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Su Xinqi

Kadoorie Farm said on Friday that 12 egret chicks had now died since being displaced by tree pruning at a protected bird habitat.
Bird Watching Society research manager Yu Yat-tung also warned that other egrets were scared away by the activity, which may have violated the Development Bureau’s tree management office guidelines, leaving their chicks struggling to survive alone.

An internationally certified arborist described the pruning – carried out by Leisure and Cultural Services Department workers in response to a complaint about droppings – as “entirely unprofessional” after he visited the site in Kwong Fuk Road on Wednesday.
The trees were in the “core area” of the Tai Po Market Egretry, home to more than 150 nests in recent years.
“What they did is not the way to solve these problems,” said Ken So Kwok-yin, chief executive of the Conservancy Association of Hong Kong.
“The method, intensity and the positions of the work did not even meet the least of professional standards.”


In response to public anger, the department issued an apologetic statement on Wednesday, saying the “long and dense” branches were a potential danger.
“In this case, they should selectively remove branches to reduce wind resistance. The thinner the branches are, the better, so as to minimise the effect,” So, a former tree management adviser to the government, said.
“Instead, they cut the whole stems, some with diameters up to 15cm.”
So said he was appalled by the violation of official guidelines by a team that “must have had at least elementary training”.
Apart from two found dead on site, half of the 20 hatchlings admitted to the Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden had died by Friday afternoon. Nine egrets and a Chinese pond heron remained in intensive care at the farm.
No disciplinary or legal action has been taken. The LCSD again said on Friday that it was conducting an investigation.
The Development Bureau did not say if the pruning had violated guidelines, while the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department said it was still arranging meetings with LCSD staff to gather further information.
So said the case had exposed weaknesses in the city’s tree management. Previously, historic trees had been cut down or removed due to infections such as brown root rot disease, “tree cancer”, under poor management.
“The existing policies generally neglect the relationship between trees and wildlife. There is no professional middle management to ­ensure compliance with official guidelines. And departmental coordination is missing.”
So said “the wildlife protection law was ignored in this case”.
The Bird Watching Society estimated that Tai Po was home to about 300 egrets.
Additional reporting by Elizabeth Cheung


Hong Kong bird expert fears for egret chicks with 12 now dead after pruning operation

Former government adviser on tree management says ‘work did not even meet the least of professional standards’

An injured egret falling down after a tree pruning operation at Kwong Fuk Road near Wan Tau Kok Lane. 08JUN17 SCMP / Sam Tsang

The aftermath of the tree pruning operation at Kwong Fuk Road. Photo: Sam Tsang

News

Hong Kong

Health & Environment

Former government adviser on tree management says ‘work did not even meet the least of professional standards’


Hong Kong bird expert fears for egret chicks with 12 now dead after pruning operation

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Former government adviser on tree management says ‘work did not even meet the least of professional standards’

Former government adviser on tree management says ‘work did not even meet the least of professional standards’