventually. It appears to be not for long too, with over 100 Chinese 'experts' from various cities to meet us at the Singapore Garden Festival 2008 Expo in July 24 - 26, 2008.
2. Repairing Cavity with Fillings & Artificial Bark
Here is another yet wonderful invention from 'experts' in China.
Some geniuses have experimented to put fillings composing of polyester, woodchip, wire mesh & non-woven geotextile into tree cavities. It was said that the fillings would occupy the void within, be plastic enough not to damage tree body during wind & were waterproof to fence off decay development.
The true magic came with the artificial bark to put on as cover on the fillings to ' repair' the tree to its original form. The material so used as bark would be Glass Fibre, with colouring to match the natural colour & marked grains to resemble the natural appearance. It was also said that cavities so repaired in this manner would appear to be so real that only trained eyes could tell the difference.
If this practice would work, these China ' experts' should be invited to publish a research paper in ISA to teach the world why others could not. Maybe the theory of CODIT would need to be re-examined & decay could be stopped by meticulously filling in. The world may be at lost when seeing what these 'experts' had claimed to do.
Can ISA HK/China really be able to communicate with 'experts' as such ??
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
The ISA Mission - Through research, technology, and education, promote the professional practice of arboriculture and foster a greater public awareness of the benefits of trees. (http://www.isa-arbor.com/)
Monday, June 2, 2008
ISA HK/China ---2008 research on 'The importance of trees and nature in community'
*** 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,
Attached is an article of a collection of recent research on the benefits & importance of trees for community development. Very rarely do we see so many research put together from international contribution to emphasize the social & psychological needs of humans on trees to improve the quality of living in a community. This article can establish to be a good reference point indeed.
In HK, it appears that when trees are preserved, it is out of respect for maturity & mostly out of sentiment, although sometimes for requirement of ecological balance & pollution control. When these mature trees are preserved by retention or transplanting, consideration on tree structure does not appear to be a critical factor. As long as the trees can be there, it would satisfy public demand. Then when the preserved tree would fail in a storm, it was just a matter of bad luck & nobody's fault.
On the other hand, when trees are selected for planting in our urban landscape, showy flowering appears to be a major consideration by many designers, which would appear to defeat the objectives of pollution control & ecological protection, since not too many flowering species so used at present would grow to the point of providing these benefits.
The Station Manager has been visiting tree planting in Singapore many times & would hesitate to say it with HK which would turn out to be a world of difference. On the other hand, if anyone would ask where the Station Manager would like to stand amidst the hottest days in summer in an urban area, the answer would be a definite 'yes' for Singapore & not HK, for all the big spreading trees they have over there. These trees would also give a feeling of home, besides one can feel peace & tranquillity under them.
Can HK create a similar effect in an overall scenario? Haven't we tried for years with sizeable funding & many committees already? Would anyone like to say that we are now near Singapore, or even comparable to Shenzhen?
There must be explanations for why we are at our current state & many of us appear to understand the problems. On the other hand, how many of us would actually try to propose solutions & are those solutions practical & feasible? Then if we want to stay on our current course without deviation, would we be able to satisfy the taxpayers & politicians in the longer run? Or do we tell the pubic that we should not compare our tree planting with anybody? This may be something we need to find out answers for those who are in the industry.
Maybe we can try to study why others have achieved success to compare with our own as a possible start. It would be from design, administration, execution, maintenance, regular inspection, risk management to preservation, & may be other areas. It may become a major overhaul for our existing system if we decide to look at it carefully. It appears that success does not come without a price tag.
Then how should we begin? Should ISA HK/China organize another Study Tour to Singapore by a joint Govt & Private Sector delegation for a 3rd time? There will be a Singapore Garden Festival 2008 Expo from July 24 - 26 over there. Should we form a big study group & go?
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
The ISA Mission - Through research, technology, and education, promote the professional practice of arboriculture and foster a greater public awareness of the benefits of trees. (http://www.isa-arbor.com/)
Thursday, May 29, 2008
ISA HK/China --- Chainsaw Training (Ground Operation) in June, 2008
*** 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,
By now, anyone in our Station would have understood the power & danger in operating chainsaws to carry out pruning &/or removing trees. Yet in HK, hardly any institute would offer his kind of training to the private sector. On the other hand, it is our private sector most frequently using chainsaws day in day out in contracting work & routine maintenance.
It is understood by this Station that hardly any landscape worker in our territory, be they woman or senile, has the opportunity to receive proper chainsaw training in accordance with international practice in operating this high speed cutting machine. Then when accident would happen, the incident would hardly came out big in the media & would be classified as an ordinary industrial accident in the injury categories.
In view of this, TCHK (http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/treeclimbinghk) had gathered resources locally to open up the first chainsaw training for our private sector in HK on 25.5.08. It was tested to be a genuine success with first timers & experienced workers, reviewing their practice & knowledge in accordance with international practices. In the longer run, this will save them perils to stay long & healthy in the industry.
TCHK is now planning to offer the 2nd chainsaw training to its members as well as to the public with information attached. In this round, it is designed to target landscape workers & their supervisors, or anybody interested to learn chainsaw from scratch. The training is suitable for anyone who can speak Cantonese & it is in most parts practical work in the field rather than power point in the classroom. It is aimed to train someone to operate this dangerous tool in the field rather than just talk, talk & talk.
Since the training session can only accommodate 15 candidates (Tutor to student ratio is 1 : 5 for safety reason), it is likely to run full very soon. TCHK is currently the only institute locally which can provide training of this kind to our private sector, & there must be hundreds of workers requiring to operate chainsaw in our landscape industry on a regular basis. In accordance with OSHC laws of HK (CAP 509), every employer is required to provide suitable training & equipment for their workers to carry out a designated duty. This Ordinance would cover chainsaw & any violation is liable with insurance discharge & penalty by Dept of Labour.
For work safety & efficiency, investing time & money for chainsaw training is absolutely necessary. Typhoon season is here & there will be fallen trees requiring chainsaw cutting. Accidents would likely to follow if no training is to be provided. Legal action may follow after that. Therefore, why not prevent it before happening?
A Certificate of Attendance will be issued by TCHK to any candidate completed the training. This Certificate can be shown to Site Safety Officers for acknowledging appropriate training has been given to the candidate in operating a chainsaw on ground in accordance with international practice. It is also an evidence in Court by employer that appropriate training has been provided to staff to use chainsaw in the event of an accident.
TCHK looks forward to help our landscape industry by filling in vacuum with offering local training in arboriculture, starting from tree climbing & chainsaw.
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
The ISA Mission - Through research, technology, and education, promote the professional practice of arboriculture and foster a greater public awareness of the benefits of trees. (http://www.isa-arbor.com/)
Dear Station Members,
By now, anyone in our Station would have understood the power & danger in operating chainsaws to carry out pruning &/or removing trees. Yet in HK, hardly any institute would offer his kind of training to the private sector. On the other hand, it is our private sector most frequently using chainsaws day in day out in contracting work & routine maintenance.
It is understood by this Station that hardly any landscape worker in our territory, be they woman or senile, has the opportunity to receive proper chainsaw training in accordance with international practice in operating this high speed cutting machine. Then when accident would happen, the incident would hardly came out big in the media & would be classified as an ordinary industrial accident in the injury categories.
In view of this, TCHK (http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/treeclimbinghk) had gathered resources locally to open up the first chainsaw training for our private sector in HK on 25.5.08. It was tested to be a genuine success with first timers & experienced workers, reviewing their practice & knowledge in accordance with international practices. In the longer run, this will save them perils to stay long & healthy in the industry.
TCHK is now planning to offer the 2nd chainsaw training to its members as well as to the public with information attached. In this round, it is designed to target landscape workers & their supervisors, or anybody interested to learn chainsaw from scratch. The training is suitable for anyone who can speak Cantonese & it is in most parts practical work in the field rather than power point in the classroom. It is aimed to train someone to operate this dangerous tool in the field rather than just talk, talk & talk.
Since the training session can only accommodate 15 candidates (Tutor to student ratio is 1 : 5 for safety reason), it is likely to run full very soon. TCHK is currently the only institute locally which can provide training of this kind to our private sector, & there must be hundreds of workers requiring to operate chainsaw in our landscape industry on a regular basis. In accordance with OSHC laws of HK (CAP 509), every employer is required to provide suitable training & equipment for their workers to carry out a designated duty. This Ordinance would cover chainsaw & any violation is liable with insurance discharge & penalty by Dept of Labour.
For work safety & efficiency, investing time & money for chainsaw training is absolutely necessary. Typhoon season is here & there will be fallen trees requiring chainsaw cutting. Accidents would likely to follow if no training is to be provided. Legal action may follow after that. Therefore, why not prevent it before happening?
A Certificate of Attendance will be issued by TCHK to any candidate completed the training. This Certificate can be shown to Site Safety Officers for acknowledging appropriate training has been given to the candidate in operating a chainsaw on ground in accordance with international practice. It is also an evidence in Court by employer that appropriate training has been provided to staff to use chainsaw in the event of an accident.
TCHK looks forward to help our landscape industry by filling in vacuum with offering local training in arboriculture, starting from tree climbing & chainsaw.
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
The ISA Mission - Through research, technology, and education, promote the professional practice of arboriculture and foster a greater public awareness of the benefits of trees. (http://www.isa-arbor.com/)
攀爬一族 基礎鏈鋸訓練班 (地上用鋸) 通告
各位親愛嘅族人同埋社會大眾：
本族繼5月25日成功舉辦‘基礎鏈鋸訓練班’之後，其後不斷收到查詢，問幾時再會開班。雖知係本港林林種種嘅所謂‘職業安全訓練班’裡面，乜野都話要去上堂考證書，但唯獨鏈鋸一種咁高危嘅搵食工具反而係無人去教（見圖），你地話搞唔搞笑.
以香港日日都有幾百人係全港各地做綠化護飬嚟計，全港每日至少可能有幾十把鏈鋸係度用緊，而當中又有幾多个操作人員係受過正統訓練丫？咁唔通鏈鋸就唔危險？梗係唔係喇，只不過勞工處無專項統計，而傳媒又唔重視，有受傷嘅就當係一般工業意外處理，無手指腳指咪叫保險公司照賠蘿，係個工人唔好彩之嘛。
其實罧都罧到，一把鏈鋸一分鐘轉成萬下，點到邊度就切到邊度，而條切割鏈往往離開身体部份最多一呎，中招嘅机會可以話大過中‘六合彩’幾千倍，反而唔中招果個先至係高手。係西方國家，絕無可能好似香港咁係工人都可以唔使學就去操作鏈鋸，唔係嘅話中左招果陣，個老板就可能要罰到破產兼夾坐監，唔會好似香港咁落後咁而凈係賠錢就算數嫁。
但係香港果D所謂‘職安机構’，滿口‘工業安全’，而一提到爬樹同埋操作鏈鋸，佢地就保持沈默，有D重話修樹果陣重一定要搭棚，而七成嘅樹會跌死人添 ... 唉，你地話失唔失禮死人丫！佢地夠膽係自己人面前聲大氣粗，但係又敢唔敢係洋人面前照唱爽口丫？
有見及此，本族依家決定再舉辦一班地上用鋸班（搞清楚唔係樹上用鋸阿！！樹上用鋸要識爬樹嫁），詳情如下：
日期：星期日2008年6月29日
時間：9am – 4:30pm
地点：上水鳳溪中學大草地
人數：15人
導師：歐永森、吳志雄、李國文
費用：HK$1000/人（族人）或HK$1100/人（非族人）
指導標準：ANSI Z133.1（2006）
課程內容：
1. 為何要使用鏈鋸去進行切割樹木？
2. 鏈鋸的種類及選用方法
3. 如何購買質量好的鏈鋸？
4. 鏈鋸使用前需要注意的地方 ---- 添加燃料、添加鏈油，檢查風、油格及火咀，檢查鏈剎及切割鏈鬆緊度、等等
5. 鏈鋸起動前必須穿戴的个人防護裝備（PPE）
6. 鏈鋸起動方法及制動方法
7. 切割前現場檢查及風險評估
8. 基礎地上切割技術及安全 ---- 直、橫、背切、跳鋸、夾鋸、等等
9. 平地及斜坡上切割技術
10. 鏈鋸搬運及儲存
目標學員：日常操作鏈鋸的園藝工人，需要現場監工的管理級人員，地盤安全監督人員，任何對使用鏈鋸有興趣人士。
教導語言：廣東話
報名方法：請與李國文副族長聯絡，電話 81000895 ，電郵：lkman@netvigator.com
教埋依一班之後，可能有牌都唔再開同類型嘅班，因為其他事忙呀。所以，各位有興趣嘅人士，敬請及早報名，額滿即止，專請留意。
此致
攀爬一族 族長
歐永森
敬啟
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
ISA HK/China --- Station Blog's Country Share
Dear Station Members,
You may be interested to note the Country Share as reported by Sitemeter on our Station Blog recently as below. HK visitors rank only about 56% of the total visits, with the rest of the world taken up the other 44% in many countries.
Station Blog is also viewed by an average of 22 visitors a day internationally & this does not include internal circulation by visitors after gaining access to our Blog. We also do not know the volume of circulation within our + 640 Station Members to their friends or contacts locally or overseas. All we know is that we do receive feedback from unknown sources from time to time on various subjects.
Station Mail is for sure circulated to many countries around the Asia Pacific Region & our neighbours are watching keenly in our development. ISA HK/China will continue to improve ourselves with the attitude of Integrity, Professionalism, Participation, Fact-finding & Truth-telling, & hopefully we can influence our greenery development in a similar manner.
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
http://isahkchina.blogspot.com
You may be interested to note the Country Share as reported by Sitemeter on our Station Blog recently as below. HK visitors rank only about 56% of the total visits, with the rest of the world taken up the other 44% in many countries.
Station Blog is also viewed by an average of 22 visitors a day internationally & this does not include internal circulation by visitors after gaining access to our Blog. We also do not know the volume of circulation within our + 640 Station Members to their friends or contacts locally or overseas. All we know is that we do receive feedback from unknown sources from time to time on various subjects.
Station Mail is for sure circulated to many countries around the Asia Pacific Region & our neighbours are watching keenly in our development. ISA HK/China will continue to improve ourselves with the attitude of Integrity, Professionalism, Participation, Fact-finding & Truth-telling, & hopefully we can influence our greenery development in a similar manner.
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
http://isahkchina.blogspot.com
Monday, May 26, 2008
ISA HK/China --- Nursery Accreditation Scheme in Australia
*** 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,
During the trip to the ISA Brisbane Conference in Australia 2 weeks ago, the Station Manager has picked up information on the Nursery Accreditation Scheme of Australia (NIASA) as per attached for reference.
The NIASA is a guide for Australian buyers to find plant suppliers of guaranteed & reliable products produced under best management practice guidelines in their landscape industry. It helps bring their landscape industry to a professional level with quality plants produced in an acceptable environment, notably without pollution & pests & with quality meeting national standards, to install the landscape in Australia. NIASA is also a recognition of quality & service to meet designated requirements at a national level. It gives buyers the peace of mind & justification of expenditure in using products produced under the NIASA scheme.
In HK, we have a similar scheme for picking landscape contractors & material suppliers in Govt projects. We also have similar scheme for vegetables, animals & fisheries supply, but apparently not for landscape plant suppliers. Certain projects would sometimes create a short listing for plant suppliers, but would usually base it upon nursery size, species & varieties, & hardly upon production method, plant quality to meet international requirements, packaging & transportation mode like under NIASA. Plants especially trees arrived on site would hardly be compared with the same so seen in the nursery, & detailed arrival inspection before planting is rare. Then if we compare our plants & trees from China so installed immediately on site with that of NIASA, or even against the image drawings at the design stages, ever common housewives can tell the difference.
Can HK propose a similar scheme like NIASA for our landscape plants & trees supply? If so, this will require a revolution in concept & practice from production, packaging, transport mode to site arrival inspection at both nursery level & site administration. In the opinion of this Station, this will be harder than hard at present if we demand our brothers & sisters up north to change their production practices from current to that of the advanced world. Our contractors would also advocate for the China suppliers since changes would bring uncertainties in contract bidding & execution. Livelihood could be at stake. Additional workload can also be foreseen for the project management team as well. Therefore, if things would carry on the same old way, everybody would be happy & there will be no rocking of the boat. After all, how often would HK try to compare our landscape with that of the advanced world these days? We might not even win that of Shenzhen nowadays ...
Therefore, with hardly any nursery willing to take up the challenge in China (let's take away ETF for a moment), the introduction of NIASA there may be viewed as an ' Violation of sovereignty of the Motherland ' by a lot of interest groups. HK would carry on the same old way to use the same old plants for our landscape, & may we stay happy & never try to compare ourselves with the world.
Some say HK is being ' marginalized ' after 1997 in many areas & is slowly dropping away from the ' 4 Little Dragons ' , & may we wish this would not be true for our trees & landscape as well.
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
During the trip to the ISA Brisbane Conference in Australia 2 weeks ago, the Station Manager has picked up information on the Nursery Accreditation Scheme of Australia (NIASA) as per attached for reference.
The NIASA is a guide for Australian buyers to find plant suppliers of guaranteed & reliable products produced under best management practice guidelines in their landscape industry. It helps bring their landscape industry to a professional level with quality plants produced in an acceptable environment, notably without pollution & pests & with quality meeting national standards, to install the landscape in Australia. NIASA is also a recognition of quality & service to meet designated requirements at a national level. It gives buyers the peace of mind & justification of expenditure in using products produced under the NIASA scheme.
In HK, we have a similar scheme for picking landscape contractors & material suppliers in Govt projects. We also have similar scheme for vegetables, animals & fisheries supply, but apparently not for landscape plant suppliers. Certain projects would sometimes create a short listing for plant suppliers, but would usually base it upon nursery size, species & varieties, & hardly upon production method, plant quality to meet international requirements, packaging & transportation mode like under NIASA. Plants especially trees arrived on site would hardly be compared with the same so seen in the nursery, & detailed arrival inspection before planting is rare. Then if we compare our plants & trees from China so installed immediately on site with that of NIASA, or even against the image drawings at the design stages, ever common housewives can tell the difference.
Can HK propose a similar scheme like NIASA for our landscape plants & trees supply? If so, this will require a revolution in concept & practice from production, packaging, transport mode to site arrival inspection at both nursery level & site administration. In the opinion of this Station, this will be harder than hard at present if we demand our brothers & sisters up north to change their production practices from current to that of the advanced world. Our contractors would also advocate for the China suppliers since changes would bring uncertainties in contract bidding & execution. Livelihood could be at stake. Additional workload can also be foreseen for the project management team as well. Therefore, if things would carry on the same old way, everybody would be happy & there will be no rocking of the boat. After all, how often would HK try to compare our landscape with that of the advanced world these days? We might not even win that of Shenzhen nowadays ...
Therefore, with hardly any nursery willing to take up the challenge in China (let's take away ETF for a moment), the introduction of NIASA there may be viewed as an ' Violation of sovereignty of the Motherland ' by a lot of interest groups. HK would carry on the same old way to use the same old plants for our landscape, & may we stay happy & never try to compare ourselves with the world.
Some say HK is being ' marginalized ' after 1997 in many areas & is slowly dropping away from the ' 4 Little Dragons ' , & may we wish this would not be true for our trees & landscape as well.
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
The ISA Mission - Through research, technology, and education, promote the professional practice of arboriculture and foster a greater public awareness of the benefits of trees. (http://www.isa-arbor.com/)
Thursday, May 22, 2008
ISA HK/China --- HK Tree News (Bonham Road Church Tree Failure and Mongkok Police Station Topping)
*** 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,
Attached are two sets of recent HK Tree News for your interesting reading:
1. Bonham Road Church Tree Failure
As can be seen from the newspaper cuttings attached, this massive Ficus failed without warning, crushing a passing HKCS minibus & injured two innocent passer-by on 21.5.08 afternoon. As property damage & injuries have incurred in this unfortunate incident, legal action will be likely from the victims, & from Govt since Govt Property is involved, against the tree owner which happened to be a Church.
The Station Manager was actually invited to carry out Tree Inspection for this tree & a few others in the premises nearby on 21.3.07 upon the request of a Station Member who was a member of this Church. Since it was a House of God, the Station Manager had waived the HK$6,000.00 inspection fee laid down by ISA HK/China Professional Fees Guidelines normally charged for a site visit of this kind. Pictures of the tree at that time are attached in this Station Mail for anybody's inspection.
During the examination on 21.3.07, the Station Manager had stated very clearly that this was a Hazard Tree & should be removed immediately to avoid possible failure. However, the Church appeared to await for advices from other ' Tree Experts' & apparently did not accept the comments of the Station Manager for over a year. Then the tree failed tragically on 21.5.08.
In arboriculture, we have a famous saying that ' Mother Nature makes the rules, not any of us.' This incident has proved this sentence, & very sadly on a House of God.
2. Mongkok Police Station Topping
No matter how the public would outcry against Topping which is the next malicious act to tree felling, it would always happen for one reason or another in our territory.
A mature Delonix was topped to beyond recognition in Mongkok Police Station recently, leaving a bare skeleton to stand to possibly decay in time to come. Tree of this age & growing in condition as such would have a hard tome to recover after serious topping. The only fate awaits may be a final removal to be replaced by another tree, if future tree failure is not desired.
It may be also true that no Arborist consultation has been sought before the topping & the contractor might have never been trained to prune a mature tree by any international standard. This would be like asking a meat butcher to operate on human to remove bodily organs. Would any human be same enough to do that? If not, then why on a mature tree? Do trees have no dignity in our society? Trees were Gods in our territory only less than a hundred years ago!
It is unlikely that any penalty would finally be imposed for an event as such, as seen in many other similar or even weighted events in the past (Leung King Estate, Wu Kai Sa YMCA, Nam Cheong Estate, former ETWB office building, etc.) in our territory. HK appears to have the heart to protect our mature trees but with limited strength. If the same thing would happen in Singapore, it may have been a very different story.
The imminent way to protect our mature trees against malpractice such as topping would be requiring an Arborist Report before approving any pruning on a mature tree over a certain size or age. This is the most simple administrative measure & practical way to protect our mature trees. The Arborist should first carry out a detailed Tree Inspection, preferably with Tree Climbing to inspect the tree canopy, & to produce an Arborist Report with legal liabilities to state the reason why a tree is to be pruned, where to prune & how much to prune with what pruning method, with justification. The pruning type should also be stated & site supervision should be provided. Photographic record before & after pruning should be filed for any future Court enquiry or investigation by this Station, should it ever be required, e.g. tree failure after pruning resulting in legal action.
If we want to protect our trees in our territory, Arborists must be involved, or Mother Nature will make the rules. Arborists are Tree Doctors & Tree Detectives. Let them make the judgment, take the responsibilities & also the liabilities.
Is HK ready to truly protect our trees with action rather than with words?
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
The ISA Mission - Through research, technology, and education, promote the professional practice of arboriculture and foster a greater public awareness of the benefits of trees. (http://www.isa-arbor.com/)
Dear Station Members,
Attached are two sets of recent HK Tree News for your interesting reading:
1. Bonham Road Church Tree Failure
As can be seen from the newspaper cuttings attached, this massive Ficus failed without warning, crushing a passing HKCS minibus & injured two innocent passer-by on 21.5.08 afternoon. As property damage & injuries have incurred in this unfortunate incident, legal action will be likely from the victims, & from Govt since Govt Property is involved, against the tree owner which happened to be a Church.
The Station Manager was actually invited to carry out Tree Inspection for this tree & a few others in the premises nearby on 21.3.07 upon the request of a Station Member who was a member of this Church. Since it was a House of God, the Station Manager had waived the HK$6,000.00 inspection fee laid down by ISA HK/China Professional Fees Guidelines normally charged for a site visit of this kind. Pictures of the tree at that time are attached in this Station Mail for anybody's inspection.
During the examination on 21.3.07, the Station Manager had stated very clearly that this was a Hazard Tree & should be removed immediately to avoid possible failure. However, the Church appeared to await for advices from other ' Tree Experts' & apparently did not accept the comments of the Station Manager for over a year. Then the tree failed tragically on 21.5.08.
In arboriculture, we have a famous saying that ' Mother Nature makes the rules, not any of us.' This incident has proved this sentence, & very sadly on a House of God.
2. Mongkok Police Station Topping
No matter how the public would outcry against Topping which is the next malicious act to tree felling, it would always happen for one reason or another in our territory.
A mature Delonix was topped to beyond recognition in Mongkok Police Station recently, leaving a bare skeleton to stand to possibly decay in time to come. Tree of this age & growing in condition as such would have a hard tome to recover after serious topping. The only fate awaits may be a final removal to be replaced by another tree, if future tree failure is not desired.
It may be also true that no Arborist consultation has been sought before the topping & the contractor might have never been trained to prune a mature tree by any international standard. This would be like asking a meat butcher to operate on human to remove bodily organs. Would any human be same enough to do that? If not, then why on a mature tree? Do trees have no dignity in our society? Trees were Gods in our territory only less than a hundred years ago!
It is unlikely that any penalty would finally be imposed for an event as such, as seen in many other similar or even weighted events in the past (Leung King Estate, Wu Kai Sa YMCA, Nam Cheong Estate, former ETWB office building, etc.) in our territory. HK appears to have the heart to protect our mature trees but with limited strength. If the same thing would happen in Singapore, it may have been a very different story.
The imminent way to protect our mature trees against malpractice such as topping would be requiring an Arborist Report before approving any pruning on a mature tree over a certain size or age. This is the most simple administrative measure & practical way to protect our mature trees. The Arborist should first carry out a detailed Tree Inspection, preferably with Tree Climbing to inspect the tree canopy, & to produce an Arborist Report with legal liabilities to state the reason why a tree is to be pruned, where to prune & how much to prune with what pruning method, with justification. The pruning type should also be stated & site supervision should be provided. Photographic record before & after pruning should be filed for any future Court enquiry or investigation by this Station, should it ever be required, e.g. tree failure after pruning resulting in legal action.
If we want to protect our trees in our territory, Arborists must be involved, or Mother Nature will make the rules. Arborists are Tree Doctors & Tree Detectives. Let them make the judgment, take the responsibilities & also the liabilities.
Is HK ready to truly protect our trees with action rather than with words?
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
The ISA Mission - Through research, technology, and education, promote the professional practice of arboriculture and foster a greater public awareness of the benefits of trees. (http://www.isa-arbor.com/)
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
ISA HK/China --- 2008 Wind Loading Analysis (WLA) research for Tree Assessment
+for+trees.jpg)
+for+trees.jpg)
Please note this Station Mail is split in transmission in two parts to facilitate printing by Station Members to read the attachment.Dear Station Members,
ISA has recently published the latest Wind Load Analysis (WLA) protocol in Arborist News April 2008 edition for yet another method to carry out Tree Assessment & Pruning currently practised in some parts of Europe. The mathematical formulae & calculations contained may please the engineers in our Station in which we have dozens.
The information given in this article is well beyond the knowledge required for the current Certified Arborist (CA) exam & it is really targeted for serious Tree Assessors with adequate scientific background to understand how to use mathematical tools for detailed analysis. On the other hand, this WLA process has stated very clearly that it can only be used for single, open-grown trees with a single trunk. Most of the ' flowering species' in our territory would fall outside this category & any expert would hesitate to use this method for a lot of decurrent ' flowering' trees planted like dense forest in our territory. This system is also based on the European Standard of Beaufort 12 windspeed, for which most typhoons in our territory would exceed the required windspeed easily in a most situation. The wood property values of a lot of our ' flowering species' are also unknown & not published anywhere at present, & this will leave ground of speculation when this WLA model is to be used.
Internationally speaking, any CA wishing to become a competent Tree Assessor would have to seriously educate himself/herself with profound Tree Biology & Tree Biomechanics before going into this area of practice. The former consists of mostly Tree Pathology & the later Wood Science & Mathematical Models. There are currently very few competent Tree Assessors willing to stand up in Court to testify a Tree Dispute with legal liabilities in our territory. There is indeed much more to learn & develop for a CA to enter into this specialist area of Tree Inspection & Risk Assessment, after obtaining the CA credential which is viewed upon as an entrance ticket to Professional Arboriculture around the world.
It may be perhaps true that over 90% of our Station Members & most of our current CA's reading the attached article may not understand what is going on in there, since not too many of them have been trained with such relevant scientific background. However, this Station wishes to show our territory that Modern Arboriculture is not just all about simple pruning & climbing like some have anticipated. Arboriculture is vast, profound & deep, well worth a life time of studying to not be able to master it all. The attitude of forever learning must persist if an Arborist wishes to stay & do well in this specialist profession, especially if wanting to go into practice. Becoming a CA should be considered a beginning, & not an end to learning.
Arboriculture has been developed as a practical need in western countries over the years & not out of hobby like some sectors of greenery industry. Practising arboriculture as a profession involves legal liabilities much more easily than a lot of landscape disciplines. Facts & reports in arboriculture are frequently challenged in Court & Practicing Arborists must arm themselves for legal challenge at all times. Continuous education appears to be the best defense.
May our territory now respect the Arborist Profession as an unique discipline to serve our society, & would regard Arborists as more than just 'Tree Men' pruning & climbing trees after seeing some of our research.
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
The ISA Mission - Through research, technology, and education, promote the professional practice of arboriculture and foster a greater public awareness of the benefits of trees. (http://www.isa-arbor.com/)
Tuesday, May 20, 2008
ISA HK/China --- ISA Australia e-news no. 42
Dear Station Members,
Please find below the latest e-news from ISA Australia about the ISA Asia Pacific Conference & Tree Climbing Championship held in Brisbane last week.
When the current Sichuan Earthquake mourning is coming to a close, ISA HK/China will produce a more detailed account of our participation in the Brisbane Conference with a call for an Informal Dinner to show videos & pictures so taken during the event. Some of the information can be very educational indeed.
Thank you for your kind patience & God bless all those who are working hard to help the victims in Sichuan.
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
----- Original Message -----
From: ISAAC E-news
To: enews@isaac.org.au
Sent: Tuesday, May 20, 2008 7:29 PM
Subject: ISAAC Enews #42
Visit the ISAAC Website http://isaac.org.au - Now with live tree news from around Australia!If you're not a member of the ISAAC E-news mailing list, you can join it at http://isaac.org.au/news/news.htm. It's free and you don't have to be a member of ISAAC.
****** BREAKING NEWS ******
ISA Asia Pacific Conference:
The ISA Asia Pacific Conference in Brisbane was a fantastic success. 396 registered participants and 63 ATCC climbers and officials participated in the largest and best arboricultural event ever in the southern hemisphere. The conference received lots of positive feedback, while the Tree Climbing Championships got some excellent coverage on Channel 9 and the Courier Mail, as well as turning up our first ever event winner from Hong Kong. Congratulations to LEE Kai Wang for his triumph in the Head to Head Footlock, as well as ISA Asia Pacific Champions Gerard Reynolds and Chrissie Spence, and Australian Champions Richard Kenyon and Jessica Knott.Apologies for the earlier error - Richard Kenyon is the Australian Men's Champion for 2008.Thanks to our wonderful sponsors, and particularly to all the volunteers, that allowed these events to runs so smoothly.
Passport to prizes:
Congratulations to Paul D'Hondt for winning the ISA Asia Pacific Conference Sponsors' Passport to Prizes. It just goes to show that is worth getting around to all those sponsor tents! Paul will be receiving his Tomtom GPS and $150 ISAAC book voucher in the mail soon. Thanks to all our sponsors for their fantastic support in Brisbane, in particular Platinum Sponsors Active Tree Services and Aerial Access.Remember to forward this to other tree care professionals that may find this useful. ISAAC's Internet policy prohibits spam so please only distribute ISAAC E-news to those with a genuine interest.
ISAAC MembershipMembership of ISAAC links you to the professional world of practicing arborists and tree managers in Australia. As a member you get discounted entry to ISAAC events, discounts on books and business insurance, as well as the locally produced newsletter 'The Bark'. Full ISA Members also get the ISA's publications 'Journal of Arboriculture' and 'Arborist News'. Membership supports the continued growth in professionalism of arboriculture in Australia. Now is the time to join. If you already are a member, now is the time to recruit someone else. You can download a membership form right now - http://isaac.org.au/members/join.htm"join online.
If you're looking for great information to pass on to your clients, check out the ISA's new website, Trees Are Good, dedicated to providing tree care information for the general public http://www.treesaregood.org
Do you have a question or comment? You can send your query online at our http://isaac.org.au/contact.htm If you would like to subscribe or unsubscribe, please see the instructions on our website http://isaac.org.au/news/news.htm.
Contents of this newsletter are provided for information only and the International Society of Arboriculture, Australia Chapter takes no responsibility for loss or damage resulting from its use. ISA, ISAAC and associated logos are for use by members of the ISA and ISAAC only. (c) 2008 International Society of Arboriculture Australia Chapter Ltd. ABN 77 090 873 644.
_______________________________________________enews mailing listenews@isaac.org.auhttp://isaac.org.au/mailman/listinfo/enews_isaac.org.au
Please find below the latest e-news from ISA Australia about the ISA Asia Pacific Conference & Tree Climbing Championship held in Brisbane last week.
When the current Sichuan Earthquake mourning is coming to a close, ISA HK/China will produce a more detailed account of our participation in the Brisbane Conference with a call for an Informal Dinner to show videos & pictures so taken during the event. Some of the information can be very educational indeed.
Thank you for your kind patience & God bless all those who are working hard to help the victims in Sichuan.
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
----- Original Message -----
From: ISAAC E-news
To: enews@isaac.org.au
Sent: Tuesday, May 20, 2008 7:29 PM
Subject: ISAAC Enews #42
Visit the ISAAC Website http://isaac.org.au - Now with live tree news from around Australia!If you're not a member of the ISAAC E-news mailing list, you can join it at http://isaac.org.au/news/news.htm. It's free and you don't have to be a member of ISAAC.
****** BREAKING NEWS ******
ISA Asia Pacific Conference:
The ISA Asia Pacific Conference in Brisbane was a fantastic success. 396 registered participants and 63 ATCC climbers and officials participated in the largest and best arboricultural event ever in the southern hemisphere. The conference received lots of positive feedback, while the Tree Climbing Championships got some excellent coverage on Channel 9 and the Courier Mail, as well as turning up our first ever event winner from Hong Kong. Congratulations to LEE Kai Wang for his triumph in the Head to Head Footlock, as well as ISA Asia Pacific Champions Gerard Reynolds and Chrissie Spence, and Australian Champions Richard Kenyon and Jessica Knott.Apologies for the earlier error - Richard Kenyon is the Australian Men's Champion for 2008.Thanks to our wonderful sponsors, and particularly to all the volunteers, that allowed these events to runs so smoothly.
Passport to prizes:
Congratulations to Paul D'Hondt for winning the ISA Asia Pacific Conference Sponsors' Passport to Prizes. It just goes to show that is worth getting around to all those sponsor tents! Paul will be receiving his Tomtom GPS and $150 ISAAC book voucher in the mail soon. Thanks to all our sponsors for their fantastic support in Brisbane, in particular Platinum Sponsors Active Tree Services and Aerial Access.Remember to forward this to other tree care professionals that may find this useful. ISAAC's Internet policy prohibits spam so please only distribute ISAAC E-news to those with a genuine interest.
ISAAC MembershipMembership of ISAAC links you to the professional world of practicing arborists and tree managers in Australia. As a member you get discounted entry to ISAAC events, discounts on books and business insurance, as well as the locally produced newsletter 'The Bark'. Full ISA Members also get the ISA's publications 'Journal of Arboriculture' and 'Arborist News'. Membership supports the continued growth in professionalism of arboriculture in Australia. Now is the time to join. If you already are a member, now is the time to recruit someone else. You can download a membership form right now - http://isaac.org.au/members/join.htm"join online.
If you're looking for great information to pass on to your clients, check out the ISA's new website, Trees Are Good, dedicated to providing tree care information for the general public http://www.treesaregood.org
Do you have a question or comment? You can send your query online at our http://isaac.org.au/contact.htm If you would like to subscribe or unsubscribe, please see the instructions on our website http://isaac.org.au/news/news.htm.
Contents of this newsletter are provided for information only and the International Society of Arboriculture, Australia Chapter takes no responsibility for loss or damage resulting from its use. ISA, ISAAC and associated logos are for use by members of the ISA and ISAAC only. (c) 2008 International Society of Arboriculture Australia Chapter Ltd. ABN 77 090 873 644.
_______________________________________________enews mailing listenews@isaac.org.auhttp://isaac.org.au/mailman/listinfo/enews_isaac.org.au
Sunday, May 18, 2008
ISA HK/China --- Announcement of CTW exam on July 1, 2008
Dear Station Members,
It is the pleasure of ISA HK/China to announce that an ISA Certified Tree Worker (CTW) Exam will be arranged in our region of HK, Macau, Taiwan & China as follows:
CTW Exam :
Date: Tuesday July 1, 2008
Time: 8 am - 5 pm
Venue: Student Activities Room & Sports Ground, Fung Kai No. 1 Secondary School, 17 Sheung Shui Jockey Club Road, Sheung Shui, Hong Kong
Maximum number of seats : 20 candidates for the written exam, 12 candidates for the climbing skills test, on a first come first served basis.
Deadline of Application : June 6, 2008 (All Candidates MUST apply on-line to ISA HQ at www.isa-arbor.com . Those who are re-taking the exam must follow the instructions stated in the ISA exam result letter).
Please kindly note the exam may be cancelled or postponed for unforeseen events such as the hoisting of typhoon signal no. 8 or higher, Black Rainstorm Signal in force, or for any other reason. The candidate can always call the Station Manager at 9090 6719 on the exam day to make sure, if in doubt. Please kindly note ISA exams in the HK/China Region are run by volunteers without pay at their own time & expenses for the benefits of Station Members & public. Please understand their limitation & have pity on them.
For those of you who are not yet ISA HK/China Station Members, we encourage you to join us for update in local tree affairs & ISA activities including exams & training in our region of HK,Macau, Taiwan & China. ISA HK/China organizes activities qualified for CEU after you have become a CA & CTW. CA & CTW are valid for 3 years & all CA/CTW will need to collect enough CEU during this period to renew their credential. Alternatively, you may wish to visit our Blog of http://isahkchina.blogspot.com or http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/treeclimbinghk for additional information.
Thank you for your kind attention.
best regards,
Sammy Au
ISA HK/China Station Manager
ISA Chief Proctor for the HK/China Region
It is the pleasure of ISA HK/China to announce that an ISA Certified Tree Worker (CTW) Exam will be arranged in our region of HK, Macau, Taiwan & China as follows:
CTW Exam :
Date: Tuesday July 1, 2008
Time: 8 am - 5 pm
Venue: Student Activities Room & Sports Ground, Fung Kai No. 1 Secondary School, 17 Sheung Shui Jockey Club Road, Sheung Shui, Hong Kong
Maximum number of seats : 20 candidates for the written exam, 12 candidates for the climbing skills test, on a first come first served basis.
Deadline of Application : June 6, 2008 (All Candidates MUST apply on-line to ISA HQ at www.isa-arbor.com . Those who are re-taking the exam must follow the instructions stated in the ISA exam result letter).
Please kindly note the exam may be cancelled or postponed for unforeseen events such as the hoisting of typhoon signal no. 8 or higher, Black Rainstorm Signal in force, or for any other reason. The candidate can always call the Station Manager at 9090 6719 on the exam day to make sure, if in doubt. Please kindly note ISA exams in the HK/China Region are run by volunteers without pay at their own time & expenses for the benefits of Station Members & public. Please understand their limitation & have pity on them.
For those of you who are not yet ISA HK/China Station Members, we encourage you to join us for update in local tree affairs & ISA activities including exams & training in our region of HK,Macau, Taiwan & China. ISA HK/China organizes activities qualified for CEU after you have become a CA & CTW. CA & CTW are valid for 3 years & all CA/CTW will need to collect enough CEU during this period to renew their credential. Alternatively, you may wish to visit our Blog of http://isahkchina.blogspot.com or http://hk.myblog.yahoo.com/treeclimbinghk for additional information.
Thank you for your kind attention.
best regards,
Sammy Au
ISA HK/China Station Manager
ISA Chief Proctor for the HK/China Region
Thursday, May 15, 2008
ISA HK/China --- How Arborists can help in an earthquake situation
Dear Station Members,
Upon his jubilant return from the 2008 ISA Asia Pacific Arboricultural Conference in Brisbane to HK yesterday evening, the Station Manager has only got to learn in grief of the Sichuan Earthquake which has killed thousands of innocent people on 13.5.08. The news was heart breaking indeed.
On the other hand, ISA HK/China has been thinking of what we can do to help the situation with us having no funding & practically without any tangible resources. We have been thinking of how Arborists can deliver our service to meet emergency of this kind.
One idea has come up. We think our tree climbers, especially our Certified Tree Workers (CTW), can get involved positively with the in-situ rescuing work.
To begin with, it is a pre-requisite requirement in ISA that any CTW has to become a qualified First Aider certified by a mandatory institute such as the Red Cross or St. John Ambulance, as well as passing an Aerial Rescue Training, before any of them is allowed to take the CTW exam. In a nutshell, any CTW is also a recognized Fist Aider & has been trained to rescue somebody from height, e.g. on top of a tree.
In an earthquake situation where the rescuers would have to run through rubbles with risk of falling anytime, it is noticed that most of the rescuers do not carry a Fall Protection device, like tree climber has to do at all times while on a tree with rope & hardness. In reality, walking through rubbles is no more difficult than to manoeuvre among branches on a tree & the contact between the tree climber & the tree may be even less than that of the rescuer with their feet on rubbles. Tree climbers would sometimes just dangle on rope to do there work on height.
One significant advantage of the tree climber to carry out Search & Rescue in an earthquake situation would be that the tree climber would understand how to tie himself in at all times against falling with a central & high Tie-in Point. Rescuers would not be trained in this manner. Their body weight on rubbles may crush the victims below since their weight is supported by the rubbles only. The rescuers are also always in danger of falling if he would try to tackle height without Fall Protection, whereas the tree climber would first tie-in on a designated height, such as the hook of a crane or some secure protruding object of a structure, before going in with full body hardness. The tree climbers can certainly help to search & rescue in places where ordinary rescuers can not reach with their tree climbing skill. Also, all tree climbers especially our CTW's, are physically fit personnel with First Aid & Aerial Rescue knowledge. If not them, who else better?
ISA HK/China does not know how to relay this message to the Chinese authorities & maybe they are receiving mountainous help from all around the world already to do their existing work. However, this proposal is here to advise our Station Members that our CTW's are there to help save our victims in dangerous situation. May also the world see the other benefit of our tree climbers & to use them whenever they are required besides climbing trees.
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
Upon his jubilant return from the 2008 ISA Asia Pacific Arboricultural Conference in Brisbane to HK yesterday evening, the Station Manager has only got to learn in grief of the Sichuan Earthquake which has killed thousands of innocent people on 13.5.08. The news was heart breaking indeed.
On the other hand, ISA HK/China has been thinking of what we can do to help the situation with us having no funding & practically without any tangible resources. We have been thinking of how Arborists can deliver our service to meet emergency of this kind.
One idea has come up. We think our tree climbers, especially our Certified Tree Workers (CTW), can get involved positively with the in-situ rescuing work.
To begin with, it is a pre-requisite requirement in ISA that any CTW has to become a qualified First Aider certified by a mandatory institute such as the Red Cross or St. John Ambulance, as well as passing an Aerial Rescue Training, before any of them is allowed to take the CTW exam. In a nutshell, any CTW is also a recognized Fist Aider & has been trained to rescue somebody from height, e.g. on top of a tree.
In an earthquake situation where the rescuers would have to run through rubbles with risk of falling anytime, it is noticed that most of the rescuers do not carry a Fall Protection device, like tree climber has to do at all times while on a tree with rope & hardness. In reality, walking through rubbles is no more difficult than to manoeuvre among branches on a tree & the contact between the tree climber & the tree may be even less than that of the rescuer with their feet on rubbles. Tree climbers would sometimes just dangle on rope to do there work on height.
One significant advantage of the tree climber to carry out Search & Rescue in an earthquake situation would be that the tree climber would understand how to tie himself in at all times against falling with a central & high Tie-in Point. Rescuers would not be trained in this manner. Their body weight on rubbles may crush the victims below since their weight is supported by the rubbles only. The rescuers are also always in danger of falling if he would try to tackle height without Fall Protection, whereas the tree climber would first tie-in on a designated height, such as the hook of a crane or some secure protruding object of a structure, before going in with full body hardness. The tree climbers can certainly help to search & rescue in places where ordinary rescuers can not reach with their tree climbing skill. Also, all tree climbers especially our CTW's, are physically fit personnel with First Aid & Aerial Rescue knowledge. If not them, who else better?
ISA HK/China does not know how to relay this message to the Chinese authorities & maybe they are receiving mountainous help from all around the world already to do their existing work. However, this proposal is here to advise our Station Members that our CTW's are there to help save our victims in dangerous situation. May also the world see the other benefit of our tree climbers & to use them whenever they are required besides climbing trees.
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
Wednesday, May 14, 2008
ISA HK/China --- Arborist opportunities in Singapore
Dear Station Members,
The Station Manager has learned while in the ISA Brisbane Conference that Singapore is currently in need of experienced Certified Arborists (CA) to conduct Structural Pruning, Installation & Transplanting, Tree Inspection & Risk Management for their 1.3 million urban trees. Singapore can not produce enough CA to satisfy their own demand at present & this is an opportunity for our young CA's who are looking for greener pastures elsewhere to make an adventure of their life.
On the other hand, it was told frankly to the Station Manager that Singapore would only require CA with suitable experience as Practitioners in the field, not designers. Those CA's who are credential collectors & have not gained experience after obtaining credential may not fit the requirement. The Station Manager will do preliminary screening on behalf of our Singapore partners in this aspect. This is because Singapore would hesitate to get someone who is not well versed in carrying out instructions & there is no time to further train overseas CA's for the job never mind their own. Those who are willing to take on the challenge must be ready to go to battle instantly upon employment. Slobs will not be welcomed.
Rather than practising throat-cutting price competition on their contracting work, Singapore would mandate fair prices with on-time payment to their project team to ensure efficiency & quality. Contract dispute is uncommon in Singapore & harmony is much emphasized. This is something that our candidates have to pay attention upon.
The initial arrangement for our CA's to work over in Singapore would be by liaison of the National Parks Board of the Singapore Govt (Nparks) to appropriate employers in Singapore for direct negotiation with the candidates. The contract would be between the Singapore employers & our CA's to work primarily for Naprks projects. This system has worked well in the past for overseas employees & flexibility can be improvised for contingency.
ISA HK/China intends to organize a special dinner to form a delegation to attend the Singapore Garden Festival 2008 Expo (SGF) on July 24 - 26, 2008 with plant suppliers, landscape contractors & tree climbers who are all needed intentionally to boost competition in the Singapore greenery industry. Those CA's who are interested to work in Singapore are also invited to come along for consultation with the Station Manager in this special dinner. Anyone interested please contact the Station Manager by e-mail to reserve a place. This special dinner will be held some time near end May when further information can be collected from Singapore with regard to the visit.
Please view upon this proposal as a special offer to change your life, if you are willing & capable.
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
The Station Manager has learned while in the ISA Brisbane Conference that Singapore is currently in need of experienced Certified Arborists (CA) to conduct Structural Pruning, Installation & Transplanting, Tree Inspection & Risk Management for their 1.3 million urban trees. Singapore can not produce enough CA to satisfy their own demand at present & this is an opportunity for our young CA's who are looking for greener pastures elsewhere to make an adventure of their life.
On the other hand, it was told frankly to the Station Manager that Singapore would only require CA with suitable experience as Practitioners in the field, not designers. Those CA's who are credential collectors & have not gained experience after obtaining credential may not fit the requirement. The Station Manager will do preliminary screening on behalf of our Singapore partners in this aspect. This is because Singapore would hesitate to get someone who is not well versed in carrying out instructions & there is no time to further train overseas CA's for the job never mind their own. Those who are willing to take on the challenge must be ready to go to battle instantly upon employment. Slobs will not be welcomed.
Rather than practising throat-cutting price competition on their contracting work, Singapore would mandate fair prices with on-time payment to their project team to ensure efficiency & quality. Contract dispute is uncommon in Singapore & harmony is much emphasized. This is something that our candidates have to pay attention upon.
The initial arrangement for our CA's to work over in Singapore would be by liaison of the National Parks Board of the Singapore Govt (Nparks) to appropriate employers in Singapore for direct negotiation with the candidates. The contract would be between the Singapore employers & our CA's to work primarily for Naprks projects. This system has worked well in the past for overseas employees & flexibility can be improvised for contingency.
ISA HK/China intends to organize a special dinner to form a delegation to attend the Singapore Garden Festival 2008 Expo (SGF) on July 24 - 26, 2008 with plant suppliers, landscape contractors & tree climbers who are all needed intentionally to boost competition in the Singapore greenery industry. Those CA's who are interested to work in Singapore are also invited to come along for consultation with the Station Manager in this special dinner. Anyone interested please contact the Station Manager by e-mail to reserve a place. This special dinner will be held some time near end May when further information can be collected from Singapore with regard to the visit.
Please view upon this proposal as a special offer to change your life, if you are willing & capable.
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
ISA HK/China --- Winning at the 2008 ISA Asia Pacific Tree Climbing Championship
EXTRA !! EXTRA !!
To all Station Members & HK People,
By the least expectation & overall surprise to everyone, one of the two tree climbers representing ISA HK/China to compete in the 2008 Asia Pacific Inaugural Tree climbing Championship, won the 1st place at the Head to Head Footlcok Event among the other 40 tree climbers from UK, Australia, New Zealand & Singapore. At least 5 of the competitors were former world champion of one kind or another & this is the first time ISA HK/China, & our climbers, ever competed in an international event. We also shocked the organizers by winning at an amazing 16.71 seconds, breaking the Australia record of 17 seconds, & closing in for the world record of 13 seconds, for the Men's 15m Footlock Climb.
Now who can say ISA HK/China can not climb?
The winner of the event is the Mr. LEE Kai Wang of the Fung Kai Climbing Team trained by the Station Manager & TCHK. He is currently 19 & a student of IVE, not a very good academic but has exceptional quality as tree climber to bring pride to the HK people & our community. It is not known before that HK tree climbers have ever entered into an international tree climbing competition & won anything. This is our first time & has written history for HK in tree climbing & arboriculture.
Now after all the efforts to train these young men & women, they have flowered & rewarded our society with an honour respected & surprised the international community. The sponsorship of Sam Chun, Fung Kai School & others is not wasted & well rewarded. HK has created yet another miracle & fulfilled history in our tree care mission. The Station Manager did not sleep for 3 nights already before coming to Brisbane & stood to attend the event for 7 hours before the competition in preparation fighting a running stomach all the way to await for the moment. It turned out to be all worthwhile. If anyone was there to listen to the cheers & applause of the crowd, tears will come to their eyes, because HK has won against all odds. ISA HK/China has achieved yet another HK Miracle without adequate funding & proper instruction, & we did it.
Attached are some pictures of the climb in the dark & the award ceremony. Do feel proud & be part of it when you view them. May they bring aspiration & hope to our territory in our current sinking political sentiment. May they raise the spirit of our community again & give hope to our young men & women.
ISA HK/China looks forward to give you a better report in an Informal Dinner after our return on May 15.
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager from sunny Brisbane, Australia
To all Station Members & HK People,
By the least expectation & overall surprise to everyone, one of the two tree climbers representing ISA HK/China to compete in the 2008 Asia Pacific Inaugural Tree climbing Championship, won the 1st place at the Head to Head Footlcok Event among the other 40 tree climbers from UK, Australia, New Zealand & Singapore. At least 5 of the competitors were former world champion of one kind or another & this is the first time ISA HK/China, & our climbers, ever competed in an international event. We also shocked the organizers by winning at an amazing 16.71 seconds, breaking the Australia record of 17 seconds, & closing in for the world record of 13 seconds, for the Men's 15m Footlock Climb.
Now who can say ISA HK/China can not climb?
The winner of the event is the Mr. LEE Kai Wang of the Fung Kai Climbing Team trained by the Station Manager & TCHK. He is currently 19 & a student of IVE, not a very good academic but has exceptional quality as tree climber to bring pride to the HK people & our community. It is not known before that HK tree climbers have ever entered into an international tree climbing competition & won anything. This is our first time & has written history for HK in tree climbing & arboriculture.
Now after all the efforts to train these young men & women, they have flowered & rewarded our society with an honour respected & surprised the international community. The sponsorship of Sam Chun, Fung Kai School & others is not wasted & well rewarded. HK has created yet another miracle & fulfilled history in our tree care mission. The Station Manager did not sleep for 3 nights already before coming to Brisbane & stood to attend the event for 7 hours before the competition in preparation fighting a running stomach all the way to await for the moment. It turned out to be all worthwhile. If anyone was there to listen to the cheers & applause of the crowd, tears will come to their eyes, because HK has won against all odds. ISA HK/China has achieved yet another HK Miracle without adequate funding & proper instruction, & we did it.
Attached are some pictures of the climb in the dark & the award ceremony. Do feel proud & be part of it when you view them. May they bring aspiration & hope to our territory in our current sinking political sentiment. May they raise the spirit of our community again & give hope to our young men & women.
ISA HK/China looks forward to give you a better report in an Informal Dinner after our return on May 15.
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager from sunny Brisbane, Australia
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
ISA HK/China --- Visit of ISA Directors on May 1 - 3, 2008
*** 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,
The visit by ISA Certification Director Mr. Derek Vannice, ISA Membership Director Mr. Eric Duchinsky & ISA Certification Board Member Mr. David Glenn from May 1 - 3, 2008 to ISA HK/China has been like whirlwind. During their 3 days of stay, a meeting with CA family Members, a CA exam, a CTW Evaluator Training, a CTW exam & an Informal Dinner held in their honour have taken place. Anyone can imagine how busy their schedules were in HK for the benefit of ISA development in our region.
Summarizing their visit, there are two major points of discussion that ISA HK/China would like to put forward to our Station Members for public participation:
1. Setting up a Board of Directors in ISA HK/China
As all Station Members have known for years, ISA HK/China did not have much of a staff structure & the Station Manager has been Jack of All Trades in the Station. This may work when our Station is small, but as we expand (+620 Station Members by now & growing), we need to consider better organization.
Discussion has taken place among CA Family Members with ISA Directors on how to formalize a proper structure in ISA HK/China, e.g. with President, Board Members, Committees, etc. so that workload can be shared & positive progress can be made. A time span of 1 year was proposed to set up this structure. However, no conclusion has been reached on how to bring in Board Members, such as by election with an Annual General Meeting or by nomination from Station Manager to be approved by public voting. Each has its own merits & careful consideration will take place within the next 12 months to agree on a strategy.
It is paramount in our future structure that SIA HK/China can maintain its present course of promoting tree care by research & education only, & not turned into an Activist Group or an attachment to any political or religious party. It has been agreed with ISA Directors that Station Membership like it is now, will not be publicly disclosed no matter how the future structure will become, to be in line with the open promise to anyone joining ISA HK/China that Station Membership will be guarded by the Station Manager alone. Successive Station Manager will hold Station Membership & this person must continue to safeguard Station Membership as an oath. On the other hand, anyone communicating with future staff of ISA HK/China will naturally link up with that particular channel in a natural way & be known.
Even in the meeting with ISA Directors on May 1, Station Membership was not disclosed by names, but only by categories. No one's personal information has so far been leaked.
Therefore, ISA HK/China now is keen to look for suitable candidates to fill our future posts, no matter how they may turn out to be. We are looking for personnel who can keenly participate into our activities & development, & not someone collecting title & sit back. This has been the ISA tradition. ISA HK/China will follow the 84 years of ISA history in forming our future structure, & will refer to the laws & constitution of ISA for our own development.
2. Future ISA Exams
People in our territory appear to love exams & credentials, partly out of tradition & partly out of habit. ISA HK/China will do our best to accommodate that.
We are now looking at ways to increase our CA exam from 2 regular one to perhaps 3 this year. For CTW exam, we are hoping to increase from the present 2 to 4 in a year, & increase the number of intake every time. In doing this, we shall need more Proctors & Evaluators. As certification runs independently from Station administration, the Chief Proctor in our territory is setting a very high standard to recruit our Proctors & Evaluators. We shall need someone actively participating in our activities as a priority, rather than someone with merely academic qualification or social influence. Our Proctors & Evaluators must also demonstrate a higher standard of Integrity & good Moral to maintain exam security & independence at all times. The Chief Proctor will be responsible to select these good men & women in our territory, before passing them over to ISA HQ for final approval.
ISA Directors have been generally satisfied with the development of ISA HK/China in the past 3 years. ISA HK/China is also constantly evolving & advancing to gradual recognition in our Govt & public sectors. In our development, ISA HK/China wishes to remember the words of our HK Senior Mr. Li Ka Shing that we should " maintain stability in our development, & maintain development in our stability". This appears to be the correct path to go.
Wise men have gone through our track & can advise. Then should we not listen?
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
The ISA Mission - Through research, technology, and education, promote the professional practice of arboriculture and foster a greater public awareness of the benefits of trees. (http://www.isa-arbor.com/)
Dear Station Members,
The visit by ISA Certification Director Mr. Derek Vannice, ISA Membership Director Mr. Eric Duchinsky & ISA Certification Board Member Mr. David Glenn from May 1 - 3, 2008 to ISA HK/China has been like whirlwind. During their 3 days of stay, a meeting with CA family Members, a CA exam, a CTW Evaluator Training, a CTW exam & an Informal Dinner held in their honour have taken place. Anyone can imagine how busy their schedules were in HK for the benefit of ISA development in our region.
Summarizing their visit, there are two major points of discussion that ISA HK/China would like to put forward to our Station Members for public participation:
1. Setting up a Board of Directors in ISA HK/China
As all Station Members have known for years, ISA HK/China did not have much of a staff structure & the Station Manager has been Jack of All Trades in the Station. This may work when our Station is small, but as we expand (+620 Station Members by now & growing), we need to consider better organization.
Discussion has taken place among CA Family Members with ISA Directors on how to formalize a proper structure in ISA HK/China, e.g. with President, Board Members, Committees, etc. so that workload can be shared & positive progress can be made. A time span of 1 year was proposed to set up this structure. However, no conclusion has been reached on how to bring in Board Members, such as by election with an Annual General Meeting or by nomination from Station Manager to be approved by public voting. Each has its own merits & careful consideration will take place within the next 12 months to agree on a strategy.
It is paramount in our future structure that SIA HK/China can maintain its present course of promoting tree care by research & education only, & not turned into an Activist Group or an attachment to any political or religious party. It has been agreed with ISA Directors that Station Membership like it is now, will not be publicly disclosed no matter how the future structure will become, to be in line with the open promise to anyone joining ISA HK/China that Station Membership will be guarded by the Station Manager alone. Successive Station Manager will hold Station Membership & this person must continue to safeguard Station Membership as an oath. On the other hand, anyone communicating with future staff of ISA HK/China will naturally link up with that particular channel in a natural way & be known.
Even in the meeting with ISA Directors on May 1, Station Membership was not disclosed by names, but only by categories. No one's personal information has so far been leaked.
Therefore, ISA HK/China now is keen to look for suitable candidates to fill our future posts, no matter how they may turn out to be. We are looking for personnel who can keenly participate into our activities & development, & not someone collecting title & sit back. This has been the ISA tradition. ISA HK/China will follow the 84 years of ISA history in forming our future structure, & will refer to the laws & constitution of ISA for our own development.
2. Future ISA Exams
People in our territory appear to love exams & credentials, partly out of tradition & partly out of habit. ISA HK/China will do our best to accommodate that.
We are now looking at ways to increase our CA exam from 2 regular one to perhaps 3 this year. For CTW exam, we are hoping to increase from the present 2 to 4 in a year, & increase the number of intake every time. In doing this, we shall need more Proctors & Evaluators. As certification runs independently from Station administration, the Chief Proctor in our territory is setting a very high standard to recruit our Proctors & Evaluators. We shall need someone actively participating in our activities as a priority, rather than someone with merely academic qualification or social influence. Our Proctors & Evaluators must also demonstrate a higher standard of Integrity & good Moral to maintain exam security & independence at all times. The Chief Proctor will be responsible to select these good men & women in our territory, before passing them over to ISA HQ for final approval.
ISA Directors have been generally satisfied with the development of ISA HK/China in the past 3 years. ISA HK/China is also constantly evolving & advancing to gradual recognition in our Govt & public sectors. In our development, ISA HK/China wishes to remember the words of our HK Senior Mr. Li Ka Shing that we should " maintain stability in our development, & maintain development in our stability". This appears to be the correct path to go.
Wise men have gone through our track & can advise. Then should we not listen?
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
The ISA Mission - Through research, technology, and education, promote the professional practice of arboriculture and foster a greater public awareness of the benefits of trees. (http://www.isa-arbor.com/)
Friday, May 2, 2008
ISA HK/China --- Absence of Sammy Au in HK from May 9 - 15, 2008
Dear Station Members,
Please kindly note that the Station Manager Mr. Sammy Au will be absent in HK from May 9 - 15, 2008 inclusive to attend the ISA Asia Pacific Arboricultural Conference in Brisbane, Australia. If there is anything required of him during this period, please either e-mail him at egc@netvigator.com , or try to call him at + 61 - 43 - 252 - 7206 if this number still works in Australia. Please note Brisbane is 2 hours ahead of HK if anyone calls.
Alternatively, you may wish to contact the Station Manager in HK away from the above-mentioned period for any enquiry.
Thank you for your kind attention.
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
ISA HK/China http://isahkchina.blogspot.com
Please kindly note that the Station Manager Mr. Sammy Au will be absent in HK from May 9 - 15, 2008 inclusive to attend the ISA Asia Pacific Arboricultural Conference in Brisbane, Australia. If there is anything required of him during this period, please either e-mail him at egc@netvigator.com , or try to call him at + 61 - 43 - 252 - 7206 if this number still works in Australia. Please note Brisbane is 2 hours ahead of HK if anyone calls.
Alternatively, you may wish to contact the Station Manager in HK away from the above-mentioned period for any enquiry.
Thank you for your kind attention.
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
ISA HK/China http://isahkchina.blogspot.com
Thursday, May 1, 2008
ISA HK/China --- CUGE research online
Dear Station Members,
It is the pleasure of ISA HK/China to inform you that we are now able to access online with CUGE of Singapore to share their research in greenery with their abundant resources. We are indeed grateful to our Singaporean counterparts for providing us this wonderful opportunity to learn about their development which is relevant & guiding for greenery in our territory.
Please kindly follow the link as described below to retrieve the information, & be thankful to CUGE while you are there.
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
----- Original Message -----
From: Angelia SIA
To: Undisclosed Recipients
Cc: Puay Yok TAN
Sent: Monday, April 28, 2008 5:25 PM
Subject: CUGE Research's Urban Greenery Bibliography Database Now Available Online
(Embedded image moved to file: pic22679.jpg)
Dear Partners,
Thank you for your support to CUGE Research. Since our formation on 1stApril 08, we have received enquiries from some of you. We have also metsome of you to discuss joint research possibilities.It is with pleasure we announce that resources like our newsletters, Xylem and INSIGHT and handbooks like "A Selection of Plants for Green Roofs inSingapore" are now available for downloading at this link,http://www.cugeresearch.com/ under www.cuge.com.sg.
Besides publications, we have also implemented an Urban GreeneryBibliography Database, which consolidates some literature which we havecome across in the areas of Urban Landscape Management, Urban Ecology,Forms of Urban Greenery and Socio-Economics research.
We hope you will thisuseful.Thank you.
Best Regards,
Angelia Sia § Manager (CUGE Research)
§ National Parks Board § Tel: +6564717831 § Fax: +65 64723033Privileged/Confidential information may be contained in this message. Ifyou are not the intended recipient, you must not copy, distribute or use itfor any purpose, nor disclose its contents to any other person. Pleasenotify the sender immediately if you receive this in error.Check out our website at http://www.nparks.gov.sg http://www.cuge.com.sg
It is the pleasure of ISA HK/China to inform you that we are now able to access online with CUGE of Singapore to share their research in greenery with their abundant resources. We are indeed grateful to our Singaporean counterparts for providing us this wonderful opportunity to learn about their development which is relevant & guiding for greenery in our territory.
Please kindly follow the link as described below to retrieve the information, & be thankful to CUGE while you are there.
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
----- Original Message -----
From: Angelia SIA
To: Undisclosed Recipients
Cc: Puay Yok TAN
Sent: Monday, April 28, 2008 5:25 PM
Subject: CUGE Research's Urban Greenery Bibliography Database Now Available Online
(Embedded image moved to file: pic22679.jpg)
Dear Partners,
Thank you for your support to CUGE Research. Since our formation on 1stApril 08, we have received enquiries from some of you. We have also metsome of you to discuss joint research possibilities.It is with pleasure we announce that resources like our newsletters, Xylem and INSIGHT and handbooks like "A Selection of Plants for Green Roofs inSingapore" are now available for downloading at this link,http://www.cugeresearch.com/ under www.cuge.com.sg.
Besides publications, we have also implemented an Urban GreeneryBibliography Database, which consolidates some literature which we havecome across in the areas of Urban Landscape Management, Urban Ecology,Forms of Urban Greenery and Socio-Economics research.
We hope you will thisuseful.Thank you.
Best Regards,
Angelia Sia § Manager (CUGE Research)
§ National Parks Board § Tel: +6564717831 § Fax: +65 64723033Privileged/Confidential information may be contained in this message. Ifyou are not the intended recipient, you must not copy, distribute or use itfor any purpose, nor disclose its contents to any other person. Pleasenotify the sender immediately if you receive this in error.Check out our website at http://www.nparks.gov.sg http://www.cuge.com.sg
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
ISA HK/China --- Reply to Lo Tung's enquiry on Tree Transplantation
*** 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 Mr. Lo,
Thank you for your patience for us to draft a reply on your enquiry on Tree Transplantation. Please note that we are giving the reply on technical ground only, without bias nor sentiment, from our professional knowledge as Practising Arborist. ISA HK/China is a research & education organization & we do not become involved with politics. Hence our reply will follow only our guided principles of Integrity, Professionalism, Participation, Fact-finding & Truth-telling, as we always should.
In any recommendation for Tree Transplantation, an Arborist would first study into two major areas: Survival after transplantation & Practicality of the transplanting work.
For Survival consideration, we would review the health & structure of a tree to determine whether it would be worthwhile to carry out the transplant. The guiding principle would be that what good is it to transplant a tree if it would not survive the transplant, or it may pose as a potential hazard to the public after the transplant. An Arborist would have various skills & methods to determine such requirement & it would take several days of lectures to tell you all this, rather than in a simple e-mail reply.
For Practicality of the transplant, we would usually require to lift a rootball of a size of 10 x trunk diameter to conform to the international requirement in tree transplantation. Therefore, a 2 ft trunk diameter tree would require a rootball of 20 ft in diameter, & so on. On the other hand, you are correct in pointing out that most lorries in HK can not accommodate oversized rootballs. The average width of a HK lorry is usually around 8 ft only. This would mean an acceptable rootball to sit on any lorry would be around 8 ft in diameter, giving the maximum trunk size of a tree to be transplanted to be about 10 inches in diameter. For any tree larger than that, the rootball will have to be cut off, leading to future death or poor growth as seen after many tree transplantation in HK.
Taking the lorry width of 8 ft into consideration, this would also limit the canopy width of any tree to be carried. A tree of 10 inch rootball would usually carry a canopy of natural width well over 20 ft in diameter. This would mean the tree canopy would need to be chopped down to 8 ft in order to fit. Any tree chopped, or better be called 'topped' , would usually lead to future decay at wounds. Decay is a tree is not known internationally to be stopped by chemicals or by cultural treatment. This tree may eventually become a potential hazard to fail in the wind.
Above are the simplified answer to your enquiry from our professional knowledge. Arborists are Tree Doctors & Tree Detectives. We are the specialists in tree care. If you would need more information on this topic, we would recommend you to visit International Society of Arboriculture (ISA at www.isa-arbor.com), or to consult any Practising Arborist for a more detailed answer. ISA was set up in 1924, & is the largest & oldest tree care organization in the world. Arborists are also friendly Practitioners & we are always ready to help. You can also find out more about ISA HK/China at http://isahkchina.blogspot.com in our territory of HK, Macau, Taiwan & China.
Thank you for your enquiry & please do not hesitate to approach us for further questions.
Please kindly note that we are forwarding this message on our Station Mail system for the information & knowledge of our Station Members.
best regards,
Sammy Au
ISA HK/China Station Manager
Practising Arborist, Professional Nurseryman & Landscaper
The ISA Mission - Through research, technology, and education, promote the professional practice of arboriculture and foster a greater public awareness of the benefits of trees. (www.isa-arbor.com)
----- Original Message -----
From: Lo Tung Lo
To: btang@aud.gov.hk ; dlcsoffice@lcsd.gov.hk ; ayscheung@lcsd.gov.hk ; wingsleung@lcsd.gov.hk ; mailbox@afcd.gov.hk ; cary_ph_ho@afcd.gov.hk ; yk_chan@afcd.gov.hk ; pk_chan@afcd.gov.hk ; landsd@landsd.gov.hk ; ddg@landsd.gov.hk ; ceshq@landsd.gov.hk ; cswai@hyd.gov.hk ; sla3.lu@hyd.gov.hk ; sla1.lu@hyd.gov.hk ; sla2.lu@hyd.gov.hk ; yuech@archsd.gov.hk ; ault@archsd.gov.hk ; wongv@archsd.gov.hk ; lewisah@archsd.gov.hk ; pi@legco.gov.hk ; rctho@capitalchina.com ; contact@alanleong.net ; info@liwahming.org.hk ; selina@selinachow.com ; jkstolegco@gmail.com ; yuenhan@ftulegco.org.hk ; bernie@bernardchan.com ; kamlamchan2004@yahoo.com.hk ; cksin@sinchungkai.org.hk ; az3286pw@netvigator.com ; jet@dab.org.hk ; howardyoung_legco@yahoo.com.hk ; kwlau@dab.org.hk ; miriamlau@liberal.org.hk ; elau@frontier.org.hk ; sychoy@pacific.net.hk ; chengkarfoo@dphk.org ; ttfok@netvigator.com ; arazack@netvigator.com ; albert.wychan@yahoo.com.hk ; kwaifong56@yahoo.com.hk ; kyli@dab.org.hk ; kkk@kkkwok.org ; hokming@ntas.org ; patricklau@gmail.com ; contactus@mandytam.com
Cc: lotunglo@yahoo.com.hk ; cahk@cahk.org.hk ; info@greensense.org.hk ; egc@netvigator.com ; secretary@hkila.com
Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2008 7:10 PM
Subject: 是保育樹木，還是浪費公帑？
是保育樹木，還是浪費公帑？
（圖一）
這棵樣子奇怪的樹是攝於馬鞍山的一個政府樹木移植接收場，它是眾多受不同建築工程影響而被移植的樹木之一。政府每年耗費大量人力物力去保護受發展影響的樹木，跟據發展局技術指引ETWB TC No. 3/2006規定，負責工程項目的部門必須盡力保護工地上原有的樹木，所有樹木必須被紀錄並由有關的部門對其最終的處理方法（原地保留、移植或砍除）進行審批。政策方向完全正確及對環境負責，但實際運作如何？政府部門如何審批處理受工程影響的樹木？究竟圖中的這棵樹為甚麼這樣奇怪？
圖中的樹是細葉榕（Ficus microcarpa 一般稱為榕樹），未被移植之前是甚麼樣子我們無法肯定，但跟據榕樹正常的生長形態我們其中一個推斷是，原來的樹要比圖中的大得多。移植後主幹已失，剩下來的其實是一條氣根和一節「斷肢」，樹木原來的樣子簡單推斷如下：
（圖二）
從保護樹木的角度考慮，市民肯定不是要使用大量金錢而去製造這件「藝術品」，也不會認同這種「偽保育」。市民希望知道的是原來的樹幹去了哪裡？這裡衍生了更多的問題。
問題
原來的樹為甚麼不被移植過來？
這種情況是否常見？
是否承建商的責任？
這些問題可以從其它移植樹木的情況得到答案：
（圖三）
從以上各張圖片所見，奇形怪狀的樹木並非個別例子，亦非由單一個工程所造成。縱使品種不同，這些被移植的樹木都有一個共同特徵──斬首斬腳（斷肢）。
驟眼看來，移植樹木的承建商似乎需要為其錯誤的修剪技術及施工程序負全責。事實上本港的樹藝工程仍處於很低的技術水平；但圖片中的樹木還有一個共通點──被修剪過的大樹尺寸（總高與寬）似乎相近。其實這是反映了一件不爭的事實，在運輸樹木的過程中必須要乎合交通條例，例如對負載貨物（樹木）的要求。我們因此對上文那棵樹何以變成斷枝的原由可以有個初步的結論。
承建商一般只是根據合約及條例去施工，因此以這種大樹的移植工程來看，造成這種惹人詬病之情況的責任不可以完全歸究承建商，反而是牽頭的工程部門，更或是審批移植或要求要把大樹移植的部門。這是否涉及政府部門的行政失當或決策錯誤？
問題
是甚麼政府部門去審批有關樹木的保育事宜？
跟據發展局技術指引ETWB TC No. 3/2006第17條，任何政府土地上的樹木皆不可以被無故砍伐。發展必須首先考慮原地保留樹木，情況不許可時應考慮移植（除非該樹木的保育價值為低、移植後的存活率低或移植後將無法復原至正常之樹形），最後才考慮砍除。技術指引還清楚表明有關的考慮必須平衡成本及效益。指引內容清晰且合情理，對自然保育越來越關注的市民大眾來說，既為保育把了關，同時亦確保公帑不被浪費。
可是，到了執行層面，則是另一個景象！現時處理樹木事宜的部門五花八門，並非統一處理。但簡單來說，負責審批砍樹移樹或提供竟見的部門主要有四個：地政署、康文署、漁護署及路政署。地政署負責最後審批的步驟，因該部門並無樹木專家，審批前必先諮詢康文署、漁護署或路政署的意見。康文署負責已批出土地的樹木前宜，因此是最關鍵的部門，其意見及決定直接影響絕大多數公務發展項目。
政府部門是否有根據發展局技術指引的精神處理樹木事宜？且看移植樹木的品種、結構和樹形可知一二：
（圖四）
（圖五）
從圖四中可見，被移植樹木的品種包括本港非常常見的品種，而最令人感詑異的，是當中竟有些是有極高自行散播能力的品種──即等同於野草──典型的例子有血桐（Macaranga tanarius）及台灣相思（Acacia confusa）。另一點必須注意的是，有些外來品種（如台灣相思）本來就是廉價而生長極快的品種（故常大量使用於植林），由幼苗（成本約為港幣10元）起計只要少於十年時間便能成大樹；因此，政府動輒花費上數百倍價錢去移植一棵這樣的樹種是否合理？
樹木的價值當然並非全由成本效益去計算，比如市民的集體回憶、樹木的特別外形或該樹的歷史意義；但當出現大量這類極其普通的品種（以馬鞍山的那個樹木移植接收場計血桐已有25棵），而（以普遍的審美眼光為標準）大部份樹形皆非常平庸、甚至是差劣時（參考圖五），問題就相當明顯！
公帑花了，目的是否達到了？
問題
被移植的樹木是否真的能存活？
被移植的樹木是否安全？
移植樹木是否等於環境保謢或自然保育？
暫且勿論美感及價值，市民也希望知道被移植後的樹木「下場」如何。其實在沒有足夠的技術條件或空間下，強行移植大型樹木的失敗率極高。要是樹木生長於石面、斜坡及起吊困難的地方、或是受交通運輸所限制，移植時所能保留的根系也必然不足以支持移植後的復完及生長，最終樹木會慢慢轉弱，最後死亡。再以本文開始的榕樹為例，該樹原來樣子的另一個可能性是：
（圖六）
若樹木原本是生長在這樣的地勢，其根系很可能是攀附在岩石、石屎噴漿或極淺的表土上，強行移植後樹木的成活率不但極低，未能被完整保留的根系更會使被移植的樹木出現結構問題，隨時倒下，最終對市民構成危險。事實上，為了達到政府部門的「保育」目的，近年不少樹木就是在這樣不可行的情況下被移植。圖片的那棵榕樹很可能就是在這樣的情況下被「勉強保留」了下來（若非榕樹生有氣根，這種取巧的方法則根本不可行）。
無論是因為運輸上的限制（圖二）或是因為地勢的困難（圖六），「強行」移植樹木除了浪費金錢外，亦根本不能保育原來的樹木！至於搬移保育價值低的外來品種／入侵性強的品種，更加是與「保育」理念大相逕庭。政府花費大量的公帑進行這類「形式上」的花招，數字上可能達到了「全保育」、「零斬樹」，但實際上是只看數字、不專業、不科學、本末倒置的昏庸決定，既違背了發展局技術指引的精神，亦是欺騙公眾！
問題
移植樹木有無一個專業準則？有關的政府部門的知識水平是否足夠？
甚麼人需要為此等行政失當負責？
其他引申問題。
現時處理樹木事宜的工作分散至近十個政府部門，當中是否都有植物專家或合格的樹藝師是一個疑問。牽涉審批工程的地政署、給予「專業意見」的康文署及漁護署對評審斬樹、移樹的決定是否客觀、還是有其他政治考慮？最後，主導政府工程審批的還不可忽略一個有絕對決定性的架構──立法會工務小組委員會(PWSC)。工務小組委員會決定各項工程的撥款，政府部門會否受到任何政治壓力而作出一些數字上的包裝，以達到撥款的目的？參與工務小組的立法會議員又是否知道政府部門這些不當的施政？還是造就這些「走火入魔」的施政？
為了非必要的移樹工作，各工程在設計上，施工上又擔誤了多少時間？浪費了多少人力、物力？又有多少大樹理應原地保留，但在「以為移植可行」的情況下而不幸犧牲？
聲明
本文絕對支持樹木的保育，並認為樹木移植必須由專業人士在客觀的情況下審批，及在完善的監督下進行。本文無意針對任何工程、部門、人物，其旨在點出政府在處理樹木保育事宜上的不客觀、不合理、本末倒置，以及帶出這些施政所涉及的公帑浪費。期望有關部門、架構能在輿論的壓力下作出改善，撥亂返正。
發信人：Lo Tung
電郵： lotunglo@yahoo.com.hk
此文件致：
審計署 署長 鄧國斌先生 btang@aud.gov.hk
康樂文化事務署 署長 周達明先生 dlcsoffice@lcsd.gov.hk
康樂文化事務署 康樂事務經理(樹木及園景)香港 張裕生先生 ayscheung@lcsd.gov.hk
康樂文化事務署 康樂事務經理(樹木及園景)九龍 梁永生先生 wingsleung@lcsd.gov.hk
漁農自然保理署 署長 mailbox@afcd.gov.hk
漁農自然保理署 高級自然護理主任(南) 何秉皓先生 cary_ph_ho@afcd.gov.hk
漁農自然保理署 高級自然護理主任（北） 陳耀強先生 yk_chan@afcd.gov.hk
漁農自然保理署 高級自然護理主任（中區） 陳炳光先生 pk_chan@afcd.gov.hk
地政總署 署長 譚贛蘭女士 landsd@landsd.gov.hk
地政總署 地政總署副署長(一般事務)(地政處總部) 梁玉書先生 ddg@landsd.gov.hk
地政總署 總產業測量師(地政處/總部) 陳永堅先生 ceshq@landsd.gov.hk
路政署 署長 韋志成先生 cswai@hyd.gov.hk
路政署 高級園境師3 張美馨女士 sla3.lu@hyd.gov.hk
路政署 高級園境師1 梁錦鴻先生 sla1.lu@hyd.gov.hk
路政署 高級園境師2 郭德泰先生 sla2.lu@hyd.gov.hk
建築署 署長 余熾鏗先生 yuech@archsd.gov.hk
建築署 高級園境師/4 區李婷女士 ault@archsd.gov.hk
建築署 高級園境師/2 黃秋雲女士 wongv@archsd.gov.hk
建築署 高級園境師/3 盧偉思先生 lewisah@archsd.gov.hk
立法會工務小組委員會－
秘書： 馬海櫻女士 pi@legco.gov.hk
委員： 何鍾泰議員rctho@capitalchina.com、 梁家傑議員contact@alanleong.net、
李華明議員info@liwahming.org.hk、 周梁淑怡議員selina@selinachow.com、
涂謹申議員jkstolegco@gmail.com、 陳婉嫻議員yuenhan@ftulegco.org.hk、
陳智思議員bernie@bernardchan.com、 陳鑑林議員kamlamchan2004@yahoo.com.hk、
單仲偕議員cksin@sinchungkai.org.hk、 黃宜弘議員az3286pw@netvigator.com、
曾鈺成議員jet@dab.org.hk、 楊孝華議員howardyoung_legco@yahoo.com.hk、
劉江華議員kwlau@dab.org.hk、 劉皇發議員 c/o 委員會秘書、
劉健儀議員miriamlau@liberal.org.hk、 劉慧卿議員elau@frontier.org.hk、
蔡素玉議員sychoy@pacific.net.hk、 鄭家富議員chengkarfoo@dphk.org、
霍震霆議員ttfok@netvigator.com、 石禮謙議員arazack@netvigator.com、
陳偉業議員albert.wychan@yahoo.com.hk、李永達議員kwaifong56@yahoo.com.hk、
李國英議員kyli@dab.org.hk、 林偉強議員 c/o 委員會秘書、
郭家麒議員kkk@kkkwok.org、 張學明議員hokming@ntas.org、
劉秀成議員patricklau@gmail.com、 譚香文議員contactus@mandytam.com
副本送：
長春社 蘇國賢先生 cahk@cahk.org.hk
環保觸覺 info@greensense.org.hk
國際樹藝學會香港分部 egc@netvigator.com
香港園境師學會 secretary@hkila.com
各園境顧問公司 c/o 香港園境師學會
亞洲電視新聞部 news@atv.com.hk
無綫電視新聞部 news@tvb.com.hk
有線電視新聞部 story@cabletv.com.hk
香港電台 cnews@rthk.org.hk
蘋果日報 news@appledaily.com
太陽報 news@the-sun.com.hk
東方日報 news@oriental.com.hk
星島日報 info@singtao.com
明報 inews@mingpao.com
成報 dailynews@singpao.com.hk
文匯報 editor@wenweipo.com
大公報 dgw_editor@163.com
SCMP quinton.chan@scmp.com
The Standard editor@thestandard.com.hk
AM730 chiefeditor@am730.com.hk
頭條日報 editorial@hkheadline.com
都市日報 news@metrohk.com.hk
Dear Mr. Lo,
Thank you for your patience for us to draft a reply on your enquiry on Tree Transplantation. Please note that we are giving the reply on technical ground only, without bias nor sentiment, from our professional knowledge as Practising Arborist. ISA HK/China is a research & education organization & we do not become involved with politics. Hence our reply will follow only our guided principles of Integrity, Professionalism, Participation, Fact-finding & Truth-telling, as we always should.
In any recommendation for Tree Transplantation, an Arborist would first study into two major areas: Survival after transplantation & Practicality of the transplanting work.
For Survival consideration, we would review the health & structure of a tree to determine whether it would be worthwhile to carry out the transplant. The guiding principle would be that what good is it to transplant a tree if it would not survive the transplant, or it may pose as a potential hazard to the public after the transplant. An Arborist would have various skills & methods to determine such requirement & it would take several days of lectures to tell you all this, rather than in a simple e-mail reply.
For Practicality of the transplant, we would usually require to lift a rootball of a size of 10 x trunk diameter to conform to the international requirement in tree transplantation. Therefore, a 2 ft trunk diameter tree would require a rootball of 20 ft in diameter, & so on. On the other hand, you are correct in pointing out that most lorries in HK can not accommodate oversized rootballs. The average width of a HK lorry is usually around 8 ft only. This would mean an acceptable rootball to sit on any lorry would be around 8 ft in diameter, giving the maximum trunk size of a tree to be transplanted to be about 10 inches in diameter. For any tree larger than that, the rootball will have to be cut off, leading to future death or poor growth as seen after many tree transplantation in HK.
Taking the lorry width of 8 ft into consideration, this would also limit the canopy width of any tree to be carried. A tree of 10 inch rootball would usually carry a canopy of natural width well over 20 ft in diameter. This would mean the tree canopy would need to be chopped down to 8 ft in order to fit. Any tree chopped, or better be called 'topped' , would usually lead to future decay at wounds. Decay is a tree is not known internationally to be stopped by chemicals or by cultural treatment. This tree may eventually become a potential hazard to fail in the wind.
Above are the simplified answer to your enquiry from our professional knowledge. Arborists are Tree Doctors & Tree Detectives. We are the specialists in tree care. If you would need more information on this topic, we would recommend you to visit International Society of Arboriculture (ISA at www.isa-arbor.com), or to consult any Practising Arborist for a more detailed answer. ISA was set up in 1924, & is the largest & oldest tree care organization in the world. Arborists are also friendly Practitioners & we are always ready to help. You can also find out more about ISA HK/China at http://isahkchina.blogspot.com in our territory of HK, Macau, Taiwan & China.
Thank you for your enquiry & please do not hesitate to approach us for further questions.
Please kindly note that we are forwarding this message on our Station Mail system for the information & knowledge of our Station Members.
best regards,
Sammy Au
ISA HK/China Station Manager
Practising Arborist, Professional Nurseryman & Landscaper
The ISA Mission - Through research, technology, and education, promote the professional practice of arboriculture and foster a greater public awareness of the benefits of trees. (www.isa-arbor.com)
----- Original Message -----
From: Lo Tung Lo
To: btang@aud.gov.hk ; dlcsoffice@lcsd.gov.hk ; ayscheung@lcsd.gov.hk ; wingsleung@lcsd.gov.hk ; mailbox@afcd.gov.hk ; cary_ph_ho@afcd.gov.hk ; yk_chan@afcd.gov.hk ; pk_chan@afcd.gov.hk ; landsd@landsd.gov.hk ; ddg@landsd.gov.hk ; ceshq@landsd.gov.hk ; cswai@hyd.gov.hk ; sla3.lu@hyd.gov.hk ; sla1.lu@hyd.gov.hk ; sla2.lu@hyd.gov.hk ; yuech@archsd.gov.hk ; ault@archsd.gov.hk ; wongv@archsd.gov.hk ; lewisah@archsd.gov.hk ; pi@legco.gov.hk ; rctho@capitalchina.com ; contact@alanleong.net ; info@liwahming.org.hk ; selina@selinachow.com ; jkstolegco@gmail.com ; yuenhan@ftulegco.org.hk ; bernie@bernardchan.com ; kamlamchan2004@yahoo.com.hk ; cksin@sinchungkai.org.hk ; az3286pw@netvigator.com ; jet@dab.org.hk ; howardyoung_legco@yahoo.com.hk ; kwlau@dab.org.hk ; miriamlau@liberal.org.hk ; elau@frontier.org.hk ; sychoy@pacific.net.hk ; chengkarfoo@dphk.org ; ttfok@netvigator.com ; arazack@netvigator.com ; albert.wychan@yahoo.com.hk ; kwaifong56@yahoo.com.hk ; kyli@dab.org.hk ; kkk@kkkwok.org ; hokming@ntas.org ; patricklau@gmail.com ; contactus@mandytam.com
Cc: lotunglo@yahoo.com.hk ; cahk@cahk.org.hk ; info@greensense.org.hk ; egc@netvigator.com ; secretary@hkila.com
Sent: Saturday, April 26, 2008 7:10 PM
Subject: 是保育樹木，還是浪費公帑？
是保育樹木，還是浪費公帑？
（圖一）
這棵樣子奇怪的樹是攝於馬鞍山的一個政府樹木移植接收場，它是眾多受不同建築工程影響而被移植的樹木之一。政府每年耗費大量人力物力去保護受發展影響的樹木，跟據發展局技術指引ETWB TC No. 3/2006規定，負責工程項目的部門必須盡力保護工地上原有的樹木，所有樹木必須被紀錄並由有關的部門對其最終的處理方法（原地保留、移植或砍除）進行審批。政策方向完全正確及對環境負責，但實際運作如何？政府部門如何審批處理受工程影響的樹木？究竟圖中的這棵樹為甚麼這樣奇怪？
圖中的樹是細葉榕（Ficus microcarpa 一般稱為榕樹），未被移植之前是甚麼樣子我們無法肯定，但跟據榕樹正常的生長形態我們其中一個推斷是，原來的樹要比圖中的大得多。移植後主幹已失，剩下來的其實是一條氣根和一節「斷肢」，樹木原來的樣子簡單推斷如下：
（圖二）
從保護樹木的角度考慮，市民肯定不是要使用大量金錢而去製造這件「藝術品」，也不會認同這種「偽保育」。市民希望知道的是原來的樹幹去了哪裡？這裡衍生了更多的問題。
問題
原來的樹為甚麼不被移植過來？
這種情況是否常見？
是否承建商的責任？
這些問題可以從其它移植樹木的情況得到答案：
（圖三）
從以上各張圖片所見，奇形怪狀的樹木並非個別例子，亦非由單一個工程所造成。縱使品種不同，這些被移植的樹木都有一個共同特徵──斬首斬腳（斷肢）。
驟眼看來，移植樹木的承建商似乎需要為其錯誤的修剪技術及施工程序負全責。事實上本港的樹藝工程仍處於很低的技術水平；但圖片中的樹木還有一個共通點──被修剪過的大樹尺寸（總高與寬）似乎相近。其實這是反映了一件不爭的事實，在運輸樹木的過程中必須要乎合交通條例，例如對負載貨物（樹木）的要求。我們因此對上文那棵樹何以變成斷枝的原由可以有個初步的結論。
承建商一般只是根據合約及條例去施工，因此以這種大樹的移植工程來看，造成這種惹人詬病之情況的責任不可以完全歸究承建商，反而是牽頭的工程部門，更或是審批移植或要求要把大樹移植的部門。這是否涉及政府部門的行政失當或決策錯誤？
問題
是甚麼政府部門去審批有關樹木的保育事宜？
跟據發展局技術指引ETWB TC No. 3/2006第17條，任何政府土地上的樹木皆不可以被無故砍伐。發展必須首先考慮原地保留樹木，情況不許可時應考慮移植（除非該樹木的保育價值為低、移植後的存活率低或移植後將無法復原至正常之樹形），最後才考慮砍除。技術指引還清楚表明有關的考慮必須平衡成本及效益。指引內容清晰且合情理，對自然保育越來越關注的市民大眾來說，既為保育把了關，同時亦確保公帑不被浪費。
可是，到了執行層面，則是另一個景象！現時處理樹木事宜的部門五花八門，並非統一處理。但簡單來說，負責審批砍樹移樹或提供竟見的部門主要有四個：地政署、康文署、漁護署及路政署。地政署負責最後審批的步驟，因該部門並無樹木專家，審批前必先諮詢康文署、漁護署或路政署的意見。康文署負責已批出土地的樹木前宜，因此是最關鍵的部門，其意見及決定直接影響絕大多數公務發展項目。
政府部門是否有根據發展局技術指引的精神處理樹木事宜？且看移植樹木的品種、結構和樹形可知一二：
（圖四）
（圖五）
從圖四中可見，被移植樹木的品種包括本港非常常見的品種，而最令人感詑異的，是當中竟有些是有極高自行散播能力的品種──即等同於野草──典型的例子有血桐（Macaranga tanarius）及台灣相思（Acacia confusa）。另一點必須注意的是，有些外來品種（如台灣相思）本來就是廉價而生長極快的品種（故常大量使用於植林），由幼苗（成本約為港幣10元）起計只要少於十年時間便能成大樹；因此，政府動輒花費上數百倍價錢去移植一棵這樣的樹種是否合理？
樹木的價值當然並非全由成本效益去計算，比如市民的集體回憶、樹木的特別外形或該樹的歷史意義；但當出現大量這類極其普通的品種（以馬鞍山的那個樹木移植接收場計血桐已有25棵），而（以普遍的審美眼光為標準）大部份樹形皆非常平庸、甚至是差劣時（參考圖五），問題就相當明顯！
公帑花了，目的是否達到了？
問題
被移植的樹木是否真的能存活？
被移植的樹木是否安全？
移植樹木是否等於環境保謢或自然保育？
暫且勿論美感及價值，市民也希望知道被移植後的樹木「下場」如何。其實在沒有足夠的技術條件或空間下，強行移植大型樹木的失敗率極高。要是樹木生長於石面、斜坡及起吊困難的地方、或是受交通運輸所限制，移植時所能保留的根系也必然不足以支持移植後的復完及生長，最終樹木會慢慢轉弱，最後死亡。再以本文開始的榕樹為例，該樹原來樣子的另一個可能性是：
（圖六）
若樹木原本是生長在這樣的地勢，其根系很可能是攀附在岩石、石屎噴漿或極淺的表土上，強行移植後樹木的成活率不但極低，未能被完整保留的根系更會使被移植的樹木出現結構問題，隨時倒下，最終對市民構成危險。事實上，為了達到政府部門的「保育」目的，近年不少樹木就是在這樣不可行的情況下被移植。圖片的那棵榕樹很可能就是在這樣的情況下被「勉強保留」了下來（若非榕樹生有氣根，這種取巧的方法則根本不可行）。
無論是因為運輸上的限制（圖二）或是因為地勢的困難（圖六），「強行」移植樹木除了浪費金錢外，亦根本不能保育原來的樹木！至於搬移保育價值低的外來品種／入侵性強的品種，更加是與「保育」理念大相逕庭。政府花費大量的公帑進行這類「形式上」的花招，數字上可能達到了「全保育」、「零斬樹」，但實際上是只看數字、不專業、不科學、本末倒置的昏庸決定，既違背了發展局技術指引的精神，亦是欺騙公眾！
問題
移植樹木有無一個專業準則？有關的政府部門的知識水平是否足夠？
甚麼人需要為此等行政失當負責？
其他引申問題。
現時處理樹木事宜的工作分散至近十個政府部門，當中是否都有植物專家或合格的樹藝師是一個疑問。牽涉審批工程的地政署、給予「專業意見」的康文署及漁護署對評審斬樹、移樹的決定是否客觀、還是有其他政治考慮？最後，主導政府工程審批的還不可忽略一個有絕對決定性的架構──立法會工務小組委員會(PWSC)。工務小組委員會決定各項工程的撥款，政府部門會否受到任何政治壓力而作出一些數字上的包裝，以達到撥款的目的？參與工務小組的立法會議員又是否知道政府部門這些不當的施政？還是造就這些「走火入魔」的施政？
為了非必要的移樹工作，各工程在設計上，施工上又擔誤了多少時間？浪費了多少人力、物力？又有多少大樹理應原地保留，但在「以為移植可行」的情況下而不幸犧牲？
聲明
本文絕對支持樹木的保育，並認為樹木移植必須由專業人士在客觀的情況下審批，及在完善的監督下進行。本文無意針對任何工程、部門、人物，其旨在點出政府在處理樹木保育事宜上的不客觀、不合理、本末倒置，以及帶出這些施政所涉及的公帑浪費。期望有關部門、架構能在輿論的壓力下作出改善，撥亂返正。
發信人：Lo Tung
電郵： lotunglo@yahoo.com.hk
此文件致：
審計署 署長 鄧國斌先生 btang@aud.gov.hk
康樂文化事務署 署長 周達明先生 dlcsoffice@lcsd.gov.hk
康樂文化事務署 康樂事務經理(樹木及園景)香港 張裕生先生 ayscheung@lcsd.gov.hk
康樂文化事務署 康樂事務經理(樹木及園景)九龍 梁永生先生 wingsleung@lcsd.gov.hk
漁農自然保理署 署長 mailbox@afcd.gov.hk
漁農自然保理署 高級自然護理主任(南) 何秉皓先生 cary_ph_ho@afcd.gov.hk
漁農自然保理署 高級自然護理主任（北） 陳耀強先生 yk_chan@afcd.gov.hk
漁農自然保理署 高級自然護理主任（中區） 陳炳光先生 pk_chan@afcd.gov.hk
地政總署 署長 譚贛蘭女士 landsd@landsd.gov.hk
地政總署 地政總署副署長(一般事務)(地政處總部) 梁玉書先生 ddg@landsd.gov.hk
地政總署 總產業測量師(地政處/總部) 陳永堅先生 ceshq@landsd.gov.hk
路政署 署長 韋志成先生 cswai@hyd.gov.hk
路政署 高級園境師3 張美馨女士 sla3.lu@hyd.gov.hk
路政署 高級園境師1 梁錦鴻先生 sla1.lu@hyd.gov.hk
路政署 高級園境師2 郭德泰先生 sla2.lu@hyd.gov.hk
建築署 署長 余熾鏗先生 yuech@archsd.gov.hk
建築署 高級園境師/4 區李婷女士 ault@archsd.gov.hk
建築署 高級園境師/2 黃秋雲女士 wongv@archsd.gov.hk
建築署 高級園境師/3 盧偉思先生 lewisah@archsd.gov.hk
立法會工務小組委員會－
秘書： 馬海櫻女士 pi@legco.gov.hk
委員： 何鍾泰議員rctho@capitalchina.com、 梁家傑議員contact@alanleong.net、
李華明議員info@liwahming.org.hk、 周梁淑怡議員selina@selinachow.com、
涂謹申議員jkstolegco@gmail.com、 陳婉嫻議員yuenhan@ftulegco.org.hk、
陳智思議員bernie@bernardchan.com、 陳鑑林議員kamlamchan2004@yahoo.com.hk、
單仲偕議員cksin@sinchungkai.org.hk、 黃宜弘議員az3286pw@netvigator.com、
曾鈺成議員jet@dab.org.hk、 楊孝華議員howardyoung_legco@yahoo.com.hk、
劉江華議員kwlau@dab.org.hk、 劉皇發議員 c/o 委員會秘書、
劉健儀議員miriamlau@liberal.org.hk、 劉慧卿議員elau@frontier.org.hk、
蔡素玉議員sychoy@pacific.net.hk、 鄭家富議員chengkarfoo@dphk.org、
霍震霆議員ttfok@netvigator.com、 石禮謙議員arazack@netvigator.com、
陳偉業議員albert.wychan@yahoo.com.hk、李永達議員kwaifong56@yahoo.com.hk、
李國英議員kyli@dab.org.hk、 林偉強議員 c/o 委員會秘書、
郭家麒議員kkk@kkkwok.org、 張學明議員hokming@ntas.org、
劉秀成議員patricklau@gmail.com、 譚香文議員contactus@mandytam.com
副本送：
長春社 蘇國賢先生 cahk@cahk.org.hk
環保觸覺 info@greensense.org.hk
國際樹藝學會香港分部 egc@netvigator.com
香港園境師學會 secretary@hkila.com
各園境顧問公司 c/o 香港園境師學會
亞洲電視新聞部 news@atv.com.hk
無綫電視新聞部 news@tvb.com.hk
有線電視新聞部 story@cabletv.com.hk
香港電台 cnews@rthk.org.hk
蘋果日報 news@appledaily.com
太陽報 news@the-sun.com.hk
東方日報 news@oriental.com.hk
星島日報 info@singtao.com
明報 inews@mingpao.com
成報 dailynews@singpao.com.hk
文匯報 editor@wenweipo.com
大公報 dgw_editor@163.com
SCMP quinton.chan@scmp.com
The Standard editor@thestandard.com.hk
AM730 chiefeditor@am730.com.hk
頭條日報 editorial@hkheadline.com
都市日報 news@metrohk.com.hk
Monday, April 28, 2008
ISA HK/China --- ISAAC e-news (Speakers Preview of the 2008 Brisbane ISA Conference)
Dear Station Members,
Underneath is the latest ISA Australia Chapter (ISAAC) e-news given to our region. Inside is a special preview on the Speakers of the May 8 Brisbane ISA Conference at which ISA HK/China will send in a group of no less than 13 participants (8 tree climbers to compete or support at the ATCC, & another 5 persons reported of going to ISA HK/China. No news has been received of which of our Govt Depts is going, although some said they may attend ...).
All ISA Conferences by tradition are serious education & networking known in ISA history of 84 years. In them, the latest research & practices are discussed & information from different regions is exchanged. Arborists are practitioners & talking with fantasy will not please most of them. They want to see things working with objectives attained, & not just talk, talk & talk. This is the attitude that makes Arborists such a distinctive profession accepted in the greenery industry around the world.
The Brisbane Conference will focus on knowledge relevant to our region such as tree inspection, tree pathology, risk assessment & tree failures which our region is aiming to improve. ISA HK/China hopes to bring back updates to educate our professionals so that our trees can become assets to our community rather than liabilities. Further announcement on this may be given later on.
ISA HK/China looks forward to participate & learn hard at the Brisbane Conference in about one week's time.
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
----- Original Message -----
From: ISAAC E-news
To: enews@isaac.org.au
Sent: Sunday, April 27, 2008 4:15 PM
Subject: ISAAC Enews #39 - ISA Asia Pacific Conference - SPEAKER PREVIEW
Visit the ISAAC Website http://isaac.org.au - Now with live tree news from around Australia!If you're not a member of the ISAAC E-news mailing list, you can join it at http://isaac.org.au/news/news.htm. It's free and you don't have to be a member of ISAAC.
****** ISA Asia Pacific Conference FILLING FAST ******
ISA Asia Pacific Conference - May 9-14, Brisbane, Australia. Interest is strong and more workshops and hotels are booked out. You will regret missing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see this diverse range of speakers. See below for a sample of speaker biographies and abstracts.Register online at the ISAAC Online Shop to avoid disappointment, or go to the ISAAC Website http://isaac.org.au for more details.
Ted Green:
Ted, a founder member of the Ancient Tree Forum, travels world wide to raise the profile of ancient trees.Ted grew up on the edge of Windsor Great Park, home to some of the finest ancient trees in Europe and many have been special to him from childhood. He is a consultant to the Crown Estates there.Ted has worked on plant pathology at London University. He is a regular writer and broadcaster and campaignstirelessly to make sure that we understand why these trees are special and to encourage anyone who will listen to take action on their behalf.Veteran Tree Management and Conservation or Growing downwards: what can we learn fromancient trees and the natural aging process‘An oak tree grows for 300 years, rests for 300 years and then spends the next 300 years gracefully expiring’. Hence the phrase ‘growing downwards’.Growing downwards was a concept developed by the Ancient Tree Forum, a group of Europe-wide specialists andexperts made up of primarily professional arborists, foresters, historians and conservationists. They are concerned about the continued loss of Europe’s old trees.Studying the way old trees age has provided so many insights into how trees grow naturally to maturity, rest andthen decline. This has led to some methods of management preventing collapse such as retrenchment pruningespecially in the management of 1000s of old pollard trees that remain in the UK and other limited parts of Europe.The essential role of decay fungi in the hollowing process has led to the phrase: ‘the co-evolutionary relationshipbetween trees and fungi’. Words such as disease and fungal attack are now disappearing from the arborist’svocabulary.Recognising the fundamental role of other groups of fungi in tree health and longevity, has led to the management and retention of dead standing and fallen trees and they are now much more common in the landscape.
Ken James :
Ken James is an engineer at the University of Melbourne, Australia and has been investigating tree biomechanics and dynamic wind forces on trees for ten years. He currently is conducting research into tree dynamics and has developed new instruments that can measure the wind loads on trees during storms. He has presented papers at the many international conferences including ISA Conferences in America, Tree biomechanics Conference, Savannah, 2001, European Arboricultural Conferences in Maastricht and Oslo, Australia and New Zealand. He has published several papers on tree biomechanics and is currently developing a dynamic structural model to describe tree movement and loads in high winds. Other research interests include structural loads in tree cables and measurement of internal growth stresses in living trees.Tree BiomechanicsThe mechanical properties of trees is being studied to assess the structural strength and stability under a range of conditions. Understanding the structural properties of trees is fundamental to understanding how trees adapt and survive in their environment. Two methods are used, i.e. statics and dynamics. Static tree pull tests apply forces with ropes to simulate wind loading. Dynamic wind measurements are giving us a different understanding of how trees withstand high winds.Tree dynamics and WindHow trees withstand wind forces is being studied using new instruments that monitor the tree under wind stormconditions. Dynamic analysis is providing information on the forces that impact a tree. This information is being used to assess the stability of trees. Recent wind storms in Melbourne are discussed with some case studies that report on wind loading and the assessment of strength.
Dr David Lonsdale:
Dr David Lonsdale is a consultant, author and educator, specialising in the biology, pathology and mechanicalintegrity of trees. After studying at the universities of Southampton and Manchester, he worked for the BritishForestry Commission for 26 years before going freelance in 2002. His research has involved tree diseases and decay, including the role of latent stress dependent fungi. His many publications include “Principles of Tree Hazard Assessment and Management” (1999). He received the Annual Award of the Arboricultural Association in 1999 and an award for Advancement of Knowledge of Arboriculture from the ISA (UK & Ireland Chapter) in 2001.Tree-related hazards: recognition and assessmentA tendency to fall or to shed parts is the main cause for concern about tree-related hazards from trees. Otherhazards, which will not be mentioned further here, relate to obstruction, poisoning, damage to structures caused by tree growth and subsidence or heave of the ground, related to water uptake by tree roots.Everyone with a responsibility for tree safety should be able to recognise signs that may indicate a potential formechanical failure. Someone with specialist skills and knowledge should, if necessary, inspect such signs in moredetail and assess their significance. Options for conducting general and detailed inspections will be discussed here, with reference to the main signs of potential hazard; these can be summarised as follows:Structural ‘defects’ • Bark inclusions (especially at branch unions)• Cracking/splitting of various kinds• Branch subsidence• Crossing and abrading branchesPotential sites of decay initiation• Wounds from pruning or branch failure• Dysfunctional wood in the centre of the root plates of old trees• Bark wounds, above or below ground• Dead branchesSigns of possible weakness due to decay• Cavities• Dead branches• Exposed, decayed wood• Fruiting of decay fungi (often indicating no more than a need for investigation!)There is much interest in devices for aiding the internal mapping of decay, but these should used only by those with a good understanding of the spatial patterns of decay development, both above and below ground. They should in particular be able to interpret the significance of different types of wounds (e.g. wounds that involve only bark loss or wounds that expose sapwood and/or heartwood or ripewood). They should also understand the tendency for coalescence to occur between decay columns arising from a number of wounds.Structurally weak attachments weakened further by decay• Signs of decay at or near included bark unions• Coppice re-growth on decaying stumps• New growth from positions of previous topping or pollardingSite related information• Soil type and hydrology and hence rooting depth (for the tree species concerned)• Cohesion of soil• Topography (especially regarding steep slopes)Past failure of the tree or of similar trees nearby• Signs of past failure that can be observed during inspection• Types of failure that have been documented (or anecdotally noted by local residents).
Dr Elizabeth Philip:
Dr Elizabeth Philip is currently a Senior Research Officer with the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM). During her 17 years tenure here, she has spearheaded about eight research and development projects dealing with arboriculture and forestry issues. Amongst the issues addressed in arboriculture are growth and development of urban trees, abiotic factors affecting tree growth and urban trees in mitigating changing weather and climatic change.She is a certified arborist by the ISA. In improving the arboricutural practices in Malaysia, she has developed aprotocol for monitoring tree vitality and detection tree heath decline.Dr Philip has published more than 25 papers in referred journals and presented more than 100 working papers. In addition, she sits in a number of technical committees as well.Environmental Influence on the Growth and Development of TreesE.Philip and Y.Noor AzlinForest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), 52 109 Kepong, Selangor, MalaysiaMan’s fast paced development has brought about secondary problems like increased pollution, degradation of theenvironment and affected human well-being. The call for combating further environmental degradation has been discussed in many international fora and resulted in Conventions like Biological Diversity and United NationFramework on Climate Change Convention and others. The call for more public parks, green space and conservation of biological resources is getting greater attention in light with the changing climatic scenarios.This paper will highlight the different environmental influence on tree growth. The influence of water stress,temporary flooding, and soil compaction on the growth of urban trees will be discussed. In addition, environmental services provided by urban trees in Malaysia would be also be discussed. Amongst the services provided are natural biological air filters to air pollution and therapeutic. In addition, they acts filter to reduce the heat-island effects in urban areas. Besides, it is a good platform for inter-cultural activities while preserving each identity. Man has very strong linkages with nature and is reflected in the daily activities of our forefathers. Cities and towns have been named after plants.Remember to forward this to other tree care professionals that may find this useful.
ISAAC's Internet policy prohibits spam so please only distribute ISAAC E-news to those with a genuine interest.
ISAAC MembershipMembership of ISAAC links you to the professional world of practicing arborists and tree managers in Australia. As a member you get discounted entry to ISAAC events, discounts on books and business insurance, as well as the locally produced newsletter 'The Bark'. Full ISA Members also get the ISA's publications 'Journal of Arboriculture' and 'Arborist News'. Membership supports the continued growth in professionalism of arboriculture in Australia. Now is the time to join. If you already are a member, now is the time to recruit someone else.
You can download a membership form right now - http://isaac.org.au/members/join.htm"join online.
If you're looking for great information to pass on to your clients, check out the ISA's new website, Trees Are Good, dedicated to providing tree care information for the general public http://www.treesaregood.org
Do you have a question or comment? You can send your query online at our http://isaac.org.au/contact.htm If you would like to subscribe or unsubscribe, please see the instructions on our website http://isaac.org.au/news/news.htm.
Contents of this newsletter are provided for information only and the International Society of Arboriculture, Australia Chapter takes no responsibility for loss or damage resulting from its use. ISA, ISAAC and associated logos are for use by members of the ISA and ISAAC only. (c) 2008 International Society of Arboriculture Australia Chapter Ltd. ABN 77 090 873 644.
_______________________________________________enews mailing listenews@isaac.org.auhttp://isaac.org.au/mailman/listinfo/enews_isaac.org.au
Underneath is the latest ISA Australia Chapter (ISAAC) e-news given to our region. Inside is a special preview on the Speakers of the May 8 Brisbane ISA Conference at which ISA HK/China will send in a group of no less than 13 participants (8 tree climbers to compete or support at the ATCC, & another 5 persons reported of going to ISA HK/China. No news has been received of which of our Govt Depts is going, although some said they may attend ...).
All ISA Conferences by tradition are serious education & networking known in ISA history of 84 years. In them, the latest research & practices are discussed & information from different regions is exchanged. Arborists are practitioners & talking with fantasy will not please most of them. They want to see things working with objectives attained, & not just talk, talk & talk. This is the attitude that makes Arborists such a distinctive profession accepted in the greenery industry around the world.
The Brisbane Conference will focus on knowledge relevant to our region such as tree inspection, tree pathology, risk assessment & tree failures which our region is aiming to improve. ISA HK/China hopes to bring back updates to educate our professionals so that our trees can become assets to our community rather than liabilities. Further announcement on this may be given later on.
ISA HK/China looks forward to participate & learn hard at the Brisbane Conference in about one week's time.
best regards,
Sammy Au
Station Manager
----- Original Message -----
From: ISAAC E-news
To: enews@isaac.org.au
Sent: Sunday, April 27, 2008 4:15 PM
Subject: ISAAC Enews #39 - ISA Asia Pacific Conference - SPEAKER PREVIEW
Visit the ISAAC Website http://isaac.org.au - Now with live tree news from around Australia!If you're not a member of the ISAAC E-news mailing list, you can join it at http://isaac.org.au/news/news.htm. It's free and you don't have to be a member of ISAAC.
****** ISA Asia Pacific Conference FILLING FAST ******
ISA Asia Pacific Conference - May 9-14, Brisbane, Australia. Interest is strong and more workshops and hotels are booked out. You will regret missing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see this diverse range of speakers. See below for a sample of speaker biographies and abstracts.Register online at the ISAAC Online Shop to avoid disappointment, or go to the ISAAC Website http://isaac.org.au for more details.
Ted Green:
Ted, a founder member of the Ancient Tree Forum, travels world wide to raise the profile of ancient trees.Ted grew up on the edge of Windsor Great Park, home to some of the finest ancient trees in Europe and many have been special to him from childhood. He is a consultant to the Crown Estates there.Ted has worked on plant pathology at London University. He is a regular writer and broadcaster and campaignstirelessly to make sure that we understand why these trees are special and to encourage anyone who will listen to take action on their behalf.Veteran Tree Management and Conservation or Growing downwards: what can we learn fromancient trees and the natural aging process‘An oak tree grows for 300 years, rests for 300 years and then spends the next 300 years gracefully expiring’. Hence the phrase ‘growing downwards’.Growing downwards was a concept developed by the Ancient Tree Forum, a group of Europe-wide specialists andexperts made up of primarily professional arborists, foresters, historians and conservationists. They are concerned about the continued loss of Europe’s old trees.Studying the way old trees age has provided so many insights into how trees grow naturally to maturity, rest andthen decline. This has led to some methods of management preventing collapse such as retrenchment pruningespecially in the management of 1000s of old pollard trees that remain in the UK and other limited parts of Europe.The essential role of decay fungi in the hollowing process has led to the phrase: ‘the co-evolutionary relationshipbetween trees and fungi’. Words such as disease and fungal attack are now disappearing from the arborist’svocabulary.Recognising the fundamental role of other groups of fungi in tree health and longevity, has led to the management and retention of dead standing and fallen trees and they are now much more common in the landscape.
Ken James :
Ken James is an engineer at the University of Melbourne, Australia and has been investigating tree biomechanics and dynamic wind forces on trees for ten years. He currently is conducting research into tree dynamics and has developed new instruments that can measure the wind loads on trees during storms. He has presented papers at the many international conferences including ISA Conferences in America, Tree biomechanics Conference, Savannah, 2001, European Arboricultural Conferences in Maastricht and Oslo, Australia and New Zealand. He has published several papers on tree biomechanics and is currently developing a dynamic structural model to describe tree movement and loads in high winds. Other research interests include structural loads in tree cables and measurement of internal growth stresses in living trees.Tree BiomechanicsThe mechanical properties of trees is being studied to assess the structural strength and stability under a range of conditions. Understanding the structural properties of trees is fundamental to understanding how trees adapt and survive in their environment. Two methods are used, i.e. statics and dynamics. Static tree pull tests apply forces with ropes to simulate wind loading. Dynamic wind measurements are giving us a different understanding of how trees withstand high winds.Tree dynamics and WindHow trees withstand wind forces is being studied using new instruments that monitor the tree under wind stormconditions. Dynamic analysis is providing information on the forces that impact a tree. This information is being used to assess the stability of trees. Recent wind storms in Melbourne are discussed with some case studies that report on wind loading and the assessment of strength.
Dr David Lonsdale:
Dr David Lonsdale is a consultant, author and educator, specialising in the biology, pathology and mechanicalintegrity of trees. After studying at the universities of Southampton and Manchester, he worked for the BritishForestry Commission for 26 years before going freelance in 2002. His research has involved tree diseases and decay, including the role of latent stress dependent fungi. His many publications include “Principles of Tree Hazard Assessment and Management” (1999). He received the Annual Award of the Arboricultural Association in 1999 and an award for Advancement of Knowledge of Arboriculture from the ISA (UK & Ireland Chapter) in 2001.Tree-related hazards: recognition and assessmentA tendency to fall or to shed parts is the main cause for concern about tree-related hazards from trees. Otherhazards, which will not be mentioned further here, relate to obstruction, poisoning, damage to structures caused by tree growth and subsidence or heave of the ground, related to water uptake by tree roots.Everyone with a responsibility for tree safety should be able to recognise signs that may indicate a potential formechanical failure. Someone with specialist skills and knowledge should, if necessary, inspect such signs in moredetail and assess their significance. Options for conducting general and detailed inspections will be discussed here, with reference to the main signs of potential hazard; these can be summarised as follows:Structural ‘defects’ • Bark inclusions (especially at branch unions)• Cracking/splitting of various kinds• Branch subsidence• Crossing and abrading branchesPotential sites of decay initiation• Wounds from pruning or branch failure• Dysfunctional wood in the centre of the root plates of old trees• Bark wounds, above or below ground• Dead branchesSigns of possible weakness due to decay• Cavities• Dead branches• Exposed, decayed wood• Fruiting of decay fungi (often indicating no more than a need for investigation!)There is much interest in devices for aiding the internal mapping of decay, but these should used only by those with a good understanding of the spatial patterns of decay development, both above and below ground. They should in particular be able to interpret the significance of different types of wounds (e.g. wounds that involve only bark loss or wounds that expose sapwood and/or heartwood or ripewood). They should also understand the tendency for coalescence to occur between decay columns arising from a number of wounds.Structurally weak attachments weakened further by decay• Signs of decay at or near included bark unions• Coppice re-growth on decaying stumps• New growth from positions of previous topping or pollardingSite related information• Soil type and hydrology and hence rooting depth (for the tree species concerned)• Cohesion of soil• Topography (especially regarding steep slopes)Past failure of the tree or of similar trees nearby• Signs of past failure that can be observed during inspection• Types of failure that have been documented (or anecdotally noted by local residents).
Dr Elizabeth Philip:
Dr Elizabeth Philip is currently a Senior Research Officer with the Forest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM). During her 17 years tenure here, she has spearheaded about eight research and development projects dealing with arboriculture and forestry issues. Amongst the issues addressed in arboriculture are growth and development of urban trees, abiotic factors affecting tree growth and urban trees in mitigating changing weather and climatic change.She is a certified arborist by the ISA. In improving the arboricutural practices in Malaysia, she has developed aprotocol for monitoring tree vitality and detection tree heath decline.Dr Philip has published more than 25 papers in referred journals and presented more than 100 working papers. In addition, she sits in a number of technical committees as well.Environmental Influence on the Growth and Development of TreesE.Philip and Y.Noor AzlinForest Research Institute Malaysia (FRIM), 52 109 Kepong, Selangor, MalaysiaMan’s fast paced development has brought about secondary problems like increased pollution, degradation of theenvironment and affected human well-being. The call for combating further environmental degradation has been discussed in many international fora and resulted in Conventions like Biological Diversity and United NationFramework on Climate Change Convention and others. The call for more public parks, green space and conservation of biological resources is getting greater attention in light with the changing climatic scenarios.This paper will highlight the different environmental influence on tree growth. The influence of water stress,temporary flooding, and soil compaction on the growth of urban trees will be discussed. In addition, environmental services provided by urban trees in Malaysia would be also be discussed. Amongst the services provided are natural biological air filters to air pollution and therapeutic. In addition, they acts filter to reduce the heat-island effects in urban areas. Besides, it is a good platform for inter-cultural activities while preserving each identity. Man has very strong linkages with nature and is reflected in the daily activities of our forefathers. Cities and towns have been named after plants.Remember to forward this to other tree care professionals that may find this useful.
ISAAC's Internet policy prohibits spam so please only distribute ISAAC E-news to those with a genuine interest.
ISAAC MembershipMembership of ISAAC links you to the professional world of practicing arborists and tree managers in Australia. As a member you get discounted entry to ISAAC events, discounts on books and business insurance, as well as the locally produced newsletter 'The Bark'. Full ISA Members also get the ISA's publications 'Journal of Arboriculture' and 'Arborist News'. Membership supports the continued growth in professionalism of arboriculture in Australia. Now is the time to join. If you already are a member, now is the time to recruit someone else.
You can download a membership form right now - http://isaac.org.au/members/join.htm"join online.
If you're looking for great information to pass on to your clients, check out the ISA's new website, Trees Are Good, dedicated to providing tree care information for the general public http://www.treesaregood.org
Do you have a question or comment? You can send your query online at our http://isaac.org.au/contact.htm If you would like to subscribe or unsubscribe, please see the instructions on our website http://isaac.org.au/news/news.htm.
Contents of this newsletter are provided for information only and the International Society of Arboriculture, Australia Chapter takes no responsibility for loss or damage resulting from its use. ISA, ISAAC and associated logos are for use by members of the ISA and ISAAC only. (c) 2008 International Society of Arboriculture Australia Chapter Ltd. ABN 77 090 873 644.
_______________________________________________enews mailing listenews@isaac.org.auhttp://isaac.org.au/mailman/listinfo/enews_isaac.org.au
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
