Konz: Weeping willow on the banks of the Saar is felled

Conc, November 22, 2022

Even if it is not easy for everyone involved in the project, the decision has now been made: the weeping willow in Saarstrasse will be felled. The emotional debate in the past few days is understandable, since the tree has shaped the townscape and has accompanied the concerts for decades. Nevertheless, it must also be discussed and decided on a factual level.

The tree was supposed to be preserved when the banks of the Saar were redesigned with seating steps, among other things. Everyone did their best for it. Contrary to claims to the contrary, no roots were cut. On the contrary: employees of the construction company removed the soil in the root area by hand. However, these roots are very high. This does not make it impossible to move the seat steps further. However, there is a risk that the tree will die after the construction work is completed. A tree expert estimates that the willow could be preserved for a maximum of 5 to 10 years - not because of new damage, but because of its age and fungal infestation.

By felling at this point in time, the roots can be removed better and the soil can then be filled up with tree substrate without any problems. This makes it easier for a newly planted tree to grow. This then has more space to form roots, since the roots of the old tree could be completely removed. A climate tree is to be planted at the site, which should defy the climate changes, is already a stately size and can quickly provide shade again.

The specialist department of the administration and the experts of the responsible engineering office therefore recommend felling the weeping willow. The city's expert committee, AG Baum, also voted in favor of this approach after an on-site inspection. The project has also been coordinated with the Lower Nature Conservation Authority. Experts made sure the tree is free of wildlife.

According to the experts, digging up the tree and replanting it elsewhere does not make sense because it is already too old and the root system is too wide. A total of five to six new native trees are to be planted to replace the weeping willow.