Last year, employees of the building department planted far more trees in public areas than had to be felled. A total of 2,343 trees were planted in parks and green spaces, in cemeteries, squares and along streets, and 1,687 trees had to be felled in return, the building department announced. However, the number of felled trees in the urban area is significantly higher, because thousands of large plants are felled every year on private property during construction projects or illegally.
This year, the city again has to remove numerous trees, mostly because they are diseased, weakened or damaged. Above all, the so-called ash dieback causes the experts concern. Because of the disease, which is now rampant throughout Central Europe, a total of 551 ash trees have to be felled. For example, five ash trees on the northern Ifflandstrasse on the Isar and seven on Planegger Strasse in Pasing will be removed.
In the Olympic Park, among other things, the Canada tree has to give way
The arborists have again found more bark beetle infestations in spruces, but thanks to the cool and rainy spring of 2021, significantly less than in previous years. By the end of the month, one tree at Sendlinger-Tor-Platz, two trees in Kronepark, seven in Westpark and even 21 trees in Pasinger Stadtpark will have to go. According to a press release from the building department, these measures have been closely coordinated with the responsible district committees and the federal government for nature conservation.
Further fellings are taking place in the Olympic Park, where 14 trees have been damaged, including the so-called Canada tree, which was planted by the participating country Canada for the 1972 Olympic Games. However, the deadwood is to be left nearby, and a sugar maple is to be planted in the same place instead of the Olympic tree.
In order to plant additional trees in the city, all 25 district committees were asked to name possible locations – in total there were well over two thousand suggestions. In autumn, the building department planted the first 150 trees at the locations proposed by the district committees.