Dr Caroline LAW, Assistant Professor of FDE, our HLM graduate Miss Jess MA, former THEi colleague Ms HUI Ling Chui, and renowned scholar Prof C.Y. Jim from The Education University of Hong Kong recently co-published a research paper entitled “Tree species composition, growing space and management in Hong Kong’s commercial sky gardens” in a highly referred and indexed journal Urban Forestry & Urban Greening on 2 August 2021. This journal has an impact factor of 4.573 and ranked 2020 CiteScore Q1 (Environmental Science: Ecology).
This study was conceptualized by Dr LAW, our graduate Jess MA (final year student in 2019) conducted the field surveys on podium gardens in her final year Research Thesis. This study investigated tree species composition, planting space design and management, and their relationships with tree health in sky gardens in 15 commercial sky gardens with 480 trees in Hong Kong. We assessed the differences between old and new sites regarding tree species, height, crown diameter, and health. We also evaluated selected planting and management factors, including planter type, distance to neighbor trees, root-growth obstacles, canopy barriers, canopy overlap and topping history. This study shed light on tree planting density and planting site design for long-term tree health as an important reference to landscape architects and managers, as well as real estate developers.
Caroline M.Y. Law, L.C. Hui, C.Y. Jim, T.L. Ma. (2021) Tree species composition, growing space and management in Hong Kong’s commercial sky gardens. Urban Forestry & Urban Greening 64:127267 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ufug.2021.127267
