About a week ago, I saw a tree branch falling from a height of about 9m. When it hit the ground, the branch, which was about 2.5m, broke into several pieces and scattered around the Park Connector Network (PCN) walking and riding paths. Fortunately, nobody was cycling or walking near the area during the incident. I find that most trees here are planted close to paths. Some paths have been damaged by trees with invasive root systems, and have become hazardous for users. With riding allowed on pedestrian paths, the authorities need to allocate more space for trees to grow without encroaching into people’s paths. When planting new trees, it may be better to choose smaller trees that have non-aggressive root systems and do not litter paths with fruits, branches and leaves. While it is not possible to eliminate the risk of falling trees and branches, the authorities need to consider stepping up the inspection and pruning of mature trees during dry weather spells, and when there are periods of heavy rain.... Continue Reading