Greens defend themselves against felling: Old lime trees in Arnum are threatened!

Greens defend themselves against felling: Old lime trees in Arnum are threatened!

In Arnum, the planned felling of 21 large lime trees on Hiddestorfer Straße is causing massive criticism. The Greens have sharply attacked the information policy on this measure. They emphasize that trees not only shape the cityscape, but also provide shade and represent important carbon stores. Preserving the trees is a central contribution to climate protection and the quality of life in the region, according to the party. Newly planted trees could only take over the functions of their old models after many years, which appears increasingly questionable in view of the climatic challenges in the coming hot summers. In addition, high costs for felling, replanting and maintenance were discussed.

The parliamentary group is calling on the Lower Saxony State Authority for Road Construction and Transport to identify the root problem at an early stage and to carefully examine options for preserving the trees. The impression arises that insufficient planning was carried out here and that known problems were accepted, as preserving the trees was apparently not a goal of the original planning. A recent information meeting on May 22, where several options for preserving the trees were discussed, did not allay concerns. The city's technical committee also discussed options for securing the tree disks.

Preservation of trees as a democratic task

Mayor Dingeldey announced that he would not publicly criticize any state level, which the Greens see as a central democratic task. Above all, the statements made by Ulrike Roth, who doubts that the actions in Arnum will not be repeated in other areas, illustrate the uncertainty among the population. It remains unclear whether the root layer was sufficiently checked to completely rule out precipitation. The Greens expect the city of Hemmingen to actively work to preserve the trees. They are calling on the state authority to consider planning adjustments that could enable the preservation of individual trees.

Open and credible communication is considered essential. Lea Römer from the Green Party is committed to ensuring that the interests of old, healthy trees are at the center of planning. Comprehensive planning is necessary, even if this involves greater effort.

The role of urban trees in climate protection

The importance of urban trees for the climate cannot be overestimated. Urban trees are important carbon sinks, absorbing CO2 from the air without human intervention. According to stadtundgruen.de, scientifically based estimates of carbon storage and CO2 sink performance can be created using tree cadastral data. An example from Munich shows that a good 41.6 tons more carbon could be stored between 2007 and 2019. Despite a multitude of challenges, such as drought or calamities, the preservation and promotion of trees is essential for climate protection.

Tree cadastral data provides accurate information about tree dimensions, species and total biomass. The CO2 binding performance varies depending on the tree genus, although linden trees, like those in Arnum, remain stable and can make a major contribution to carbon storage. Given the current planning situation in Arnum, the question arises as to how sustainable urban planning can be designed in harmony with the natural habitats.