Latest Development on Lung Chu Street Wall Trees

After several meetings, DSD preliminary agreed in the meeting on 28 April 2006 with The Conservancy Association that eight wall trees will be preserved.

Save Lung Chu Street Wall Trees

20 March 2006  

The Conservancy Association noted that Drainage Services Department (DSD) took over the area along the Nullah at Lung Chu Street (the nullah) in Sham Shui Po for the decking of the nullah. Since there are many wall trees on the masonry walls of the nullah, we urge DSD to stop the felling of the wall trees IMMEDIATELY.

The main reason of felling all those wall trees is to cover the nullah to tackle the problem of bad odour. But the problem has been solved by DSD by removing illegal dumping of contaminated water. We believed that the only way of tackling the problem of odour is to clean up the source of pollution, not to cover it and pretend that the pollution is solved.

Along the nullah, more than 20 wall trees exist at the site and most of them are Chinese Banyan and Common Red-stem fig. All of them are mature trees with a height between 3 to 11 metres high, they are worth to preserve, especially the Common Red-stem fig. It is a very unique phenomenon for those particular wall trees since the majority of wall trees in Hong Kong are Chinese Banyan. From our experience, it is rarely seen another site, which have a dozen Common Red-stem fig trees in one location, which its buttress root adapted to the condition of the masonry walls. The nullah, therefore, is a scene with special scientific value for further study.

From our observation, comparing the trees planted in the park next to the nullah, the trees in the nullah are rich in biodiversity. Various kinds of birds could be find on those trees along the nullah, for example, yellow wagtail and white wagtail…etc.

Besides, the trees around nullah formed a green canopy and functioned as a green lung for the community. For all those years, the trees benefited the community, for example, by minimizing the heat island effect.

Although DSD planned to replant 32 new trees on the site, it cannot remedy the value of felling the old trees on the masonry walls and this should not be regarded as a priority option for handling the old trees at the nullah.

It is our belief that, when construction works was a potential threat to the environment, the precautionary principle should adopt to avoid damages to the environment.

We hope DSD would stop the tree felling works immediately and withdraw the tree-felling plan at the nullah. We are likely to work with DSD to seek a win-win solution.

 

Ref:

Prof. C. Y. Jim and Dr. Ng Cho-nam