Deadpoet’s Cave

My friend’s photos have put me in a mood for reminiscing. While in this mood, I remembered that I nominated the Angsana in front of Saint Anthony’s for listing as a Heritage Tree in July last year.

I hadn’t heard from NParks since, so I emailed them yesterday. They were quick to reply…

Unfortunately, the nomination has been rejected.

This is primarily due to the fact that its girth does not meet the qualifying criteria (4.5 metres). Here’s their assessment of the tree:

Species: Pterocarpus indicus (Angsana)
Girth: 3.9 metres Height: approximately 20 metres
Location: Within premises of St Joseph’s Church, Victoria Street
Other notes: The tree is growing within a circular planter about 5.5 metres in diameter, in the car park area of the church premises. Some stone slabs and debris was placed within the planter, possibly exerting some load on the tree’s roots. The tree seems to have undergone heavy pruning in the past, with some branches appearing as stumps or stubs, and subsequent shoots forming the current tree canopy. It is likely that the tree was grown within the planter when it was still young, and its roots was either restricted within the planter or if extended to the carpark area covered by the current tarmac carpark ground. The tree is likely to have been about 80 years old based on old photographs, regardless of its smaller size compared to other Angsana trees of a similar age, and generally still in good health.

But I was also informed that the tree will be considered in the next round of NParks’ Heritage Trees endorsement exercise as it is quite old (at least 80 years old, if not older) and, it is in good health.

I suspect the panel was split in its decision regarding this tree. Even in the notes, I detect a sense of “it’s not the tree’s fault that it could not have grown bigger”. (Maybe that’s just me projecting.)

So, there’s hope yet!

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• Heritage Tree Nomination
• Goodbye, Angsana
• A parting letter from Ang Sar Nah
• Retro MRT Map