TAIPEI (TVBS News) — Legislators and tree conservation groups urged the government on Tuesday (Jan. 7) to establish standards for road greening and include professional landscape tree experts during budget reviews to enhance urban environments. The call for action highlights the pressing need for systematic regulations and protection measures for trees in urban settings.
Speaking at a press event, Lo Ting-wei (羅廷瑋), a legislator from the opposition Kuomintang (KMT, 國民黨), emphasized the importance of trees as crucial green infrastructure. He stated the country lacks planting regulations and urged the central government to swiftly develop guidelines for the protection and planting of street trees. Lo also suggested that the Ministry of the Interior (MOI, 內政部) should set standards for road canopy coverage to ensure proper planting, maintenance, and construction protection of street trees, thereby reducing risks to road users.
Hung Yu-kai (洪郁凱), representing the Tucheng Love Green Association (看守土城愛綠協會), advocated for the inclusion of at least three landscape tree experts in the MOI's subsidized sidewalk improvement projects. This measure aims to ensure the proper planning and maintenance of street trees. Also, Chen Weil-chung (陳薇仲), a former Keelung City councilor, criticized the chaotic regulations in Keelung City, which fail to protect trees effectively. He called for the MOI to incorporate tree protection guidelines into engineering contracts.
Hsu Wan-ling (徐宛鈴), executive director of the Earth Heart Environmental Care Association (大地心環境關懷協會), expressed concern over the removal of nine street trees by the Taichung City Maintenance Office (台中市養護工程處), causing distress among residents. Hsu stressed the need for ecological checks and proactive supervision by the National Land Management Agency (國土署) to prevent similar incidents in the future.
