[fblike]

{Tree crashed into the roof of the 3rd floor. © Tok Wei Min}

{Close-up of it’s uprooted…root. © Wilson Yap}

Previously we mentioned about how falling trees and tree branches can cause deaths or traffic accidents. Here’s one example that is much much closer to (my) home.

We used to have these really pretty looking cypress trees that enhances the landscape but because of this incident, checks were conducted and the verdict that the roots and trunk of this type of trees were too weak for its height. Thus these trees were good for the “summer” periods when it’s hot and sunny, but when the monsoon season rolls about, there is a risk that these trees might be uprooted with the heavy downpours and strong winds. After this incident, all similar trees were cut down and removed. Only those which have thicker, sturdier trunks and roots were allowed to remain.

Yet another reminder of the human-environment conflict – the natural environment can be a potential hazard and pose a certain threat to the safety of human communities. Hence there is a need to strike a balance and ensure cohesion between human community and the natural environment: certain precautions and considerations e.g. type of trees you plant near buildings have to be sturdy and can withstand weather conditions in that area, rather than just blind and impulsive pro-environmental actions.