Axing of century-old trees in Sai Ying Pun triggers demands for explanation from Hong Kong government
The sudden and apparently surreptitious felling of four century-old Chinese banyan trees in Sai Ying Pun on Friday night has triggered calls for the government to explain its actions.
One tree expert on a government's advisory panel questioned if the decision was "scientific", in the wake of the collapse of another Chinese banyan at the same site about three weeks ago during one of the city's worst storms, injuring two people.
The unannounced demise of the four trees, which were growing out of a stone wall on Bonham Road, drew dozens of "mourners" yesterday.
Some hung colourful balloons on the roots that remained or held placards reading: "The trees are crying."
INFOGRAPHIC: Everything you need to know about the banyans that define Hong Kong's landscape
"I really miss them. When I was a child, I asked my dad why there were so many beards [roots]," a resident said. "And my daughter asked me the same question. There are so many memories."
On July 22, a century-old Chinese banyan was uprooted and crashed down in high winds and rain, forcing authorities to remove a second tree next to it.
But an expert panel advising the government on tree management did not discuss chopping down the other four trees when it met last Monday, a member, Professor Jim Chi-yung, said.
"Are the reasons behind the removal scientific, objective and reasonable?" he asked after an inspection. "Why did they disappear just overnight, and even had to be cut down in the dark?"
The authorities did not inform the panel before they acted, Jim said, urging the government to give a full account of the decision.
Earlier, the Development Bureau reportedly said cracks had emerged on the stone wall after it removed the second tree, destabilising the support for another four trees.
But Jim said the cracks were mainly found on the concrete above the wall. "I think many residents would find the reasons for giving the trees 'capital punishment' strange."
Hui Chi-fung, a Democratic Party district councillor in Central and Western district, also criticised the government's decision.
According to Hui, officials had said at a meeting last week that the trees posed no imminent danger and had pledged to study how to reinforce the wall.
He was informed by the authorities only half an hour before they started chopping down the trees.
In response, the government’s Tree Management Office said it agreed with the Highways Department's decision to cut down the trees, citing "unforeseen circumstances" and public safety reasons.
A spokesman from the office said although in the meeting last Monday the trees were not identified for immediate removal, new cracks had emerged on the stone wall later and a large scale pruning would not mitigate the risk of collapse.
It added that in general it would not inform members of the panel over the day to day management or removal of individual trees.
