Local residents try in vain to prevent a rotten maple tree, which is considered a Gronsdorf landmark, from falling victim to the chainsaw.
Hardly has the outrage about the planned felling of 32 trees at the Haarer Gymnasium subsided than the waves in the community are high again. On Saturday morning, workers startled residents in the Gronsdorf colony with their chainsaws. They set about cutting down a 20 meter high Norway maple on the corner of Dittmannstrasse and Watzmannstrasse. The tree with a crown diameter of 15 meters characterizes the quarter there. According to SPD municipal councilor Peter Paul Gantzer, who lives in the neighborhood, protesters immediately came and brought the tree-cutting work to a standstill with a sit-in. The workers called the police, who patrolled and threatened an eviction.
The escalation came just a few days after the town hall had been able to take some pressure off the boiler in the dispute over tree protection at the Ernst-Mach-Gymnasium, which had been smoldering for two weeks, by announcing that, contrary to expectations, the vast majority of trees would be preserved for the time being to be able to Only eleven trees are now to give way because of the upcoming school construction site. The municipality wants to check whether more can remain standing.
A second reviewer came to the same conclusion
But how could it be that in this tense situation in Gronsdorf, a felling team was simply sent out? The town hall justifies the action with the acute danger of the severely damaged tree. According to this, a tree inspector only found the “massive rot” during a regular inspection on Thursday. In any case, on Saturday not only the police were called upon to calm the situation. Mayor Andreas Bukowski (CSU) and SPD local councilor Gantzer were added. According to a statement from the town hall, Bukowski tried to explain that the felling was lawfully ordered by the municipality and that the workers were trying to implement. The workers already tried to dispel doubts about the necessity of the felling, but refused to climb the tree, citing the risk of breakage.
A fungal disease like the one in this picture has also affected the maple tree in Gronsdorf.
(Photo: Gottfried Czepluch / imago images)
The community describes a badly damaged tree that showed massive rot on the back from waist to head height. Several spots with black discharge are also visible on the back and on the front. This crumbles like a crust, which suggests a massive infestation with the so-called burn crust fungus. While still in Gronsdorf, Mayor Bukowski promised the citizens an examination by a second expert. As the town hall announced on Monday, this “experienced” tree surveyor has now “completely confirmed” the initial assessment. He even considered a complete precipitation as absolutely justifiable.
The tree was then sawed down to a stump on the same day. The torso of the tree was left standing to create a habitat for insects and birds. SPD man Gantzer later complained that this “Gronsdorfer trademark” had literally been “fleshed”. The stump now resembles a “memorial”. In any case, the municipality had failed to inform the citizens about the measure in advance. City Hall denies this allegation. The tree inspector notified residents when they discovered the danger. Because of the acute danger, I immediately secured the sidewalk and organized the felling.