Spectacular action at the Hardtschule: The city of Weilheim had a specialist company dig up 17 large trees from the school grounds and replant them elsewhere.
Weilheim
- Heavy equipment has been around the Hardtschule in the past few days - for an action that has never been seen before in Weilheim. The company “Opitz international”, which specializes in large tree transplants, arrived from Heideck in Franconia with impressive vehicles to transplant a total of 17 stately trees from the school grounds. Some of these were planted when the school was founded 51 years ago.
Now, as we know, the elementary school needs to be expanded (we reported), and to do this the city also had to remove several trees from the school area. However, the basic aim of urban construction projects is to “preserve as many trees as possible,” emphasizes city architect Katrin Fischer. Therefore, “as a contribution to climate protection”, it was decided to have as many trees as possible relocated by a specialist company “so that they do not have to be felled as part of the planned school expansion”.
Ten trees remain on the school grounds
“All trees on the school grounds were carefully examined and checked for their vitality and suitability for transplanting,” explains Jens Kromer, who is supporting the school expansion project on behalf of the building construction authority. To design the Hardt School's future outdoor area, ten of the 17 selected trees were replanted directly on the school grounds - in coordination with the landscape architect.
“The preservation of the large trees in particular represents great added value for the school with the planned school garden and the green classroom,” says city architect Fischer. The trees were dug up with large special machines including their roots, transported to the new location and used there - ten on the school area itself, the remaining seven along the nearby football field on Hardtkapellenstrasse. The idea for ecologically upgrading the football field originally came from the “Nature” working group (AK) of Weilheim Agenda 21, according to a press release from the city administration. Joachim Michel, co-spokesman of the AK, is pleased about the relocation of the trees on Hardtkapellenstrasse: “We see the initiative as a great introduction to a larger project that contributes to the ecological and social upgrading of the football field.” In the next few days A flowering meadow was also sown there.
Transplanting is even more economical than buying new
If the rescued trees on the school grounds had to be bought again in the same size and growth style, it would cost the city around 70,000 euros, according to the municipal utilities. Instead, the city had to invest 44,400 euros for the tree transplant, according to the statement.
The expansion of the Hardt elementary school is “extremely important due to the influx of families in Weilheim,” emphasizes Mayor Markus Loth. And he adds: “A total of 570 students will benefit from the school expansion in the future – and of course the whole of Weilheim.”
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