Tree-climbing event gives Hong Kong arborists rare opportunity to train up high
More than 2,000 arborists and members of the public turned up, highlighting dilemma for local tree work practitioners
In a rare opportunity for Hong Kong arborists and the public, a country park on Sunday allowed them to climb trees, prompting fresh calls to allow the practitioners to train at government-run areas.
More than 2,000 people hovered over tree tents and zip lines in Shing Mun Country Park at a two-day public tree event co-organised by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department and the International Society for Arboriculture, whose Hong Kong chapter oversees the profession in the city.
The event highlighted a dilemma in the local arboriculture industry as tree work practitioners have long been unable to practise or conduct professional examinations at government sites due to legal restrictions. Arborists are charged with managing more than 1.6 million trees in the city’s urban areas.
Chiky Wong Chuek-yuet, president of the society comprising 950 certified arborists, called on officials to review pleasure grounds regulations that prohibit climbing trees in government parks.
This is an undesirable situation persisting for years, and no solution seems to be in the offing
“Currently, we have to rent private venues for practising tree work and conducting exams,” he said. “We always have difficulties finding appropriate sites and getting permission from land owners.”
