Despite the promise made in January by Petre Shilegov, the major of Skopje, that he would immediately start “rescuing” the trees on the territory of Skopje, which, due to inadequate construction works, remain trapped in concrete and are sentenced to death. But so far not a single tree has been “set free”, the ecologists accuse.
Four months later, it is still unknown whether at least one of the 1000 endangered trees in Skopje, which according to the research done by the Faculty of Forestry, are seriously endangered because they are constrained by concrete, asphalt or paving bricks, as well as other types of urban equipment right next to the trees, preventing them from getting the water and oxygen they need, has been rescued. In most cases, it’s plane trees, catalpas; ash, horse-chestnut, lindens, acacia trees and others, with developed crowns, and 20, 30 or more years old.
In the written response to Meta’s inquiry how the action of rescuing the trees has been proceeding, the Skopje authorities only say that ”In cooperation with the Faculty of Forestry, so far several actions have been carried out and they will continue in the upcoming period with increased intensity”. At the same time, the City of Skopje has no specific answer as to how many trees have been liberated from the concrete that kills them.
The Faculty of Forestry, on the other hand, has no information as to how the action for rescuing “trapped trees”, which was supposed to be under their professional assistance, is going on.
“Out of the 1,000 recorded trees, as we established, some trees died out, but also that over 200-300 are extremely endangered and will die this year or next year at the latest,” says professor Kiril Sotirovski, dean of the Faculty of Forestry , who in January this year signed a memorandum of cooperation with Mayor Shilegov.
Professor Sotirovski believes that the rescue of the endangered trees in Skopje does not take place with the necessary intensity. According to Sotirovski, those are mainly old trees with great crowns and of great value, and it would be a pity if they are left to die.
“Only one such tree in this city is worth 100, or even 200 newly planted trees”, said professor Sotirovski, alluding to how much oxygen a tree with greater age and a large crown produces in relation to a newly planted one and the importance of those trees for the quality of the air in the Macedonian capital.
“What are you doing, it was served on a plate for you, a map with the precise locations of the trees, with photographs and the problem explained, and you did what?!, the “O2 Initiative” asks the city authorities, publishing on their Facebook profile photographs with characteristic scenes of trees with roots paved over with new asphalt, closed with metal hoops or fences around the tree itself.
“You cannot plant as many new trees that will balance those you have condemned to death. The new 1,200 seedlings that are announced by the city authorities are insignificant compared to these trees”, activists from “O2″ remind.
