Tree cutting in rugendorf heats up the tempers

The municipal council on monday evening was caught between the conflicting priorities of nature conservation, private property and bureaucracy. Brigitte and wilfried radtke had filed an application for the enactment of a tree protection ordinance for rugendorf and the surrounding area. In them, the radtkes denounced "vandalism" an "which is called tree and hedge trimming". They hope that their motion will not be rejected unanimously again." This hope was not fulfilled, the committee rejected the request with courage.

To date, it has not been possible to clarify who, when and why cut down a willow with a trunk diameter of a good 60 centimeters on community-owned land near the hollow muhle. The bauhof did not do this on instruction or on its own initiative, emphasized mayor ralf holzmann.

"Nonsensical deforestation"

This pasture was the first to bloom in spring and was visited extensively by bees, radtke criticized the, in his eyes, senseless deforestation.

But radtke also denounced other radical and improper tree and hedge-cutting activities in the town and beyond, which he had documented with photos. "The way it is currently practiced is unacceptable and not an advertisement for the resettlement of neuburgers" the letter states. If one wants to continue to enjoy an intact nature, a countermeasure is urgently needed. That this is not the sole opinion of wilfried and brigitte radtke was demonstrated by members of the horticultural association as silent listeners at the meeting.

With the application, one does not want to "govern" in any way into private gardens and properties brigitte and wilfried radtke explained in an interview with the bayerische rundschau newspaper. Rather, the aim is to increase sensitivity in the town when it comes to encroachments on nature "which affects us all".

"Dead cut"

For example, a tree on private property at the intersection of federal and bath roads was "cut to death" and only recently 40 tall spruces "in one go", said in a garden not far from the city hall. This should not be accepted.

But it is precisely this kind of "ruling in" that is the problem the municipal council spoke out. "What happens on private property is also a private decision" said gunther krombholz. And "it is a law of nature that trees are also cut and replanted" albert muller said. "Nature is not static, but something dynamic with becoming and passing away" philosophized martin hohlweg. He planted a willow 20 years ago in front of the chicken coop. At some point it will become too rough or dilapidated and will have to be removed. "If there was to be a tree protection ordinance, i had it cut down before it had reached a trunk diameter of 25 centimeters."

Fear of a bureaucratic monster

"Those who have a house generally worry that when a tree reaches a certain height, it could fall on the building" manfred pohlmann said.

Whether a tree protection ordinance would not be a "bureaucracy monster was, with which one would rather achieve the opposite, asked franz schnaubelt. "No one would dare plant a tree if they had to ask later whether they could remove it again. And then who is to control it? I think a regulation rather counterproductive."

Second mayor fritz rosch recalled that the municipality had bought extra strips of land for planting as part of the village renewal project.
In the end, the council agreed that "people are already being sensible" are not arbitrarily making tabula rasa in their garden. In addition, one must also ensure that trees do not endanger or obstruct traffic or could topple during storms.