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Clear waters and green mountains - President Xi

Forestree is committed to following the guidance and direction set out by the Chinese President Xi in his speech on "Clear waters and green mountains (綠水青山就是金山银山)".

This involves striking a balance between economic development and environmental protection, recognizing that the two are interconnected and that sustainable development requires the preservation of natural resources.

The understanding of once the environment has been polluted, it can be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to reverse the damage. Therefore, there is a growing consensus that we must take proactive measures to prevent environmental degradation and promote sustainable development.

At Forestree, we are fully committed to this goal. We believe that by adopting environmentally responsible practices and promoting sustainable forestry management, we can contribute to the long-term health and well-being of our planet.

Source: "Green is Gold: Clear Waters and Green Mountains are as Good as Mountains of Gold and Silver". chiculture.org.hk. Academy of Chinese Studies (中國文化研究院). 27 July 2019.

President Xi speech on https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xt4wNn3q070

"习近平主席：宁可要绿水青山，不要金山银山。｜中国　哈萨克斯坦　演讲　环境保护　#shorts". YouTube. Uploaded by 新华社 on August 31, 2021. Accessed on July 15, 2023. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/shorts/xt4wNn3q070

Present Tree Management in Hong Kong

The Tree Management Office conducts regular inspections before the windy and rainy seasons, but trees on private property are managed in a free-range style and the Tree Management Office has no authority over them.

As most buildings in Hong Kong are built on slopes, there are 60,000 artificial slopes with trees that involve different departments and private property rights. However, the government adopts an owner-led approach to manage and maintain trees, and there is a lack of a public-private partnership management and maintenance system.

For example, trees on highways are the joint responsibility of the Lands Department, the Architectural Services Department, and the Civil Engineering and Development Department, but most of the departments outsource the management work. The quality of the work by the outsourcing contractors varies, and the lack of cross-departmental cooperation in government departments makes tree management a hot potato issue.

Source: "一宗樹木投訴　四部門互推　花195日釐清誰跟進". The Collective HK. Published on June 28, 2023. Accessed on July 15, 2023. Available at: https%3A%2F%2Fthecollectivehk.com%2F一宗樹木投訴%E3%80%80四部門互推%E3%80%80花195日釐清誰跟進%2F

Source: "Hong Kong villager dies after trying to chop down six-metre tree". South China Morning Post. Published on October 28, 2022. Accessed on July 15, 2023. Available at: https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3197646/hong-kong-villager-dies-after-trying-chop-down-six-metre-tree

Source: "12-metre tree falls on luxury car in Hong Kong shopping district". South China Morning Post. Published on July 15, 2023. Accessed on July 15, 2023. Available at: https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/3223381/12-metre-tree-falls-luxury-car-hong-kong-shopping-district

Tree Statistics and surveying

Tree statistics have always been a labor-intensive activity that requires a lot of manpower and outdoor physical work. Survey and mapping personnel need to draw statistical boundaries on the ground and then, for each tree within the boundary, record its parameters (tree height, canopy, diameter at breast height, trunk diameter), identify its species, observe and record the health status of its roots, stems, branches, and leaves, and report any severe damage or decay in writing. They also need to take photos of the tree's roots, trunk, and canopy.

Therefore, Hong Kong needs an automated, objective, and fast tree statistics system.

Forestree is committed to developing and researching the use of GIS and surveying technology to strengthen local tree statistics and management procedures. By using digital terrain and surface models, it calculates the water flow direction and accumulation on the artificial slopes and simulates potential locations of tree root decay. Remote sensing technology is used to calculate the chlorophyll and reflectance changes of trees over the years, which can be used to conduct periodic risk assessments of trees. Furthermore, by combining different dimensions of point cloud data and aerial survey images, a deep learning model for tree species recognition is constructed to increase the automation of statistical information.

Urban habitat in Hong Kong

Hong Kong is a highly populated metropolis with few natural areas. This city also boasts a rich urban ecosystem that is home to a wide range of plants and birds. Trees can be found in parks, gardens, streets, and along hiking paths in natural regions around Hong Kong. Many of these trees, particularly those found in natural regions, are native species that have adapted to the local temperature and soil conditions.

Birds in Hong Kong live in a variety of environments, including urban areas, parks, woods, and wetlands. The city is positioned in the East Asian-Australian Flyway, which is used by numerous bird species to migrate. As a result, Hong Kong has become a vital stopping and wintering location for many migratory species.

Red-whiskered Bulbul (紅耳鵯) in Archontophoenix alexandrae

Oriental Magpie-Robin (鵲鴝) in Spathodea campanulata

Chung, Y. (2021, August 18). 環保議題易被炒作成反政府藉口，環團申撥款須簽國安聲明 [Environmental issues are easily exploited as an anti-government pretext, environmental groups applying for funding must sign a national security declaration]. Yahoo! News Hong Kong.

In response to Tse Secretary for Environment and Ecology statement that environmental protection is subjective and never-ending, and that environmental issues are sometimes exploited as a pretext for anti-government sentiment, it is important to acknowledge that environmental challenges can be complex and multifaceted. However, it is crucial to prioritize environmental protection as it is essential for the well-being of both current and future generations.

Forestree believes that our solution can provide objective and quantitative methods to improve the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process and enhance urban planning and environmental protection in Hong Kong.

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