"Trees play an important role in urban planning," Prof. Dodi Nandika from Bogor Agricultural Institution (IPB) said here Thursday.
Trees are not only a part of the urban landscape, but they are also a part of monumental histories that have lifetime cultural and historical values, according to Dodi.
However, on the other hand, due to age and environmental stress, a lot of trees in urban areas are proving a danger to people as they have fallen and have hit properties and people, he added.
"Such incidents can actually be anticipated if the physical condition of the trees are known early," he said.
Seeing the importance of trees to the environment, the involvement of the community to care for the trees is helpful for human safety and protection of other trees, Dodi continued.
People participation can be generated with an understanding on conditions of the trees. Malaysia had already formed an arborist community, he said. So far, there are 80 arborists in the neighboring country.
The establishment of the Indonesian Arborists Community, which also comprises arborists from several higher educational institutions and other organizations, was initiated by IPB through the Directorate of Research and Innovation which discussed in a workshop for Trees for Sustainable and Vibrant City and the Establishment of the Indonesian Arborist.
Urban development is very fast and it takes at least one arborist for that, IPBs Director of Research and Innovation Prof. Iskandar Zulkarnain Siregar asserted.
"At a minimum in one city there should be one arborist," he said.
An arborist is a specialist who is trained to prevent, identify, diagnose, and treat problems that possibly arise on trees such as nutritional deficiencies, structural problems and diseases.(WDY)
