Assessment and solution aspects of fallen tree incidents in Kuala Lumpur

The urban trees present invaluable ecological and social advantages in tropical cities, but the rising rates of the fallen trees have become a major concern of the public safety in Kuala Lumpur. Poor rooting areas, high density of infrastructure and exposure to weather conditions, which are extreme, also worsen the threat of tree failure in highly urbanised commercial areas like Bukit Bintang. This research will analyse the reasons behind the cases of fallen trees and determine the existing tree management within the city of Bukit Bintang, Kuala Lumpur. The study is based on the qualitative case-study design with simple quantitative observations. Field-based assessment of tree condition using simplified Level 1 and Level 2 principles of Tree Risk Assessment and semi- structured interviews with practitioners of local authorities and analysis of maintenance records and climatic data were used to collect the data. The research is conducted in three strategically chosen streets that reflect various urban situations. Results suggest that the root confinement, soil compaction, structural peculiarities of the species, as well as high target occupancy are the main factors that determine the chances of tree failure instead of the health of a tree in general. The species that were identified to pose higher risk levels were large- canopy and aggressive-root species such as Ficus species, Eucalyptus deglupta and mature Samanea saman when they are planted in limited urban sites. Most of the current management practices are mostly reactive based on visual inspection and post incident response and minimal use of standard risk assessment frameworks. The study recommends the implementation of proactive and risk-based approaches of urban tree management, such as standardized tree risk assessment procedures, better tree species selection, expansion of rooting space to urban design, and integration of technology-assisted monitoring systems. These measures have the potential to minimize instances of fallen trees and aid in healthier and more robust cityscapes in Kuala Lumpur.