Wednesday January 11, 2012

Tree pruning 'necessary'

THE Penang Municipal Council (MPPP) has defended its "excessive" pruning of trees on the island, describing the move as necessary to encourage healthy and vigorous growth.

Its president Patahiyah Ismail said the council normally engaged experts to seek their advice before executing any tree pruning pro-jects.

"Through our landscaping division under the recreation, tourism and interna tional affairs department, we would study to decide the suitable types of trees to be planted and the pruning activities," she told a press conference after a council meeting at City Hall in George Town.

She was referring to a report in StarMetro yesterday on how the trees along Jalan Tanjung Bungah, Jalan Sultan Azlan Shah, Jalan Udini and Sungai Ara had been badly hacked.

"The pruning along Jalan Udini was necessary to remove parasites and encourage the trees to grow healthily.

Speaking up: Patahiyah, showing the front page story in StarMetro yesterday, defends the council's move to prune the trees.

"The council is also trying to control the Picus trees on Jalan Mesjid Negeri to ensure the branches spread out beautifully when the trees grow," she explained.

On the exposure of the roots of trees on Jalan Gottlieb, Patahiyah said the 64 Manila Palms would be transplanted to three areas — the Esplanade, the Penang Municipal Park and an open area in Tanjong Tokong.

"The council has consulted arborists to determine the proper way to transplant the trees.

"We will also dicuss with professionals what type of suitable trees to plant along Jalan Gottlieb," she added.

Malaysian Nature Society adviser Kanda Kumar described MPPP's action as pollarding (cutting limbs) rather than pruning.

"Pollarding is unhealthy. It is better to set a schedule and have wor-kers monitor the trees regularly.

"This enables them to trim the trees when needed, especially if there are parasites on branches.

"For instance, Picus trees should be pruned during the early stages instead of having their limbs hacked off when the branches are already beautifully spread out," he said when contacted yesterday.

When asked about the Manila Palm transplant, Kanda said it would affect the lifespan of the trees.

"It is not suitable for the trees to be removed to other areas unless the earth fertility is ascertained," he said.