Replies to LegCo questions

LCQ2:Tree planting undertaken by Gov't

Following is a question by Ir.Dr.the Hon. Raymond Ho Chung-tai and a reply by the Secretary for the Environment and Food, Mrs Lily Yam, in the Legislative Council meeting (May 15):

Question

With regard to tree-planting in various districts, will the Government inform this Council of:

(a) the procedures involved in the tree-planting programes for various districts from the proposal stage to the implementation stage, the government department responsible for each procedure and the average time taken to complete the process;

(b) the number of trees planted in various districts by government departments in each of the past three years; and

Answer

(a) When government departments undertake tree-planting at sites under their jurisdiction or when carrying out public works projects for which they are responsible, the departments concerned are responsible for all planting procedures, from design, selection of species, to actual planting. If necessary, the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) and the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) can provide professional advice on planting technique and species selection.

If the departments concerned intend to hand over the maintenance responsibilities to other departments, they must consult the departments which will take up the future maintenance work and obtain their prior agreement to ensure that proper maintenance facilities are in place.

The time required for tree planting depends on the planting location, and the scale and nature of associated project. For example, LCSD requires only two to three weeks to plan and plant trees in the parks under their jurisdiction. For tree planting in association with works project, the planting works has to tie in with the overall progress of the works projects. The time required depends on the schedule of each project. For large-scale projects, it may take several years to complete the procedures.

(b) In the past three years, the government departments planted a total of about 23.56 million trees in various districts. The numbers of trees planted each year are as follows:

1999-2000	about 6.29 million
2000-2001	about 7.63 million
2001-2002	about 9.64 million

(c) In the coming three years, the government will continue to promote greening actively and plant an average of over 10 million trees per year:

(i)LCSD will continue to undertake extensive tree-planting and beautification works in urban areas including vacant government lands;

(ii)works departments will carry out active tree-planting in government projects including new town developments, road construction works, and improvement works of current facilities;

(iii)Housing Department will continue to adopt the principle of "plant one tree for every 15 flats" in housing estates;

(iv)AFCD will carry out massive planting of trees and tree seedlings inside and outside country parks; and

(v)various District Offices will work together with the District Councils to promote greening.

Wednesday, May 15, 2002