"Night and fog campaign": tree felling in Bad Tölz anger citizens

Tree felling continues to annoy the citizens of Bad Tölz.

Reinhard Lehnen, for example, is angry with the municipality because it did not prevent at least eight trees that characterize the townscape from being felled on Schützenstrasse on the edge of the former Alpamare property.

Bad Tölz - The felling on Schützenstraße was - "in a night and fog action", as Lehnen says, over the stage.

As reported, a Cologne-based construction company wants to build apartments on the former Alpamare site.

At this point, Schützenstrasse had the character of an avenue.

Nothing is left of that now.

“In the future, city leaders should no longer use the words nature conservation or the maintenance of the cityscape,” complains Lehnen.

The central problem is that Bad Tölz - unlike many other cities - does not have a tree protection ordinance.

Then, says Lehnen, the stately trees on Schützenstrasse could not have fallen victim to a building project.

City could not be over trees on private property

The city had been informed of the felling, said Birte Otterbach, press spokeswoman for the city of Bad Tölz, when asked.

However, the city could not have trees on private property.

The trees affected are spruces, which, as shallow roots, are problematic in terms of road safety anyway.

A replacement planting at this point is unlikely, according to Otterbach.

"Even if in principle every tree is very valuable: Bad Tölz is in the fortunate position that there are well over 5000 trees - many of them of high quality - in the public inner-city areas alone."

Leaning isn't the only one who is annoyed about the clearcut.

Marianne Lausen, for example, lives on Christian-Schonger-Straße near the bridge that leads over the Ellbach.

Numerous trees and bushes grew up there until November - a place where, according to Lausen, many birds and dragonflies had their habitat.

Trouble also about felling on Christian-Schonger-Straße

Now, however, several spruce trees, a maple and a larch are missing.

“A resident pointed out to the city last year that several large spruce trees lean sharply on his property.

A maple that was close to the property line was also in poor condition, ”says Otterbach.

A tree inspector commissioned by the city had examined the trees - and advised them to be felled.

"Since there was imminent danger, the action was carried out promptly in autumn," says Otterbach.

However, the felling had previously been coordinated with the nature conservation authority in the district office.

This resulted in the district office's demand to leave as much dead wood as possible on the area.

The existing young wood benefits from thinning out.

“For this reason, it is not necessary to replant at this point,” says Otterbach.

The felling of the larch was not initiated by municipal employees.

Even without the Tree Protection Ordinance, trees in Tölz are not defenseless

Otterbach emphasizes that the trees in Tölz are not defenseless even without the Tree Protection Ordinance: "We have a tree protection commission in which city councils, members of the administration and experts are represented." The commission examines trees that are threatened with felling and decides whether it is protected shall be.

In addition, since 2016, all urban trees have been recorded in a tree register, with data on growth, damage, possible symptoms of illness and the day of the inspection.

Interested parties can identify which tree has already been recorded by the number that is affixed overhead. 

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