DISRUPTIONS FROM FALLEN TREES

DISRUPTIONS FROM FALLEN TREES

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(Government review): **

44.

Mr Baey Yam Keng asked the Minister for National Development in view of the recent incidences of fallen trees due to heavy rains and strong winds resulting in injuries and traffic disruptions on many roads, whether the Ministry will review the types of trees planted in Singapore and the tree care guidelines in order to minimise future disruptions and danger to pedestrians and motorists.

Mr Mah Bow Tan: National Parks Board (NParks) regularly inspects its trees for signs of poor health, disease, pests or structural defects. Technology is also used to help detect internal cavities or decay in trees. NParks monitors the condition of each tree over time, and takes preventive action where necessary to minimise risks of tree failure.

Wind forces and sodden soil due to heavy rain, as we have experienced in June this year, can weaken the stability of all trees, even the healthy trees, and cause them to be uprooted. Such forces of nature are beyond NParks' control.

As part of its Streetscape Greenery Master Plan, NParks progressively replaces our roadside trees with hardy species where needed. These are species that are able to grow well in our urban environment, and develop resilience against adverse weather conditions. NParks also identifies storm-vulnerable species that grow in the wild and removes them where necessary.

In addition, NParks carries out regular tree pruning to remove weak or overgrown branches. It has also implemented an improved technique of crown reduction pruning which reduces the weight of foliage in the tree crown and achieves a more optimal crown to root ratio to enhance the stability of trees against rainstorms.

Over the years, NParks' tree management programme has effectively reduced the number of tree failures by close to 70%, from about 3,100 cases in year 2000 to about 1,000 in 2009. The number of tree failures in June this year is about 240, which is about 170% higher compared to the same month (about 90) last year, due largely to the adverse weather.

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Trees are living organisms, and even healthy trees may fall in adverse weather. NParks is committed to minimising the risks of tree failure. It is currently reviewing its tree management programme in response to increasingly unpredictable weather conditions, and is exploring new technology to better assess the condition of trees.

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