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MUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1985
+MANY TREES AND PLANTS ALONG THE SLOPE OF THE SITE HAD TO BE TORN DOWN TO MAKE WAY FOR CONSTRUCTION WORK. HOWEVER, THIS RARE TREE WAS SPARED AFTER ITS SPECIAL APPEARANCE WAS NOTICED BY CONSTRUCTION WORKERS.+
MR SIN SAID THE USD'S HORTICULTURE SECTION WAS CALLED IN TO HELP IDENTIFY THE TREE WHICH WAS CERTIFIED TO BE A MATURE TEAK TREE RARELY SEEN IN HONG KONG.
+AS THE URBAN COUNCIL IS ALWAYS ON GUARD AGAINST THE REMOVAL OF TREES, RARE SPECIES IN PARTICULAR, THE USD TOOK THE INITIATIVE TO HELP SAVE THIS RARE TREE BY JOINING HANDS WITH THE BUILDING DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT AND THE FIRE SERVICES DEPARTMENT.
+AS A RESULT OF THEIR COOPERATION, WE HAVE BEEN ABLE TO PRESERVE THIS TEAK TREE, TOGETHER WITH A 15-METRE TALL BANYAN TREE WHICH HAS ALSO BEEN STANDING AT THE FIRE STATION SITE FOR ABOUT 40 TO 50 YEARS.
ALTHOUGH THE ROOTS OF THE TEAK TREE WERE DAMAGED DURING CONSTRUCTION WORK AT THE SITE, THE OPPORTUNITY WAS TAKEN WHILE BUILDING A RETAINING WALL ALONG THE SLOPE TO BUILD A PLANTER AROUND ITS BASE TO HELP PROTECT THE TREE FROM FURTHER DAMAGE.
MR SIN SAID THAT AS AN ADDED PRECAUTIONARY MEASURE DURING THE CONSTRUCTION PERIOD, WOODEN PLANKS WERE PUT UP AROUND THE LOWER PART OF THE TRUNK.
+SINCE THEN, THE TREE, WHICH ONCE SHOWED SIGNS OF WITHERING, HAS BEEN GROWING AGAIN.
+THE USD'S NUSERY STAFF ARE ALSO PLANNING TO PROPAGATE THIS TEAK TREE BY COLLECTING ITS SEEDS WHEN THEY ARE AVAILABLE. ITS FLOWERING PERIOD IS AROUND APRIL AND MAY.+
MEANWHILE, THE USD'S TREE SECTION WILL KEEP MONITORING THE GROWTH OF BOTH THE TEAK AND BANYAN AT THE SITE TO ENSURE THAT THEY CONTINUE TO FLOURISH.
ACCORDING TO MR SIN, THE TEAK TREE WAS PROBABLY INTRODUCED TO HONG KONG BY SOLDIERS ON TRANSFER FROM OTHER PARTS OF ASIA SINCE THE FIRE STATION SITE WAS PART OF THE FORMER VICTORIA BARRACKS.
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