Updated: 12/27/2012 01:55 | By Channel NewsAsia

NParks steps up checks to prevent falling trees during storms

SINGAPORE: The National Parks Board (NParks) has stepped up measures to ensure that fewer trees fall during storms.

In the last five years, an average of 300 trees fell a year in bad weather.

To ensure public safety, NParks has increased the number of checks on trees since the beginning of last year.

Checks on trees near busy roads are now made once every 12 months, up from once every 18 months.

For trees on non—busy roads, checks are conducted once every two years.

Oh Cheow Sheng, Director of Streetscape Division at National Parks Board, said: "We’ve stepped up checks on the trees along busy roads, and trimmed the crowns of trees. We’ve also removed trees that may be vulnerable to the impact of storms. As for trees with a heavier crown, we trim the crown to lighten its weight, so as to reduce the chances of the trees falling during heavy storms."

— CNA/de