Trees conservationists in Sittwe firmly reject the act of chopping down trees for safety reasons and requested appropriate authorities not to fell trees.   

U Kyaw Moe, deputy director of Sittwe Township Municipal Department, said that the department did it for the public’s safety.

“For landscaping, we have to prune and trim plants and trees that are grown for beautifying the city. We have to remove big branches that might be at the risk of breaking off during the rainy season. We also have to prune trees that become a nuisance to the movement of traffic views,” he said.

But, the Green Network Sittwe, an organization for preserving and conserving trees, suggested that the department should trim or prune branches if they need to do so for safety reason, and pointed out that cutting down the whole tree is an act committed by the department without considering potential negative effects.

Daw Mi Mi Soe Than from the Green Network Sittwe said that departmental officials need to employ other methods or techniques for manicuring trees instead of cutting the whole tree down.

“I think, existing trees should not be cut down. If there is a risk, the department needs to think twice about what they should do,” she said.

The Green Network Sittwe has been established to keep Sittwe green.  The organization includes CSOs and students.

Currently, the group members are collecting rubbish, growing new trees and waging a sticker campaign requesting not to cut trees in Sittwe Township every weekend.