MOTORISTS driving along the shady part of Jalan Tun Dr Awang in Bayan Lepas, Penang will soon find themselves driving under the hot sun as more than 20 Angsana trees are dying or have died by ‘girdling’.
A check by The Star showed that the trees, some 20m in height and more than 30 years old, have had their bark removed from around the entire trunks’ circumference.
Girdling or ring barking results in the death of wood tissues beyond the damage. When the main trunk of a plant is girdled, the entire tree will die as it is unable to regrow and bridge the wound from below.
Engineer B.H. Ong, 44, said he noticed the ‘girdling’ of the trees when he was caught in a traffic jam on his way home from work one Friday.
Sorry sight: A dying Angsana heritage tree, which has been 'girdled' outside a luxury condominium project on Jalan Kelawei “I then decided to come back a few days later to check on the trees further. I was shocked to find at least 20 trees which had been girdled.
“Some had already died. I hope that the authorities especially the Penang Municipal Council will investigate the matter,” he said, adding that some of the trees had also been poisoned.
Ong said he also noticed an “X” marked on about 15 other trees.
“I fear that these healthy trees are marked for chopping down soon. Many trees had been chopped down due to a housing project nearby.
“I have always enjoyed driving along this stretch as it is shady and the trees are nice to look at,” he said.
A heritage Angsana tree has also been found ‘girdled’ outside a luxury condominium project in Jalan Kelawei.
State Health, Welfare, Caring Society and Environment Committee chairman Phee Boon Poh expressed shock when told about the matter and said he would send someone to look into the matter as soon as possible.
Target: Two children looking at a tree marked for chopping down in Jalan Tun Dr Awang “The state will not tolerate the killing or chopping down of trees. We will haul the perpetrator to court when we find out who they are.
“Under the law, anyone intending to chop down a tree more than 12in in width (even if it is in a house compound) will have to obtain a council permit,” he said when contacted.
The local authorities recently came under fire from non-governmental organisations and the public for doing a ‘hack job’ of pruning Penang island’s trees.
Malaysian Nature Society adviser Kanda Kumar said many of the island’s heritage Angsana trees are slowly dying, caused by the digging up of the roots whenever a pipe needs to be laid or a road expanded.
“The council should take better care of these trees as the island will lose its identity if the trees were to die. It will be a tragedy for all Penangites.
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