Gist of the Second Meeting held on 14 October 2011

1. Recommendations of the Coroner's Court arising from the inquest into the Yuen Chau Kok incident
   • Members were presented with a Paper on the recommendations of the Coroner's Court arising from an inquest conducted on the cause of death of a passer-by in a tree collapse incident near Yuen Chau Kok Park, Shatin on 14 June 2010.
   • The recommendations covered three aspects, (a) improvement of tree risk management, (b) enhanced training for frontline staff and (c) promotion of civic education and awareness.
2. Progress Report and Review on the 2011 Tree Risk Assessment and Management Arrangement
   • Members were presented with a Paper on progress of the implementation of the 2011 tree risk management exercise undertaken by the executive departments and recommendations to strengthen the Tree Risk Assessment (TRA) for the 2012 exercise.
   • Members were informed that TMO arranged training to prepare and equip government staff and government appointed consultants/contractor staff in tree management departments with knowledge of the promulgated tree risk assessment arrangement so as to facilitate the effective implementation of the 2011 tree risk assessment exercise.
   • Members were further briefed on the progress of the 2011 Tree Risk Assessment and Management which was closely monitored by the TMO every two weeks by calling for departmental returns.
   • Members were informed that TMO also carried out audits on a random basis of completed forms which involved desk top and field survey work.
   • Members were briefed that TMO had considered positive ways to strengthen the 2012 Tree Risk Assessment Exercise in response to the Coroner's Court recommendations and feedback from departments on the 2011 TRA exercise,
   • TMO was now conducting a comprehensive review on the tree risk assessment and management arrangement, which is targeted to be completed by mid-2012.
   • Members were informed that TMO had developed a Competency Matrix to set out the overall competency and skill requirements for respective levels of the workforce of the greening, landscape and tree management sector, which could be used for reference in developing the training plan for the staff.
3. Tree Preservation in Relation to Installation of Hoarding at Construction Sites on Private Land
   • Members were presented on the Paper on the review being conducted on the existing practices/procedures relating to tree preservation in handling the applications for installation of hoarding at construction sites on private land where trees are affected and made recommendations to improve the situation.
   • Members appreciated the study and found the recommendations very good with proposed enhancement to the current hoarding design and existing procedures and practices for tree preservation.
   • They provided advice on the minimal requirement on space provision for trees adjacent to hoarding and various measures to improve the protection of trees adjacent to construction hoarding.
4. Tree Case : OVT WCH/10 in Wan Chai
   A site inspection of the tree was conducted
   • LCSD briefed Members on-site of the history, conditions and their treatment of the OVT WCH/10 which was confirmed by TMO to be infected by brown root rot disease.
   • Members suggested remedial measures to improve the health and structural condition of the subject tree.