The savage pruning of ancient trees in Avenida Tenienete Floresta by Municipal Services has drawn sharp criticism from the local Coordinator of the United Left party, Ricardo Garcia.
Whilst local Head of the Department of Environment, Juan Bernal, defended the Town Hall´s decision to severely prune back the trees in the interests of public safety, Ricardo has denounced the pruning as “savage, unfortunate and lacking in sensitivity.”
According to Ricardo the trees have been recognised as a “singular species” and declared as “protected” by Calasparra Town Hall and under the Regional Protection of Trees Law, which includes the catalogue of trees of a singular species in Calasparra.
“As a protected species the Town Hall should have applied special treatment not massacre them in this manner. It´s intolerable,” says Ricardo. “Now these trees are more vulnerable to plagues and may be in danger.”
Ricardo, biologist and former Head of the local department of Environment himself, has denounced this operation to the Department of Environment so it may be investigated for possible offences.
The Town Hall alleges that the pruning was a matter of public safety.
“The branches of these trees presented a danger and could have fallen in the street causing an accident,” says Juan Bernal, “and we are monitoring them for plagues.”
