The Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) said in a statement on Friday that an ailing Cinnamomum burmannii tree in the city’s main square, Largo do Senado, will be removed at the beginning of this month for reasons of public safety.
The statement did not elaborate on the exact timing of the tree’s removal.
According to the statement, the tree, which is infected with root rot, has been consumed by termites since last year, resulting in the continued weakening of tree growth and bark loss. Since then, the statement said, the bureau has carried out a series of rescue treatments for the tree, such as pruning, removing the fungal fruiting bodies, applying medicine, expanding the tree hollow and installing tree stakes, as well as inspecting the tree on a regular basis.
According to Wikipedia, the sporocarp (also known as fruiting body, fruit body or fruitbody) of fungi is a multicellular structure on which spore-producing structures, such as basidia or asci, are borne. The fruitbody is part of the sexual phase of a fungal life cycle, while the rest of the life cycle is characterised by vegetative mycelial growth and asexual spore production.
However, the statement added, the tree has continued to weaken, with its crown having shrunk and withered significantly last month.
Taking into account public safety, the bureau urged the public not to enter the work area while the tree is being removed from the site, so as to avoid any accidents.
The bureau called on members of the public in the statement to jointly preserve the city’s precious tree resources, urging those who notice any abnormal conditions with trees to contact the bureau by calling 2833 7676, or via the IAM Connect app.
This undated handout photo provided by the Municipal Affairs Bureau (IAM) on Friday shows the ailing Cinnamomum burmannii tree in Largo do Senado slated to be removed early this month.
