The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) has established regulations to protect “heritage trees” across Bangkok, with cutting, pruning or transplanting of registered trees requiring permission. A meeting held yesterday, August 31, by BMA officials and relevant departments defined the criteria for heritage trees and outlined measures to care for them in line with international arboriculture standards. The trees will be recorded in a city database.
Heritage trees must grow in public areas of Bangkok and be recognized based on their physical characteristics, their role in urban ecology, or connections to history, culture and local communities.
Guidelines for selecting heritage trees were discussed, with the assessment divided into two main categories. The first covers physical characteristics: trees should have an estimated age of at least 50 years or be an original tree, must be in sound health, have an adequate tree protection zone and sufficient exposed soil surface area, and their safety in relation to nearby city structures and utilities will be assessed.
The second category covers other values, including rarity or botanical significance, such as endemic or endangered species. Historical or cultural connections and landscape or aesthetic value will also be considered.
The BMA plans to implement the project in two phases. Phase 1 will establish a “Tree Inventory” database to register trees with a trunk circumference of at least 60 centimetres, set pruning standards and make the information available for public scrutiny. Phase 2 will formally announce a Heritage Tree List. Once a tree is included on the list, pruning, transplanting or felling it will require permission from the Environment Department. Officials also considered a draft order establishing a Green Space Policy Driving Committee, chaired by the deputy governor. The committee will include forestry and arboriculture experts and conservation partners, with responsibilities that include setting strategies, driving the million-tree planting policy, monitoring progress and providing advice to government agencies and the public.