Taichung’s Zhongqi Rd ‘Resentment of the cotton flower’

In April of this year, cotton trees growing in the central road barrier in Taichung’s Zhongqi Road were awash with blossoms, however the Public Works Department came along and cruelly pruned many of the trees whilst in full flower. This year the Public Works Department stated that fallen flowers will quickly release sticky juices and the fallen cotton tree fruits will release strands of cotton into the air jeopardizing public safety, and correspondingly, each and every year the trees are pruned in such a manner. Seasoned ecology professor, Yang Guo-zhen, has taken exception to this justification given, stating that the cotton tree takes two months to move from flowering to fruiting. In addition, the flower buds that fall to the ground are all in the fast lanes with no possibility of causing danger to drivers.

Professor Yang expressed that if we take into consideration the ignorance those engaged in business or development have with regards to the environment, it is extremely worrying the power they yield when it comes to making decisions about it. Although the police were notified and the story has been covered by the local press however in April of this year the Public Work’s Department continued to prune as usual, at a rate of 1 km per day. There are a total of 632 trees along the 6 km road, where the pruning will stop for a brief period on the 22 to allow for cleaning of the flowers. 

Taichung’s Zhongqi Rd ‘Resentment of the cotton flower’ (by CJ tsaijrhao)

URL: http://www.peopo.org/news/76038

(以下為中文對照)

 
台中中棲路「木棉怨」 ( 生態人 )

2011年4月，台中市中棲路中央分隔島的行道樹木棉花正值開花的季節，但公路總局台中工務段卻派員將盛開的花朵枝條粗暴剪除。近年公路總局台中工務段以 花朵掉落時會產生黏稠汁液，且果實裂開會有棉絮飄散影響行車安全為由，每年於木棉樹盛花時進行修剪。這樣的理由，讓長年關心植物生態的學者楊國禎教授不以 為然，因為木棉樹從開花到結果約需兩個月時間，花朵掉落後產生的汁液都在快車道，應不致造成行車安全問題。楊教授表示居住在這塊土地上的經營管理或是開發 者對土地環境的狀況茫然無知，但卻擁有很強的決斷力。雖然報了警、上了報，4月20日路總局台中工務段仍繼續剪除木棉花，一天推進一公里，此路段的木棉樹 分隔島全長有6公里共632株，直到4月22日後採花才暫時停止。

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