'Dr Tree' sees green policies branch into HK planning

HONG KONG — In the midst of Hong Kong's high-rises and concrete sprawl, where space for greenery is at a premium, there is a man who has spent the past 40-plus years preserving and creating pockets of nature in the most unexpected places.

Known affectionately as "Dr Tree", Jim Chi-yung stands out as a champion of Hong Kong's green heritage. His pioneering work in urban forestry has helped transform the city's skyline into a greener, more sustainable space, offering a model for other cities grappling with the environmental challenges of rapid urbanization.

"People often think of my field as purely technical, but urban forestry is an interdisciplinary science," says Jim, a research chair professor and adviser of Geography and Environmental Science at the Education University of Hong Kong, and a former head of the Department of Geography at the University of Hong Kong. "It demands that we balance conservation with the many competing needs of urban development."