Tree Portal

Life Education and Citizen Science through Tree Protection and Conservation

Trees are living organisms that are subject to attack by decay or disease-causing natural enemies in the course of their life span. When they suffer from these intrusions, they often express visible symptoms which may be structural or physiological. Tree managers can learn to recognise such symptoms and match them to different kinds of causes. The technique, known as visual tree assessment (VTA), identifies the specific symptoms which can be regarded as the body language of trees.

Even though trees cannot tell us about their ailments, they can communicate with us by displaying a wide range of visual hints, which can assist diagnosis from which treatments could be prescribed to help them. Timely treatment can help trees to lessen and contain the harmful impacts, to recover and regain health, and to render them stable and safe. They are important measures to reduce the risk of trees to life and property especially in cities.

樹木這種生物的一生中，會經歷腐爛或受到致病天敵侵襲。當它們面對這些侵擾時，通常會展現一些可見的結構或生理跡象，樹木管理人員可學習加以辨認，並找出相配的不同原因。該技巧稱為目視樹木評估，用於辨識可視為樹木身體語言的具體跡象。

雖然樹木沒法表述病痛，但可以透過大量肉眼可見的種種徵狀跟我們溝通，藉以協助診斷，從而給予幫助及治療。及時治理可助樹木減輕及控制有害的影響，讓它們得以康復及重拾健康，處於穩定安全的狀況。這些都是減低樹木危及生命財產的重要措施，在城市尤其意義重大。