Kaohsiung City launches tree protection drive

Chen said that aside from the government, every one has a responsibility to protect old trees.

“Every old tree is the city's treasure. Everyone should treasure and protect them,” Chen said.

She urged local citizens to treat old trees like they treat their elderly family members, giving them care and cherishing them, in order to make them thrive.

Expressing her gratitude to civic groups for launching the tree protection drive, Chen also called on public enterprises to avoid chopping down old trees to make way for road expansion or other projects.

If they must carry out their projects, they should properly relocate and replant the removed trees, Chen said.

The city enacted a precious tree protection statute in 2004 which listed about 600 trees belonging to about 30 species in the city as protected precious trees.

Most of the trees on the list are rare exotic species, including the Bo tree, rain tree, camphor tree and autumn maple tree.

Since the statue was adopted, the city government has issued a fine of NT$10,000 to National Sun Yat-sen University in 2007 for over pruning three of its Bo trees. A fine of NT$50,000 was imposed on construction contractors for chopping down old trees at the old workers dormitory compound of Taiwan Railway Administration to make way for parking lots.

Subscribe to The China Post and save 25%. Click here

SharePrintEmail

Write a Comment

Terms

Enter your comments - 3000 characters max

Type in image code

Submit

 Receive China Post promos
 Respond to this email