Over 100 year old tree felled in Grafing: City regrets action

It was a stately tree, over 100 years old.

Only the root stock with the tree disc can be seen.

Neighbors are angry.

Grafing

- It wasn't illegal logging to anticipate.

There were no legal possibilities to prevent the owner from felling.

This is explained by Wolfgang Bilo from the Grafing city administration.

The municipality has no tree protection ordinance or other relevant statutes.

Ancient tree in Grafing felled: the city regretted the action

Five years ago, the owner was persuaded to keep the mighty ash, says Bilo when asked by the Ebersberger Zeitung.

The tree was healthy.

Many ash trees are currently affected by ash dieback and are dying.

“Not this one,” says Bilo.

"That's why it's particularly unfortunate that it has now been felled."

There was apparently pressure on the owner (who does not live in the urban area) from a part of the neighborhood who was afraid of falling branches or a tree.

The fears were apparently heightened after the recent storms, when branches flew.

Other neighbors would have liked to receive the tree and informed the Ebersberger Zeitung.

District Adviser: Tree was very valuable

"I know the tree, it was always full of leaves," says Harald Käsbauer, district advisor in the district office, who is informed about the case.

The old trees in particular are very valuable.

This is now irretrievably gone.

“We are currently experiencing that people are taking to the streets to protect the climate and species.” Trees are an important aspect of this.

In the course of climate change, we would see pests "that we don't even know about", is another argument.

You need native insects as a countermeasure.

And these would just need the big old trees as living space.

But this is seldom seen by people.

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Where the stately ash once stood, only the tree stump can now be seen.

© Stefan Rossmann

Instead, the big trees are in danger.

As soon as the leaves fall down, there would also be demands to cut the trunks.

There are good rakes and brooms to handle the leaves.

"And that is also a sport to exercise," says Käsbauer.

The city has no means of preventing felling, says Bilo.

The owner adhered to all requirements.

The action was outside of the growing season.

“He shouldn't have done that in the summer.” There are corresponding rules in nature conservation law.

Over 100 trees in the district are considered natural monuments

In the district of Ebersberg, over 100 trees are protected as a natural monument under the responsibility of the district - one also very close to the current felling action in Grafing. "They're getting more and more. But we cannot put every tree under protection, ”says Käsbauer. On the one hand, this costs the district money, "on the other hand we lack the staff". The municipalities have it in their own hands, either through a tree protection ordinance in which general regulations are laid down, or through a statute with which the municipality can secure individual trees. In view of the felling of the ash, Käsbauer says: "It is also about what consequences the city of Grafing now wants to draw."

Grafings Mayor Christian Bauer (CSU), actually already on vacation, assured in a short statement by mobile phone: "We will take a close look at it and check it out."

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