CITY HALL plans to tend to the heritage trees within its rating area, with a 27 metre sky-lift deployed to facilitate this effort at the various sites where such greenery is growing next month.
A spokeswoman for the agency’s Landscaping Department said members of its Tree Unit would be removing any dead branches and “tumbuhan menumpang (parasitic plants)” from these trees, as well as pruning any overgrown branches.
“This scheduled work involves the temporary closure of some roads which may give rise to congestion on these stretches,” she said.
“Road-users are advised to be extra cautious when travelling on these roads and to abide by the traffic signs which will be put up in those areas where Landscaping staff are dealing with the heritage trees.”
She said City Hall had have appointed a Qualified Aborist [“Aboris Bertauliah”] who was in the process of assessing the condition of those aged trees with a large girth which had a heritage value.
“The individual has been tasked with identifying any potential threats to these trees.
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“He has also been asked to come up with a list of strategies to help us take better care of such greenery.”
The spokeswoman explained that the Federal Ministry of Housing and Local Government had taken an inventory of the heritage trees around the State Capital almost two decades ago.
“This was done as part of the ‘Projek Pemuliharaan Pokok Matang Bernilai Warisan (Project to Rehabilitate Mature Trees with Heritage status)’ sponsored by the National Landscaping Department (NLD) under the Ministry.”
“ISA Trained Arborists [‘Arboris Terlatih’] conferred the ‘heritage’ status on those trees worthy of the title all the way back in 2009.
“They also assessed the economic value of these trees.”
When asked about the monetary value of these trees, she said the Ministry’s Aborists identified the four rain trees (Samanea saman) growing near Wisma Muis, off Jalan Tunku Abdul Rahman, as being heritage trees.
“According to their report, the financial value of the trees was set as being between RM550, 000 to RM450, 000.”
She said the report estimated that these rain trees were more than 77 years old, as were many of those on the periphery of Padang Merdeka in the City.
The spokeswoman said, at the time, the two rain trees, located near Spinnaker Suites, off Jalan Teluk Likas, were judged to be more than 50 years old.
Some of the rhu trees (Casuarina Equisetifolia) at Prince Philip Park were deemed more than seven decades old by the report, according to her.
“We have no records to ascertain when precisely these trees were planted, but their species and symbolic or historical significance give them their ‘heritage’ identity.”
She said City enacted preservation efforts on “heritage trees” once every six months.
“Landscaping staff check on the well-being of each tree, including signs that they may have been damaged.”
City Hall has previously warned that those who hurt or damage any “heritage tree” around the State Capital would be liable for the economic value attached to this greenery.
A spokesman said the ‘ringgit’ value set by the NLD for the affected tree would be used as the basis for the compensation sought from the vandals.
He said City Hall adhered to the Ministry’s guidelines when it came to deciding which trees were worthy of this status.
“Such trees are generally over three decades old, with a sizeable trunk. They can be of an indigenous or exotic variety and either have been planted by dignitaries or have economic value.”
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