The Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) said in a statement on Friday that a ficus microcarpa in Mong-Ha Hill Municipal Park needs to be removed as it has been infected with Phellinus noxius (aka brown root rot) which increases the danger of the tree falling.
According to Wikipedia, ficus microcarpa, also known as Chinese banyan, Indian laurel and curtain fig, is widely planted as a shade tree among the fig family Moraceae which is native in a range from China through tropical Asia and the Caroline Islands to Australia.
The statement noted that the bureau’s staff had tried to treat the tree but the brown root rot could not be eradicated, so the tree could fall. Therefor, the bureau has decided to remove the tree for public safety within the next few days and urged the residents to follow its staff members’ instructions when it will be felled, and to avoid getting close to the area even before that.
The statement pointed out that phellinus noxius is a type of root fungi that will kill the roots and cause the infected trees to wither, and the fungi will also rot through the decayed wood tissue which makes the roots and trunks become fragile. The statement highlighted that IAM staff discovered during a regular check in 2019 that the leaves of the ficus microcarpa in Mong-Ha Hill Municipal Park were sparse. After a detailed inspection of its roots, the bureau confirmed that the tree has been infected with phellinus noxius, and part of the roots were already rotting, so the bureau immediately took measures that included pruning to reduce the weight of the crown of the tree, tying the tree for stability, as well as infusing fluid into the tree for treatment. The staff also removed other diseased plants and roots near the tree.
The statement underlined that during a review in 2020, the staff discovered that the infected roots were dead and had already expanded to the ground area, where mycelium (the vegetative part of a fungus) had grown on some of the roots, so IAM staff treated the tree again and reinforced the monitoring activity. The statement added that the bureau then set up a divider and kept spraying chemicals over the tree in 2021. However, although the tree looks intact, the infected roots are seriously rotted and the trunk is fragile and has lost its anchorage. After the assessment and in order to prevent the danger of the tree falling, the bureau has decided to remove the tree as soon as possible, the statement added.
The statement noted that as Macau is getting into the rainy and typhoon seasons, IAM staff will pay close attention to the daily pruning of trees with a dense canopy and check on the trees that are in a bad condition and follow up on the issue when a potential safety hazard is discovered. The bureau urged the public to avoid going into a forested area or standing under the trees during windy and rainy weather or days afterwards, in order to prevent the risk of being hit by falling branches.
If anyone finds a trees displaying any abnormalities, they should call the bureau on 2833 7676 or report the issue on the IAM website: https://app.iam.gov.mo/iamconnect.
This undated handout picture provided by the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) on Friday shows an IAM staff member infusing fluid into the tree for treatment.
