LEGCO QUESTION NO. 17
Annex
The respective numbers of trees under the care of various tree management departments, the manpower involved in tree management as well as the numbers of trees requiring detailed inspection (Note1)
Department / Manpower responsible for tree management under its care(general staff and those who are certified arborists) (Note2) / Number of trees under its care / Number of trees which require further detailed inspection (Note3)
Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department / 83 / A large number of trees are under its care. Exact figure isnot available. / About 20
Architectural Services Department / 11 / A large number of trees are under its care. Exact figure isnot available. / About 140
Civil Engineering and Development Department / 9 / About 1300 / About 40
Drainage Services Department / 16 / About 24 000 / About 20
Highways Department / 21 / About 500 000 / About 400
Housing Department / 31(Note4) / About 78 000 / About 400
Leisure and Cultural Services Department / 210 / Over 700 000 / About 1 000
Water Supplies Department / 6 / About 49 000 / About 60
Note 1： There are differences in the way trees on unallocated and unleased government lands and trees planted within government facilities are managed. There is a very large amount of unallocated and unleased government land (with a total area of 33000 hectares), spreading across the territory. The Lands Department, as the land administration department, could only look to its staff to identify trees that may have problems and take follow-up actions when discharging their day-to-day functions of land control and management on receipt of referrals and complaints.
Note 2：Figures in this column include only the number of government staff involved in day-to-daytree management (ona full-time or part-time basis), but exclude the manpower temporarily deployed on a need basis. Figures in the columnalso exclude senior staff of the departments involved in tree management (particularly at the strategic level). Besides, individual departments have engaged contractors or non-government personnel to assist in tree management.
Note 3： The departments have conducted detailed inspections of the trees in this column. These trees include Old and Valuables Trees and stonewall trees in normal condition, as well as trees that have undergone detailed inspection but without the need for any improvement measures or with improvement measures already completed.
Note 4： Frontline management staff in 160 housing estates also provide assistance.
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