Debated in Parliament on 13 May 2013.
Mr Gerald Giam Yean Song asked the Minister for National Development (a) how many tree failures, such as uprooted trees, snapped branches and broken trunks, occurred in 2012 and 2013 to-date; (b) how many people have been killed or injured as a result of tree failures in the last 10 years; (c) whether there are plans to step up the frequency of tree safety inspections; (d) whether there are plans to remove storm-vulnerable trees along areas with vehicular or pedestrian traffic and replace them with more storm-resistant species; (e) if so, how many more of these trees have yet to be removed and replaced; and (f) when will this exercise be completed.
The National Parks Board (NParks) manages over 1.4 million trees. In 2012, there were 1,050 incidences of tree failures, most of which were broken branches and uprooted trees. As at April this year, there were 438 cases of tree failures, which is 5% lower compared to the same period last year.
Over the last 10 years, there were four fatalities and 62 cases of injuries caused by failure of trees under adverse weather conditions.
Since June 2012, NParks has stepped up its inspection frequency of mature trees significantly. Trees in flood-prone areas are also inspected before the onset of the Northeast monsoon season when heavy rains and strong wind gusts are anticipated. NParks will remove defective trees and prune the dense crowns of big trees to reduce their weight and to enhance tree stability during rainstorms.
In addition, NParks has identified storm-vulnerable trees for removal. These are tree species which tend to be self-sown and fast-growing. Last year, NParks removed more than 4,000 storm-vulnerable trees, such as the Albizia, Wild Cinnamon and African Tulip. NParks also advises other land owners to do the same if they find such trees growing on their land.
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