counter reactions Massive tree felling in Madrid The number of objections raised by the City Council is increasing and is already coming from the central government itself, expressing surprise at the mayor’s actions. Ecological Transition Minister Teresa Ribera stated that when trees are needed most due to global warming, it is most necessary to protect them. Previously, many environmental and neighborhood groups They stated that they rejected this measure, which posed a threat that would further aggravate the extreme heat that Madrid was exposed to in the summer months.
Third vice president of the government and Minister of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge, Teresa RiberaHe criticized the Madrid City Council for tree cutting and “aggressive” pruning of trees.
“Extremely worrying the lightness with which mature city trees are attacked“, the minister lamented in a post on the social network X this Monday.
In this context, Ribera warned that “there are very few assumptions of success in the transfer of trees.” “When and how aggressive cutting and pruning is justified, knowing that there have been several cases that have been successful in their transfer and long-term growth of new trees,” he assured.
Therefore, the third vice president of the Government sent a letter to the mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, which Europa Press had access to. Urging the public to stop cutting down trees on the charge of “violating the management and protection of the city’s natural heritage and leading to negative consequences in the face of the effects of climate change on the well-being of citizens.”
The importance of trees in cities
“I request you to stop them and reassess them in accordance with the principles of conservation and restoration of ecosystems and biodiversity. Priority axes of the European Green Deal” he states in his letter.
In the letter, Ribera expresses his concerns about the City Council’s initiatives involving the felling of urban trees in the city of Madrid; “because urban and peri-urban trees, together with urban green spaces, play an important role for biodiversity and the environment” but also for human well-being and improving the quality of life and health of citizens“.
The minister had to remind the mayor that trees, in addition to removing CO2 from the atmosphere and storing carbon, also reduce the effects of climate change on the urban environment. “Especially, they alleviate the urban heat island effect and contribute to mitigating extreme hydrometeorological effects“states.
“They also help create more liveable, accessible and healthy public spaces and support sustainable modes of transportation such as walking and cycling. In addition, trees in the city, especially trees and unique spaces, often have a defining role for the community around them,” he said. adds.
Madrid regulations
Likewise, in the exercise of the power conferred by the Spanish Constitution to regulate this matter, the Community of Madrid, Law No. 8/2005 of 26 December on the protection and development of urban trees, This includes “the need to exercise extraordinary care in organizing a system of authorization that guarantees adequate and necessary measures in the face of increasingly aggressive conditions and actions emerging in the city.” especially avoid cutting or felling trees, as well as harsh and haphazard pruning that in any case they should always be surrounded by every care to ensure their nature as a last resort and not as a procedure for emergency or short-term actions.”
If trees are affected by any type of repair or reclamation work or infrastructure construction or their presence at the urban forest interface, the Urban Tree Protection Law requires this, as stated in Ribera’s letter to the City. The mayor of Madrid said transplanting affected specimens “almost always results in the death of the specimen, resulting in poor viability.”
On the other hand, the Minister warns: “Logging must be shown to be the only possible alternative before proceeding with this, and also allow an adult specimen of the same species to be planted for each age of the tree removed”.
Minister of Culture calls for an end to tree cutting
In the same vein, Minister of Culture Ernest Urtasun late last week called on the mayor of Madrid, José Luis Martínez-Almeida, and the president of the Community of Madrid, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, to stop the logging of forests. Afforestation is planned during the expansion of metro line 11 Impact within the boundaries of the property declared a World Heritage Site by UNESCO ‘Paseo del Prado and Buen Retiro’.
The Ministry of Culture confirms that since becoming aware of the interference in question, the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage and Fine Arts has contacted the Madrid City Council and the Community of Madrid three times in October, requesting information on this matter.
Likewise, he reminded both institutions that all studies and actions that may have a potential impact on the Outstanding Universal Value of a property declared as World Heritage should be reminded. They must have a prior Patrimonial Impact Assessment. After receiving the report, the Ministry of Culture is responsible for transmitting the evaluation to UNESCO.
City Council justification
Mayor José Luis Martínez-Almeida legitimized the massacres and provided the following:Certain infrastructures need to be undertaken in the capital, Just like in metro expansion works.
He also criticized the central government for carrying out this massive logging: “There are no left or right trees,” he declared. Moreover He accuses the government of acting with double standardsThe mayor stated that other left-wing administrations also cut down trees without criticism.
Martínez-Almeida recalled that for the fourth consecutive time, the UN declared Madrid as follows: “Tree city of the world” and accuses the Government of Pedro Sánchez of cutting down 1,500 trees during the reform of the Atocha station in the last parliament.
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