Reader on the Trees Cut Down on Spokojna Street: Did They Provide Too Much Shade or Take Up Space for Cars?

In Bolesławiec, we have lost more trees.

“Were these sick oaks?” asks a reader, sending photos of the trunks. “Today, they were cut down on Spokojna Street. They survived two wars and Covid. And just like that. Did they provide too much shade, or take up space for cars?” asks the upset man.

As we learned unofficially—we are waiting for an official response from MZGM—the cut-down trees were two linden trees and a maple. An MZGM employee also denied that healthy trees were being cut down in Bolesławiec.

Valuable tree stands in cities

Old trees in cities constitute invaluable “green capital,” whose value extends far beyond aesthetics. Unlike young plantings, they provide a range of ecosystem services with measurable economic value, estimated at thousands of zlotys per year for a single tree.

Old trees act as natural filters, reducing pollution in the city by up to 75%. A large, 25-meter tree removes more carbon dioxide from the surroundings than two single-family homes emit.

“A recent study conducted in the United States showed that urban greenery, by purifying the air, may also contribute to more normal pregnancy development,” says dr Zbigniew Szkop, an economist from the University of Warsaw, for Business Insider. “Science is constantly providing us with new knowledge. It will never be the case that we can say we now know everything. For this reason, when interpreting the results, it should be remembered that these are lower estimates and their actual value may be even greater. For example, street trees in Warsaw, by purifying the air, generate benefits for society whose value can be estimated at approximately PLN 1.8 million,” the scientist adds.

What trees protect us from

The large canopies of old trees provide shade, lowering the ambient temperature in summer and reducing the so-called urban heat-island effect. Old trees are much more resistant to droughts than young plantings, making them crucial for adapting cities to extreme weather events.

Older trees create unique microhabitats for birds, insects and other organisms that young seedlings cannot replace. The proximity of old trees enhances the aesthetic qualities of an area, contributing to increased property values and also improving residents’ mental and physical health.

It has been shown that new plantings do not immediately compensate for the losses resulting from the removal of old trees, because it takes decades for a young tree to achieve similar functionality. Therefore, protecting mature trees in cities is crucial.