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Working to preserve trees

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I REFER to the letter 'Ensure trees are preserved' (South China Morning Post, March 17). I share Mr Parker's sentiments on the preservation of trees in general and I can assure him and the public that on the Gun Club site, extraneous efforts had been made to preserve each and every mature tree there.

It is the standard practice of the department to carry out a comprehensive tree survey before the design of any project takes place. Each tree is assessed according to its size, health, form, plant type, growing habit and suitability for transplanting. And the design of the project will need to retain mature trees whenever possible or even to the extent of designing around the trees.

Other trees which cannot be retained in their present positions due to site formation and/or building proposals are assessed for transplanting. This practice was followed closely for this project. As a result 19 trees have now been transplanted including the six large banyans.

The particular banyan tree referred to in the letter was unable to be retained and was considered unsuitable for transplanting due to its hazardous leaning trunk form. It was for this reason that the tree was not felled initially at the start of site works as it could only be removed safely after tenants occupying the adjacent nurseries had vacated.

S. H. PAU Director of Architectural Services Architectural Services Dept

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