Saving the Trees !

[DrBubb]

That was quite a blow last night !

The typhoon no.9 warning was followed by some very strong winds last night, and we seem to have lost over one dozen 20-30 foot tall trees within the perimeter of Caribbean Coast.

This happened because the strong winds came before the newly-planted trees had properly rooted.  The only support many had was a rooted section less than 2-3 feet wide, and some inadequate support in the form of props and guide wires.  I hope the trees will be better supported in the future.

My immediate concern is saving the trees that are half fallen.

I think this can be done, by re-digging the holes where the roots are to go, and pulling the trees back into an upright position.

Just now, I saw three willing-but-petite Cantonese women, part of our gardening staff, trying to deal with this problem.

I am willing to volunteer to help dig holes, and man a "tug-of-war" type team to pull these trees back into an upright position.  If we wait for the government to do it, or leave it to the gardening team on their own, it may be too late.

Is anyone else willing to volunteer? 
Does anyone know how to contact the head gardeners, to offer such assistance?

[mango on the run]

You are too eager to steal people their jobs donot you Just kidding! Give it a few more days and if we do not see any action then I will be happy to coordinate.

[CCTungChung]

Trees that have become horizontal might not have two or three days...

I would love to help but unfortunately I will be out all day today.

[DrBubb]

THIS IS SERIOUS === $300,000 per Tree !

That's a figure that someone quoted as the likely cost of replacing each tree.

If we lost 10 trees, that's $3 million to be added onto the management fees:
about $700 per flat !

I would rather save them.  But I cannot do it on my own.

I visited the Management Office again today, and the ever-helpful, Amanda Lam, toild me that she has been in touch with both the CC Gardening people and the TC government office about the trees.  She took me out to point out that many of the trees were outside the property boundary of CC, and so were the responsibility of the government.  Nevertheless, she has asked the gardeners to water the roots.  (That's a good suggestion, but it didnt look like they hade been watered.)

I thanked Amanda for her efforts, but as I continued my jog, I saw many fallen trees that look as if they are within CC boundaries.

I still think we should do something about this.

[JEFF LAM YUET]

maybe they want them to die then replace new trees for millions and charge 10% MR....................

I think people here must act now like you, to deal with them as a group instead of individuals.

If I call for action to go to MO and urgently ask them to help the trees, who will join us?

[DrBubb]

maybe they want them to die then replace new trees for millions and charge 10% MR....................
I think people here must act now like you, to deal with them as a group instead of individuals.
If I call for action to go to MO and urgently ask them to help the trees, who will join us?

I think I will copy Amanda, who seems very helpful, on these posts,
and ask her to forward them to the head of gardening, and say that the residents
want to save these trees

[DrBubb]

This is a small challenge, saving the trees, and we are up to it!

In fact, there's a global trend, called the "Transition Towns" movement, where local people take more responsibility for their own immediate environment.  They have a 12 step program, and here's one of the Steps:

#8. Facilitate the Great Reskilling
Give people a powerful realisation of their own ability to solve problems, to achieve practical results and to work cooperatively alongside other people.

/see: http://www.greenenergyinvestors.com/index.php?showtopic=4099

 == ==

SAVING TREES is simple, immediate, and possible.
If only I can get the cooperation of our project's gardeners.

Once we have show we can work together on a small project like this,
our owners and residents can cooperate on bigger projects.

(Can someone put a similar poll on the Chinese language website, please)

[Zorro]

Dr B,

You can't be serious, 300,000 per tree?

I hope the Home Owners Committee are going to do something about this... also hope you are elected mate.

Cheers,

Z

[DrBubb]

$300,000 is the figure that was given at a CC phase 3 meeting.

Seems alot, but I presume that this includes: transportation to CC and replantng.
We can save alot, since a live tree is there, and needs to transport, just lifting up
into position.

 == ==

The MO call me a few minutes ago to say:
+ The spoke to the Gardeners, and volunteer help was rejected because:
.. WE WOULD HAVE NO INSURANCE COVER !

I dont know who dreams up these excuses, but some HK folk are good at this
practice, and the lack of insurance is a standard ploy in the excuse game.

When I responded that, I was only talking about digging a hole and pulling on
a rope, and I would be happy to waive insurance cover in writing, the woman
from the MO didnt know what to say.

She did have one good point, she said the gardeners were busy now cutting
down dead branches on the trees in front of Phase 1, and that this was a
higher priority, because there was some risk of danger to humans. 

I presume that she meant to the gardeners themselves, since they are the only
ones who work under the trees.  (Although they are insurance for this, unlike
the rest of us, I have to take her point- the gardeners are human too.)

The sad thing is: the trees are dying as their roots dry out, so it may soon
be too late.

[CCTungChung]

Oh now that`s lame...

I feel bad for those trees... and how can it be so expensive to re-plant? I don`t trust those numbers...

[newstart]

So why is every gardener not our replanting the trees that are gonna cost a fortune to replace?
Surely the management have to answer to the owners to some degree as too what they spend our money on and they cannot just go off doing as they please.

[Icarus]

Nice to hear they care so much about our safety! Pity they don't adopt the same philosophy with the floor tiles.

Same ol' same ol"!!! Thousand good reasons to do something and they seek a reason why not. Don't do anything and you can't make a mistake.

$300k a tree is ridiculous even by these Muppets standards and can't be right.

If they don't do anything and we lose these trees I propose we bury a member of management up to their necks in each vacant hole. We won't need insurance for that & for once no one will be worried where the dogs piss.

[fieter]

Dr Bubb

You not serious about THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND per tree are you? This must be a typo? $ 3000 per tree is more like it - I know - Ive been to the local nurseries.

While on this topic - who takes care of the finances of CC - ie who justifies ad approves the money spend out of our fees? I am new here - not even moved in yet and already I see some things here that is seriously disturbing! I have a feeling there might be some fraudulent stuff going on with this management..... like the new carpark mentioned elsewhere that suddenly appeared where there were none before........

[kent]

Once you have committed to purchasing, they got you by your proverbial "coin purse".

Although a good community building, team building, friendship making, exercise.... management may think what a deal they are getting.  You will not get your money back, and you might end up with a herniated disc (for which you are not only financially responsible for upfront, but will pay a life long toll).

It would be safer if we all pitch in to fix the floor tiles instead. Less risk of injury for the volunteer and greater return on safety.  The tiles can slip you up even when you ARE expecting it, while the trees are rather harmless in their fallen state and can be avoided by keeping a distance.


[edit] it would be good to get a second opinion on the price for tree restoration, though!  This might indicate a mismanagement of fees and possible backdoor deals with financial kickbacks.   

[DrBubb]

Dr Bubb

You not serious about THREE HUNDRED THOUSAND per tree are you? This must be a typo? $ 3000 per tree is more like it - I know - Ive been to the local nurseries.

While on this topic - who takes care of the finances of CC - ie who justifies ad approves the money spend out of our fees? I am new here - not even moved in yet and already I see some things here that is seriously disturbing! I have a feeling there might be some fraudulent stuff going on with this management..... like the new carpark mentioned elsewhere that suddenly appeared where there were none before........

It sounded high to me too.

What size tree are you talking about BTW?

==

I am totally amazed that 40% voting here think:  THE DEVELOPER or Insurance should pay !

Just how do you expect that to happen? 
The developer is OUT, he has sold the property, we are the owners now and have no claim.
Also, for insurance: unless I am wrong, the storm was an ACT OF GOD, we cannot expect to
claim on insurance.

I amy have been wrong to have picked up such I high estimate if tree costs (and would be happy
to be shown to be far too high), but we really need to get realistic, people, and understand what
responsibilities we need to shoulder on our own.

There is not always someone out there to blame, or claim against!