Hey there!
Recently I came across this news online which made me decide to discuss this topic about tree falls.
Sadly, tree falls are pretty common in Singapore since we are surrounded by trees. A few months ago, I took this photo from the window of my room.
Seems like a bad day for the car owner
At times, situations such as the one above is considered mild. If the very target of the tree or branch fall is shifted to a person, I believe that the matter will escalate to become more serious. Just recently on July 2016, a motorcyclist was in coma after being hit by a falling tree at Admiralty Road West (Laiu, 2016). The impact was severe, leaving the motorcyclist, at best, paralysed from the waist and a blind eye (Laiu, 2016). With such devastating consequences, should there be a party responsible for such incidents? Who exactly is at fault?
Is it an act of nature or an act of negligence?
Thinking about the question above, there are endless uncertainties in my mind. With regards to determining negligence, how do we measure the amount of care given to a tree? How do we know if the tree is well taken care of? If it is an act of nature, can we do anything about it?
Unfortunately, it is impossible to ensure that there will be no such incidents occurring since strong winds and storms can even affect the healthiest trees (Nparks, 2014). While it is true that these trees are under the care of Nparks and the blame of such incidents might be shifted to them, there is really nothing that can be done if a healthy tree or branch falls due to bad weather conditions. The unpredictability of these incidents emphasizes the hardships of having greenery in our urban environment and we should not take them for granted. While incorporating greenery into our environment may be widely encouraged, we should also note that placing trees into our living environment is a long-term commitment and efforts do not just end at the very action of planting trees.
At the end of the day, whose fault is it? Nparks? The weather? Truthfully, the answer is not clear as the factors behind these falls are too wide and it would be unfair to pin point a party to blame. Instead of spending time to figure out who is at fault, the best action that can be done is to minimize such occurrences by conducting regular checks on the trees and to trim the trees frequently.
Tree and branch falls can happen at any place and any time. Perhaps, what we can do is to be more aware of our surroundings. This may not sound satisfying as a recommendation but this is something we can do at the very least, since the responsibility of our own safety comes from us as well. 🙂
Cheers!
♣ Johanah
References:
Channel News Asia, (2016 September 12), Heritage Tree Falls on Chinatown’s Pearl Bank Apartments, Retrieved on 16 September 2016, from: http://www.channelnewsasia.com/news/singapore/heritage-tree-falls-on-chinatown-s-pearl-bank-apartments/3120422.html
Laiu, D. (2016 July 28), Motorcyclist in Coma After Tree Falls on Him, Retrieved on 16 September 2016, from: http://www.tnp.sg/news/singapore-news/motorcyclist-coma-after-tree-falls-him
Nparks, (2014 November 20), Nparks’ Tree Management Programme, Retrieved on 16 September 2016, from: https://www.nparks.gov.sg/news/2013/1/nparks-tree-management-programme
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