Forum: Trees should have been relocated instead of being cut down

A few fully grown trees, including a mango tree and one that looked like a chiku tree, at Block 231 in Pending Road were cut down and removed recently.

Residents living in the area were upset at the unexpected loss of these trees. The reason behind their removal was unclear, with some suggesting that the trees had been planted on public land.

Residents had seen these trees grow from tender shoots to full-grown trees to become an integral part of their lives. The trees also offered shade and served as homes and food sources for many birds and insects.

It is ironic that these trees were removed while 10,000 trees are being planted to mark the 100th birth anniversary of Singapore’s founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew.

I wonder why these trees could not have been relocated instead of being cut down.

Preserving an existing, fully grown tree makes more ecological sense than starting from scratch with young saplings.

The authorities should have adopted a more lenient approach instead of getting rid of the trees, given that it typically takes five to eight years for a tree to reach maturity.

Chong Ling Eng