Environmental organizations from La Plata raised the alarm by denouncing felling and pruning tasks considered irregular.
The claim for irregular logging was promoted by the Tree Defense Forum and the NGO New Environmentwho claim that the Municipality is failing to comply with a 2024 court ruling that protects public trees.
Through social networks, both entities disseminated images of the current state of the Saavedra Parkwhere trees intervened in the framework of works that have been taking place for months on the property at 13 and 66 are observed. According to reports, the tasks carried out caused damage to the specimens and the green environment.
“Planks nailed to the trunks, pruning with ‘hangers’, loss of green mass, tears and cementing«, detailed from the organizations, which also questioned the loss of identity, landscape and absorbent soil of public space.
Claims for pruning, felling and closure of green spaces
The entities also pointed out that the community has not been able to fully use the park for months, to which is added the closure of other spaces such as Spain Square. In this framework, they demanded better planning by the Green Spaces Directorate.
“It cannot be managed with such a lack of common sense, empathy and respect for our urban forest.«, they expressed, while demanding «responsible management” and asked to put an end to improvisation in this type of interventions.
In addition, they highlighted the role of neighbors who record and disseminate these types of situations: “Let’s build together the care of our trees and public spaces with their history and identity«, they noted.
From the Forum in Defense of the Tree they warned that similar situations are repeated in other parts of the urban area, including the historic orange trees of the Municipal Palacein front of Plaza Moreno.
According to what they indicated, at least four specific cases in which both the public trees law such as the court ruling in force since 2024, which establishes protection measures for the city’s specimens.
What the Municipality of La Plata said
In response to the complaints, municipal sources explained that the interventions respond to safety and maintenance issues. In the case of one of the orange trees indicated, they indicated that it had a 80% dry foliageso pruning was carried out to promote its recovery.
In other cases mentioned, such as trees located at 12 and 68 or at 7 and 63, they assured that there were structural riskssuch as cracks in the trunks or the possibility of falling, which justified the tasks carried out.
The intersection between environmental organizations and the Municipality once again puts the felling trees in La Plataurban pruning and the care of green spaces. While environmentalists denounce damages and lack of planning, the Commune maintains that the tasks seek to preserve the safety and health of the trees.
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