KUALA LUMPUR: The felling of 90 high-risk trees recommended for removal around Kuala Lumpur is currently underway and expected to be completed by early July, according to Minister in the Prime Minister's Department (Federal Territories) Dr Zaliha Mustafa.
In a statement on her official Facebook page, Dr Zaliha said that an additional 240 trees were currently being assessed for risk, with this process expected to conclude by early August.
She also chaired the Task Force Committee Meeting on High-Risk Tree Management to foster collaboration in research, knowledge, technology, and expertise in urban tree management in Kuala Lumpur.
The task force involves Universiti Putra Malaysia, the Malaysian Society of Arborist, the Institute of Landscape Architects Malaysia, the Federal Territories Department, the Forestry Department of Peninsular Malaysia, the National Landscape Department, the police and Fire and Rescue Department.
"The task force will also be expanded to include environmental non-governmental organisations (NGOs)," she added.
Dr Zaliha said the task force will explore the potential for establishing a green area trust fund to encourage public-private partnerships through a whole-of-nation approach to enhance green landscape competence while maintaining the green area percentage in Kuala Lumpur as targeted by the Kuala Lumpur Structure Plan 2040.
"I have also directed the task force to examine the tree replacement plan with a focus on the One Million Trees Planting Programme in Kuala Lumpur, paying attention to factors such as tree species, planting space, root depth, and others," she said. – BERNAMA