Ancient Trees in Ho Chi Minh City Inspected Against Storm Season

More than 8,000 ancient trees dating back to the French colonial period, aged between 60 and 150 years in Ho Chi Minh City, are undergoing comprehensive health checks to guard against potential storm risks brought by the rainy season.

Scope of Operations

Mr. Le Van Tan, Deputy Director of the Traffic Management and Technical Infrastructure Center under the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Construction, stated that there are over 8,000 old trees in the old urban area, most of which are over 100 years old. These trees, dating from the French colonial era, include mahogany, ironwood, palm trees, star trees, and tamarind.

Methods Applied

On September 22, on Nguyen Binh Khiem street, greenery workers used bucket trucks to inspect branches and potential signs that are difficult to observe from the ground. Similar work was carried out on An Duong Vuong Street outside of peak hours.

Large trees reaching dozens of meters in height require special inspection methods. Since some trees reach 50 meters, fire department ladders and drones are utilized. In addition to daily patrols, the trees are inspected and pruned twice a year.

Inspection Criteria

The checks cover elements such as the root system, trunk tilt, condition of branches, decay, cracks, and sap leakage. The negative impacts of infrastructure construction and sidewalks on the roots are also carefully considered.

Challenges and Priorities

Experts note that nowadays, road expansion, concreting, reduced space for roots, and vortex winds created by high-rise buildings make the living conditions for trees difficult, meaning even trees that look green on the outside can weaken. Trees in areas such as schools, hospitals, bus stops, and busy intersections are given priority in inspection and maintenance.