'Tree daddy' riled over Hong Kong government's destruction of heritage trees
Professor Jim Chi-yung got into the field of arboriculture by accident; he has since been a thorn in the side of the government over its tree policy
Expert on urban ecology, lover of greenery and defender of the trees - he's the first person to call on anything arboricultural.
But it is perhaps Professor Jim Chi-yung's fervent criticism of the government and developers for failing to conduct proper tree maintenance and care that has garnered him the title of Hong Kong's very own "tree daddy".
As one of the city's most authoritative voices on tree management, he has for years been calling for a tree law to hold owners of private trees legally responsible for any threat to public safety and ensure the quality of contractors managing his green friends. He has also lobbied for a powerful body to supervise all aspects of the city's tree management, which is now frag- mented among nine different departments.
The four banyans were among six attached to a stone wall between Bonham Road and St Stephen's Lane. The premature "execution" of these trees happened just weeks after one of the others collapsed in high winds and rain on July 22, injuring two people.
The department had to cut down a second tree on the same day, but the other four were trimmed and left to stand - until August 7, when the Highways Department abruptly decided they were far too dangerous.