Ash felling by the castle and lake administration in Breitbrunn and Wartaweil is a deep thorn in the side of the Ammersee Ostufer association.
Johann Leicht, head of the Ammersee lake administration, cites ash dieback and the protection of human life as reasons.
Wartaweil/Breitbrunn
- Oliver Fendt, chairman of the Ammersee Ostufer association, is outraged: "Mr. Leicht from the Castles and Lakes Administration is obviously having trees felled on a large scale on the east bank.
Healthy trees were felled in both Breitbrunn and Wartaweil.
The aim of the action seems to be to displace the citizens,” he writes in a press release and also accuses this on social media.
Johannes Leicht is head of the Ammersee lake administration and contradicts the representation.
Only ash trees affected by ash dieback were felled.
On the recommendation of experts who have developed sustainable tree management for the Bavarian Palace Administration, said Leicht in an interview with Starnberger Merkur.
"They decide for us.
These are professionals and we are lucky to have them.”
The trigger for the fellings was a court decision after a child was fatally injured by a falling maple branch on a playground.
A penalty order was issued against a tree inspector because the tree was diseased and he had not recognized the danger.
"That's why we had ash trees felled in Utting last year," says Leicht.
"They fall down without wind.
Ultimately, the reason why we do anything at all is to protect human life.” Continuing with the measure in Wartaweil and Breitbrunn is a logical consequence.
But the trunks stayed where they are, he says happily.
"For the sake of nature, because dead wood is also good for the stag beetle that lives there, for example."
That is exactly the second thorn in the side from Fendt's point of view.
"At several meetings mediated by the government of Upper Bavaria, the castles and lakes administration and the district office of Landsberg expressly agreed that such measures would not be taken.
Even clean-up campaigns to remove dead wood and other humus were approved.” The reason for this is to restore the natural gravel banks.
"Gravel shores, formerly called Brennen, and biotope strips are both elementary components of the shore and each valuable habitat in its own right," says Stephan Wenning from the Lower Nature Conservation Authority in Landsberg, which is responsible for Lake Ammersee and its shore.
If a trunk is left lying, it is not the same as humus being brought up.
The measures taken by the maritime administration have also been agreed.
"We work closely with the Ammersee lake administration." And there is no sign of a conflict, says Wenning.
And Fendt has revealed another – from his point of view – annoyance.
After he also published the press release on social media, he was sent photos of Herrsching's waterfront.
New trees were planted in the gravel there.
"They have no place in the pebbly shore," says Fendt, and in this context also speaks of human displacement.
The trees were not planted by the lake administration, but by the municipality of Herrsching as "near-site replacement plantings" for the recently felled trees.
According to Mayor Christian Schiller, there is no other way on the promenade, emphasizing that the municipality is responsible for the maintenance of the gravel surface up to the waterline.
The trees could take root there and provide shade for people.