OCTOBER 19 — Local governments should hire more arborists in its effort to create a more sustainable framework for cities and towns. Tree cutting is counterproductive to the sustainable goals.
Land and Natural Resources Minister Dr Xavier Jayakumar recently announced a national reforestation program. His commitment to the sustainable development goals and the overarching issue of global warming is commendable.
However, trees aren’t supposed to be just in the forests.
More urban areas need trees too. Trees in urban areas are indispensable, it acts as our green lungs – it improves air quality, provides shade for our blue-collar workers working under the sun, families and couples having picnics at our almost nonexistent parks and kids having a good time at the playgrounds.
Unfortunately, local governments are still cutting down trees.
Of course, local government merely performs their duties in response to the reports lodged by residences who are concerned about their wellbeing and property. Occasionally, trees do fall down during extreme thunderstorm destroying cars, homes and blocks the roads as a result.
Ipso facto, more trees are getting chopped down to the ground than they are planted.
One example, about 10 monster trees were chopped down on a nearby playground after it was reported by the residence, presumably because of its extended branches which hung over residential roads.
Fine, but they chopped those trees to the ground – like a foot over the ground. Can’t even call it a tree trunk! Trees should not be chopped down to the ground. Alternatively, it could have been strategically relocated to a safer place within the area.
Crux of the issue is the lack of arborists in local councils. Up to 2014, there were only 75 arborists in Malaysia and MPKj reportedly has zero. Fortunately, situation has been gradually improving for local governments in Selangor and hopefully other states would follow suit.
The role of an arborist is to plant, maintain and manage trees. They are trained as urban foresters and landscape architects who specializes in tree health care and tree care safety. Siva, a certified Arborist and Tree Risk Assessor said, “We need more experienced arborist in Malaysia, which will translate to more trees being saved and rescued.”
With more arborists in local governments, they would have the technical expertise in correctly choosing and planting suitable trees at the suitable places. They would routinely check and ensure the trees’ health and prevent them from falling on top of a car.
Trees are indeed important in an urban environment – it cools the air and reduces soil erosion, it adds beauty to the mundane concrete jungle, it increase recreational opportunities and most urgently, reduces greenhouse gases.
For all that to happen, local government must invest in arborists; must take better care of our trees.
*This is the personal opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Malay Mail.
