PETALING JAYA: Two of Selangor’s largest city councils have ramped up tree maintenance and risk monitoring in response to the coming monsoon season.
In Klang, the Klang Royal City Council (MBDK) estimates there are some 50,000 “at-risk” trees under its care, with 70% of them considered high risk due to their age, size or location.
“Our inspections found that a significant number of mature trees require pruning or removal to prevent incidents during storms,” the council said.
In a statement to The Star, the council said it carried out 5,139 tree-maintenance actions between April and December last year, 72% of which were performed by contractors and the rest by its own landscaping unit.
When it comes to emergencies, the council said its quick response team (Pasukan Pantas) could be mobilised within an hour of receiving a complaint to clear fallen trees and reopen roads.
Between May 2024 and October this year, Klang recorded 76 tree-fall cases across 25 zones, with Pandamaran, Bukit Tinggi and Pelabuhan Klang among the most affected.
The council said it was also developing a Geographic Information Systems-based tree inventory and QR-code tagging system to help monitor ageing trees citywide.
Shah Alam City Council (MBSA), which manages over 700,000 trees, said it has appointed 87 tree-pruning contractors to cover the city under an annual allocation of RM17mil.
“This programme ensures proactive maintenance and safety for residents, especially during the monsoon season,” it said.
Since May, MBSA has identified 1,237 trees as structurally weak or too old, leading to the felling of 510 trees and the pruning of 932 others.
MBSA also recorded 627 tree-fall cases between May 2024 and last month, with an average of 37 incidents a month.
To improve oversight, the council is using the e-Palsa (Tree and Landscape Asset Inventory) system to log species data and tree health.
In Subang Jaya, the city council MBSJ reported that it has more than 20,000 trees in its inventory, with over 5,000 identified as high-risk since May of last year.
“These are undergoing phased pruning and mitigation works under our annual maintenance plan,” the council said.
As a short-term measure, MBSJ conducts scheduled inspections, urgent pruning and removal of hazardous trees based on ground checks and public complaints.
“Reports of risky trees are assessed within 14 days and if urgent action is needed, work is done immediately.”
For long-term management, MBSJ is developing a centralised database, enhancing staff training in tree risk assessment and planning to increase the number of certified arborists on its team.
