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Casuarina trees in Elias Road estate chopped down RESIDENTS ASK: WHY KILL OUR TREES?

This picture provided by the town council shows a cross section of a trunk. There are signs of internal decay.
Ms Law Kah Yen with what remains of a fully grown casuarina tree. -- Picture: CHOO CHWEE HUA

Casuarina trees in Elias Road estate chopped down RESIDENTS ASK: WHY KILL OUR TREES?

TOWN COUNCIL REPLIES: THEY'RE A DANGER

March 04, 2008

IT takes 15 years for them to grow to a height of 14 storeys but only a day for them to disappear. This picture provided by the town council shows a cross section of a trunk. There are signs of internal decay.

That is the lament of some residents of the Elias Road estate after seven of the 27 casuarina trees there were removed from around three blocks in the estate.

When Ms Law Kah Yen, a 32-year-old PR consultant, woke up on 23 Feb, she found seven of these 'gentle giants' being chopped down and uprooted.

The Pasir Ris-Punggol Town Council had decided to have the trees removed because of safety concerns.

Ms Law said: 'We were really upset when we saw what was being done.

'The trees had added a lot of character and comfort to the neighbourhood.

ADMIRATION

'Visiting family members as well as overseas friends admire the trees.'

Another resident, Madam Chang Kim Yin, a 40-year-old housewife, said in Mandarin: 'I feel the trees made the HDB estate classier.'

A 52-year-old building consultant, who gave his name only as Mr Teo, said the trees provided shade, especially for the houses on the lower levels, from the afternoon sun.

But it was a job that had to be done, said the town council. In an official response, the Pasir Ris- Punggol Town Council said it sympathised with the residents.

However, 'it is essential for us to proceed with the removal (of the trees) in view of public safety'.
During routine horticultural maintenance, hairline cracks had been found on the trunks of the trees.

These cracks indicate the possibility of the trees developing internal decay, which cannot be easily detected.

The trees were located close to pedestrian crossings and footpaths.

The town council said: 'We have previously received calls from concerned residents who have witnessed snapping branches and requested a complete removal of such trees.'

HARD TO MAINTAIN

Yet another worry of the town council is the ability of the trees to grow to 40m in height, making maintenance and inspection difficult.

Mr Lim Choon Hoe, who is in his 40s and has been living in the area for eight years, recalled: 'A few years back, one of the trees near the covered linkway collapsed.

'I am quite worried as they may cause danger to the residents, especially to young children who often play around the area.'

He added: 'I support the town council as they are experts and are taking preventive measures.'
But Ms Law is still unhappy.

She said: 'I am hoping that they'll be able to work around it and not just take the easy way out.
'I have grown emotionally attached to these trees, having seen them grow from five-storey young trees to their current 14-storey height.

'They are a big part of our home.'

The town council said the removed casuarina trees will be replaced with 3-to 4m-tall trees 'so as to provide an instant visual impact to complement the current landscaping'.

The remaining casuarina trees do not have to be removed immediately, though they will continue to be checked.

Cheryl Teo, newsroom intern

Tangjong Pagar - Trees

A blow to Pasir Ris residents

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Tree lovers' lobbying saves Albizias from chop

http://singaporegardencity.blogspot.com/2007/12/63.html

63棵树将砍伐 居民为树请命

当局在信中透露，南波那维斯达路旁的63棵大树有危险，会在明年1月砍树。

日期: 07/12/2007
新闻来源: 新明日报

南波那维斯达路旁的63棵大树，明年初将遭砍伐，清个精光。

　　住在附近的居民不久前接到当局的信，通知他们当局将砍伐这些已有二三十年树龄的南洋楹（Albizia）。

　　一名居民为这些树请命，希望当局能改变主意，因为南波那维斯达路的风景非常优美，如果一下子砍掉那么多树，实在太可惜，而且会破坏在那一带栖棲的罕见鸟类。

　　这批南洋楹，生长在肯特岗公园脚下，就在南波那维斯达路旁。据了解，新加坡土地局基于这些树可能对公众的安全构成威胁，计划在明年1月砍伐这批在本地常见的南洋楹（Albizzia Falcata）。

南洋楹容易倒下

　　这类树根很浅，遇到大风或暴雨，很容易倒下。过去曾发生这类树突然倒下，伤及无辜的意外。今年5月，武吉巴督天然公园就发生大树倒下，压死人的意外，倒下的树就是这类南洋楹。

　　为树请命的张女士建议土地局检查园地里的每一棵树，只砍掉那些已经染病，或者树枝很可能断裂的树，而不要砍光所有的树。　　

　　本报联络了土地局，当局表示稍后会针对这件事作出回复。

Why cut down big trees to build family park?

Straits Times Forum
Nov 17, 2007

AMID the call for a clean and green Singapore, we are felling big, beautiful and healthy trees to build a family park so that we can play basketball, skate, jog, etc, among man-made nature.
The proposed park is located along Braddell Road, next to the junction of Braddell Road and Bishan Road.

After some residents objected strongly to destroying the greenery, the project was scaled down and the town council promised to plant 10 trees for every one that is felled. However, this is little consolation because the trees felled were more than 20 years old (they were already fully grown when we moved in in 1988) and it takes more than 10 years for the new saplings to grow to considerable size.

Though I do not know the names of the birds that are living in the area or come resting at different times of the year, I have spotted at least nine types among the trees, and squirrels running on the branches.

It is ironic to destroy beautiful, fully-grown trees to build a park. I am quite sure the new plants will be lined in straight rows and stand X metres apart. Singaporeans just can't leave trees and plants standing haphazardly.

A number of the old trees were cut down last Saturday. Is there something someone can do to stop further destruction?

Lai Yoke Kwai (Miss)

Bishan - Trees

Are Albizias 'killer' trees?
Residents sad that those in park got the chop
Thursday November 15, 2007
Letter from Sharon Lee Siew Kiang

The Government's move to set aside $700 million to develop new parks and enhance existing ones, such as East Coast Park and the Botanic Gardens, should be applauded. While this initiative targets mostly large parks, the need to preserve the greenery in smaller parks should not be overlooked.

Over the weekend, I was shocked to find workers chopping down several mature trees (picture) in the small park at the junction of Bishan and Braddell roads.

When I called the Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council, I was told the trees that had been chopped down were Albizia trees. These were the same species as the one that had fallen on a woman at Bukit Batok Nature Park in May and a contractor the Town Council had engaged, recommended the trees be felled.

While I am saddened by the woman's death, I wonder if that unfortunate incident, which is a rare occurrence, makes it necessary to chop down all the trees of that species.

These trees have been in the park for more than 30 years. They help to block noise and dust from vehicles that use the neighbouring Braddell flyover, and provide shelter for residents from the afternoon sun.

What's even more puzzling is the fact that the Town Council intends to build a family park in this area, and called a meeting with the residents on July 21 to discuss its plan.

During the meeting, new plans for the park were unveiled which showed that the existing trees would be conserved.

This was done after the residents had voiced their opposition to having most of the trees removed, as called for in the original plan.

I would understand perfectly if the trees had been removed if they were diseased or infested with termites.

However, chopping down healthy mature trees because of the possible risk they present displays a blatant disregard for residents' wishes and the need to save the environment.
I hope the Bishan-Toa Payoh Town Council and the National Parks Board can provide some answers. Couldn't they have taken some preventive measures to save or transplant the trees instead of chopping them down?

Copyright MediaCorp Press Ltd. All rights reserved.

请停止锯树

观点 > 今日观点 2007-11-10

● 伟统宁

　　我住在裕廊西91街的组屋已有16年了，对于此处的环境十分满意，有一种清幽和温馨的感觉、树木也很茂盛和凉爽。可惜这几年来，每逢三几个月，当局就派人把一部份的树枝锯得光秃秃，只剩下树身而已。这使得这里的环境变得非常闷热。

　　原本这个组屋区树荫多很凉爽，对我们的健康非常有益。我们不明白当局为什么要不停的一再锯树。希望有关当局停止这么做，以免浪费资源，又损害民众健康。


2007-11-14
锯树为防鸟儿栖息带来噪音

　　谨答复《联合早报·交流站》于11月10日刊登的伟统宁读者投函《请停止锯树》:

　　我们了解伟先生对树枝被锯问题的关心。然而，我们不时收到居民对八哥鸟在大牌915和916旁的树木栖息的反映。它们发出让人难以忍受的噪音，一些居民因此而不能好好的休息。把树枝锯掉是阻止八哥鸟前来栖息的最有效方法，市镇会在收到居民的不断反映后，只有展开锯树枝的工作。

　　我们明白一些居民希望组屋区拥有翠绿的环境，但是让居民在辛勤工作一整天后能够好好的休息也同样重要。我们希望居民能够谅解。

　　感谢伟先生的反馈，伟先生如果有其他意见，可以打电话6791-5755同我们联络。

丰加市镇理事会
总经理

吴彩雯

Trees - Cross Street

Trees felled only as a last resort
Thursday November 15, 2007
Letter from Suhana Kharudin Manager,

Media Relations,

Land Transport Authority

We refer to the letters, "Whither the trees" by Albano Daminato and Lisa Garris (Nov 6) and "Where once there was greenery ..." by Carlyn Law (Nov 8), on the trees around Cross Street.

We share the writers' concerns for our greenery and would like to assure them that the Land Transport Authority (LTA) makes every effort to preserve trees. Where possible, trees that have to be cut will be replaced by new ones.

The trees mentioned by the writers are directly affected by the construction of the Downtown Line Cross Street Station.

Prior to felling these trees, the LTA explored whether there was any alternative to their being felled. This is a standard process for all cases of roadside trees affected by development projects.
In this case however, there was no alternative given site constraints at Cross Street.

Work on the underground station has to be conducted within the space of the existing five-lane road. The road had to be diverted to the planting strip to improve safety and enable the continued smooth flow of traffic. There was no other space left in the area to replant the trees and shrubs.

Once construction is completed new trees and shrubs will be planted around Cross Street.
We thank the writers for their feedback.

Copyright MediaCorp Press Ltd. All rights reserved.