Under Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s guidance and close supervision, NParks has built up deep capabilities in greening Singapore. Not just in planting and growing trees, but also in transplanting them when necessary.
Last year alone, NParks transplanted 2,100 trees!
They were impacted by road works or flood alleviation projects, and had to be moved. For example, extensive road works are currently underway in Upper Thomson road for the upcoming Thomson Line. Many mature trees were affected. We try to save every mature tree and transplantation allows us to achieve that.
Transplanting mature trees is no easy feat. It requires considerable skill and effort by our NParks arborists.
First, they will assess if the tree can survive this major ‘operation’ by examining if it is healthy, and has a good and well-established root system.
Next, they will try to minimise the “water stress” a tree may face during a transplant, through methods such as trenching.
Post transplantation, the arborists will closely monitor the growth of the tree, giving it extra care through watering, mulching and supplementing with organic material.
Transplanting also allows us to speed up the greening of new roads and new parks. NParks has tree banks where saplings are nurtured to a semi-mature age before they are transplanted out to populate our streetscapes and parks. We have a stock of more than 5,500 trees in our tree banks, comprising more than 40 different species.
We will continue to deepen these greening capabilities so that Singaporeans can always enjoy the lush greenery which Singapore is known for.
Khaw Boon Wan, MND
*Article first appeared on https://mndsingapore.wordpress.com/2015/04/16/transplanting-is-serious-c...