IAM to launch vine removal and forest protection in Guia Hill section by section in phases

Guia Hill Municipal Park is a place with a high occurrence of brown root rot disease. It has been affected by typhoons in recent years, which caused the imbalance of forest regulation and self-restoration and the excessive growth of invasive vines. To protect the health of the forest area in Guia Hill, the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) will launch vine removal and forest protection work in Guia Hill Municipal Park from March onwards. The work period is about 90 days, during which the public are advised to follow the on-site instructions and avoid approaching the work area. Meanwhile, IAM will also set up a popular science education and demonstration area in Guia Hill to display the alien invasive vines that were removed during the forest clearing work in Guia Hill and introduce information about forest protection.

Guia Hill looks green but is actually tangled by vines

The forest area in Guia Hill Municipal Park looks green on the surface. However, a large part of the area has actually been covered by alien invasive vine plants including Hypserpa nitida, Pueraria montana var. lobata, Cassytha filiformis and Mikania micrantha. These plants have deprived the existing forest trees of adequate sunlight for photosynthesis, and the tree saplings under the trees cannot grow normally. In the end, the forest area has continuously deteriorated and could not naturally generate, and it has gradually lost it ecological function.

To protect the health and rich ecological diversity of the forest area in Guia Hill Municipal Park, IAM will launch vine removal and forest protection work from 18 March onwards. The main task in the first phase is removal of vines, as well as wilted trees and dangerous trees in deterioration, so as to reduce tree collapse accidents, increase the space for tree growth and improve tree health. The area for tree care includes the forest area on both sides of the trail with 33 bends (Estrada do Engenheiro Trigo) on Guia Hill and the Guia Hill Fitness Trail. The work will be carried out in phases in sections of 50 metres each. The whole work period is about 90 days, and the vine removal and tree protection work is expected to be completed in mid-June.

To ensure safety, parts of the mentioned area will be enclosed according to the actual conditions during the forest protection work period. IAM appeals to the public for their compliance and understanding. IAM also reminds the public that if they find any abnormalities in trees, they can call the IAM Civic Service Hotline 2833 7676 or report the case through “IAM Connect”.

Establishment of popular science education area and organisation of public participation in vine removal work

To deepen the public’s understanding of vine removal and forest protection work, IAM set up a popular science education and demonstration area in mid-February in Guia Hill Trail. Some vines removed from the forest area in Guia Hill were put on display. Vine removal and forest protection work was introduced to the public in a more comprehensive manner through pictures, text and actual objects, so as to let them understand the potential hazards of excessive growth of vines on the ecological environment. Furthermore, associations, teachers and students of schools and the public have been organised to participate in vine removal work to deepen their understanding of protection of green and ecological resources.

Recently, members of the environment and greening task force of the Consultative Committee on Municipal Affairs of IAM were invited to carry out on-site inspection of forest protection work in Guia Hill. They provided opinions on the optimisation of the work safety and explanation of vine removal and forest protection work.