Pages

May 30, 2016

Carlsberg Climbing Forest update

Waiver granted with six votes for - ACV - and five against (ØBF).

Meaning: permission to fell an entire urban forest granted by the following parties:
Socialdemokratiet, Konservative and Venstre.
Against: Enhedslisten, Radikale and SF.

A major loss for Copenhagen.

Save the Climbing Forest on Carlsberg. There is still time. (UP FOR VOTE TODAY)

In a brand new press release from the city, it seems there is still time to save the precious Climbing Forest on the Carlsberg grounds. They have already been granted permission to fell 27 trees marked as worth preserving, but now the city draws the line.

Morten Kabell (Cph Mayor of Technichal and Environmetal Affairs):
"...It is unproductive that Carlsberg keep cutting down the Copenhagen trees for profit. Instead Carlsberg ought to incorporate such a precious area to the new plans, so the Climbing Forest could continue to draw visitors to the area and bring joy to so many." (Rough translation by Sandra)

This is a plea to all our politicians to preserve the Climbing Forest.


May 12, 2016

Disaster averted

News are in about the plan for the expansion of the Natural History Museum on the corner of Øster Farimagsgade and Sølvgade. A lot of citizens and local businesses submitted hearing replies to the plan at the last moment, in an attempt to preserve the nature in the entrance area. And it has made a huge difference.

Where the first draft to the entrance area was flattened and grey, the newly adopted plan for the area states that five of seven bunkers must be incorporated in the design along with the old trees. By preserving the bunkers, the trees are saved too, as their roots are entangled in the foundation.

In the newly published material (available online as a pdf file, in Danish), the entrance area is mentioned on page fourteen. Among other things, it states:

* Existing trees must be preserved.
* The corners must remain shaped by trees.
* Existing bunkers by Sølvgade must, with the exception of bunker 60 and 61, be preserved.

--------------------------------------------------------------- 

Well fought, Copenhagen!


First draft for the entrance area, causing major concern.



 The area as it looks in the summertime.
 

From illustration no. 3, in the adopted plan for the area no. 532, for the Natural History Museum.

Links:


May 10, 2016

Free at last!

This is a fantastic day! The Ladytree, Sølund's old ginkgo have finally been liberated of the more than forty year old ivy, in a choke-hold that threatened to encapsulate the tree. Several arborists on the scene concurred that we had a max. of two years left, before the old tree would have withered and subsequently been felled.

Five men worked non-stop for a full day, peeling away decades of tentacles, to uncover the most amazing tree. What a present!

It turned out that there were no active birds nests, only two old crows nests in the crown. Neighbors stopping by said that there had been no bird song from there, for a long time. There are those who have been attached to the old ivy, saying it could easily have stayed put. None of which have been arborists. Those who make a living protecting and preserving trees, have unanimously expressed endless gratitude that the ivy is finally gone.

A heartfelt thank you to Morten & Rødderne and the friends from I.Climb, for the great gift to Copenhagen, the citizens and Save the Urban Trees.

Pictures from the big day.





 





 The ivy.


Free!


The ivy went into a wood chipper, and will be composted. A part of the free soil available to all on the recycling stations, when that time comes.
 



May 9, 2016

LIberation of the Ladytree

It is finally the big day for the Ladytree. The majestic ginkgo on the Sølund grounds, is so close to being swallowed by ivy that it is in danger of suffocating. If ivy succeed in encapsulating a tree completely, it cuts of any supply of oxygen and nutrients, effectively killing the tree. Arborists have been pleading with the city administration for years, to take responsibility and liberate the old tree.

When the tree starred in Natursyn on Danish radio P1, in an online video teaser, it was seen by the certified arborists Morten & Rødderne, who offered to remove the ivy for free, as a present to the citzens and Save the Urban Trees. The new Sølund owners were excited about the offer and allowed for the removal to go ahead, and tomorrow is the big day. Stop by and see the removal from 11AM, if you are in the mood to see a team of guys climbing a six story tall tree, and wrestle an old anaconda. It is going to be quite a sight.



PS! In case you are concerned about the birds: they have promised to work around birds nests, if they come across any.


PPS! The address is Læssøesgade nr. 3, here on google maps




May 2, 2016

Today is the day!

Today the tree policy for Copenhagen is up for political vote. Nothing short of a milestone for the urban trees and the collective effort by NGOs, citizens and politicians, working tirelessly to get the trees on the agenda.

The five basic points, of the tree policy for Copenhagen:

1. Existing trees in Copenhagen must as a general rule be preserved.
2. Valuable trees in Copenhagen must be identified and preserved.
3. More trees should be planted in Copenhagen.
4. Good living conditions must be provided for both new and existing trees in Copenhagen.
5. Securing diversity.

The need for a full count of the urban trees, is mentioned in several places. Bringing us to the much awaited tree map. We need to talk about that soon, too..

Everybody cross your fingers, and hope this one will be passed. It would be amazing!



(Rescued trees by the bunkers on Queen Louises Bridge)

UPDATE:
We just got word from Tommy Petersen (B): the tree policy was adopted.
Copenhagen now have its first ever tree policy.
Hooray!

Links (in Danish):