• Green "oasis" in the heart of the city
  • Strengthening tree management to prevent tree falling during the rainy and stormy season
  • Visiting the injured victims of the tree uprooting incident

Many difficulties in assessing the current situation

Trees are considered the “lungs” of cities. The tree system not only cools the temperature and regulates the climate, but also plays an important role in absorbing fine dust, noise, exhaust fumes, etc. However, paradoxically, these “lungs”, if not cared for and monitored regularly, can become a danger.

For example, at around 7:00 a.m. on August 15, a tree fell and injured two people. Accordingly, Mr. PTC was driving motorbike 69E1-xxx.90, Ms. VTX was driving motorbike 69E1-xxx.11 from Huynh Thuc Khang bridge across Tran Hung Dao street, when they reached the Minh Hai Guest House, a tree suddenly fell, crushing Ms. X and Mr. C. As a result, Mr. C was slightly injured and Ms. X was seriously injured in the leg, and motorbike 69E1-xxx.11 was also severely damaged. Previously, in some areas of Hung Vuong and Hong Bang Parks, there were also cases of shade trees falling and suddenly landing.

The scene of a fallen tree injuring two passersby occurred on August 15, on Tran Hung Dao Street, Tan Thanh Ward.

According to records, in the central area of ​​the province, there are many trees growing crooked, skewed, and leaning, posing a potential risk of insecurity. Mr. Tran Quoc Thong, Deputy Director of the Department of Construction, said: "The reason trees grow crooked, skewed, and leaning is due to the influence of care, pruning, limited growing space, lack of light, nutrients, or growing crooked due to phototropic factors (phototropism) because trees tend to grow towards light sources. This is not only a potential risk of insecurity, especially during the rainy season, but also affects the urban beauty. However, most trees are still within controllable levels, and wards, communes, and management units are currently monitoring and checking to handle them promptly (pruning the canopy, branches, supporting...). Some trees that cannot be fixed will be replaced with new trees."

In reality, not only natural disasters are the main cause of trees (including shade trees) falling down unexpectedly, but also the management and assessment of the current status of shade trees is not really effective, not keeping up with the speed of urban development and climate change. Although there are staff at decentralized units, authorized to manage trees to regularly prune, support, and replace new trees, the biggest limitation is the lack of a scientific and synchronous assessment system.

Mr. Tran Quoc Thong acknowledged: "Currently, assessing the current status of shade trees to avoid falling and toppling still has some difficulties, including professional and technical difficulties. In fact, it is very difficult to observe the condition of the roots because they are underground, and signs of pests and rot inside the tree trunk are also difficult to detect with the naked eye. Currently, most units providing green tree management services in the area lack modern equipment to check the roots and trunks, and do not have a digital database of tree age, care history, and pest treatment.

In addition, perennial trees, large in size, high branches, difficult to access to check the canopy. Complex urban environments lead to the fact that tree roots are affected by infrastructure (dug roads, sidewalks, underground sewers) making it difficult to predict tree health and the impact of unusual weather (storms, strong winds) increases risks but is difficult to forecast accurately.

An old tree on Luu Tan Tai Street, Tan Thanh Ward causes insecurity for passersby.

In fact, not all trees are monitored with detailed individual tree data (location, age, species, health status, care history), so the assessment of the current status depends mainly on subjective inspection of the outside of the tree, leading to missing some cases with the risk of internal rot, causing falling, especially during thunderstorms and storms. In addition, resources and technical personnel are limited, making it difficult to comprehensively inspect all urban trees.

Promoting the application of science and technology in urban tree management

To overcome the situation of falling trees in the coming time, it is necessary to synchronously deploy many solutions, from planning, planting, care, to management and supervision. First of all, it is necessary to review and re-evaluate the entire existing tree system. Especially old trees, trees with signs of rot and weak roots to have timely treatment measures.

Mr. Tran Quoc Thong added: "Currently, the Department of Construction is presiding over the development of urban green trees in Ca Mau province until 2030. Thereby, it will review and re-evaluate the current status of green trees in urban areas in the province; focusing on solutions on management, application of science and technology in urban green tree management. In particular, completing guidelines on processes and regulations related to management, supervision, construction, maintenance, conservation and development of urban green trees. Special attention will be paid to the quality of the environment, green trees and landscape works".

Accordingly, Ca Mau will digitize the urban green tree system with interactive interfaces between participating entities, connecting with information systems and electronic and information technology devices such as computers and handheld smart devices... Using software in the management and operation of urban green trees.

Assessing the current status of trees by mere observation will hardly yield accurate results. In other words, assessing the current status of shade trees is not really effective, not keeping up with the pace of urban development and climate change.

In addition, gradually bury the technical infrastructure system of main roads and build new traffic systems to create more space for trees to grow. Propose pruning techniques for some special cases such as safe pruning, growth stimulating pruning, restoration pruning, aesthetic pruning as well as tie safety ropes to reduce the risk of street trees falling and breaking. Propose standards for seedlings in nurseries with planting and care techniques according to a certain process as well as shaping the canopy layer right in the nursery before planting.

Strengthen the dissemination of knowledge and organize the implementation of measures to periodically check and prevent pests and diseases for trees. Strengthen propaganda, raise public awareness about the protection and monitoring of trees, encourage people to report when detecting trees at risk of being unsafe. Improve the coordination mechanism between management agencies, local authorities, functional forces and units providing services on tree management in the work of inspection and handling incidents. At the same time, have a plan to plant new trees and replace trees associated with sustainable urban planning, in order to build a safe, stable and long-term tree system.

A systematic plan to assess the current status of trees and shade trees, apply modern technology, combine community monitoring and scientific planning is an urgent requirement. This is not only the responsibility of the authorities, but also a safe investment and sustainable quality of life for the people.

Van Dum

Source: https://baocamau.vn/danh-gia-hien-trang-cay-xanh-cay-bong-mat-can-giai-phap-dong-bo-va-khoa-hoc-a122404.html