“The associations belonging to the Green Pact Forum express their deep concern and disappointment regarding the recent felling of trees in our city. These interventions, carried out in the middle of spring, are highly inappropriate and harmful to the urban ecosystem and public health”. This is the comment of the associations Arci “Maria Schinaia” Foggia, Cicloamici Foggia, Club Alpino Italiano Foggia, Co.N.Al.Pa. Foggia, Csn Onlus/Pro-Natura Foggia, Fare Ambiente Foggia, Fondo Ambiente Italiano Foggia, Konsumer Italia, La Società Civile Foggia, Lipu Capitanata and Wwf Foggia.
“Foggia, a city in southern Italy, is particularly vulnerable to high summer temperatures for this reason trees and urban greenery in general play a crucial role in mitigating the heat, providing shade and helping to reduce the ‘heat island’ effect which characterizes urban areas. It is well known that ‘concrete’ in the city acts as a heat accumulator (returning it slowly even during the night hours) while greenery dissipates and attenuates high temperatures. Trees are ‘natural air conditioners’, in fact their presence is fundamental for improving the quality of life of citizens, lowering high temperatures (from 2 to 8 °C) and reducing energy consumption due to the intensive use of air conditioners. But that’s not all: trees are also real air purifiers; they absorb carbon dioxide (CO2) and release oxygen (O2) during photosynthesis, improving the quality of the air we breathe. Their leaves also capture polluting particles such as fine dust, ozone, nitrogen dioxide and sulfur dioxide, helping to reduce air pollution. Furthermore, cutting down trees at this time of year involves the destruction of birds’ nests (which are protected and functional in the fight against insects that are annoying to humans)”.
Then they add: “In light of these considerations, we firmly ask the company in charge of managing the CNS urban greenery to proceed, with appropriate planning, to the planting of replacement trees that are of an adequate age and have the same ecological value as those felled as required by the regulation municipal as well as the irrigation of the new trees (which from our observations appears absent or lacking). It is imperative that these new trees are planted and cared for properly to ensure that they can grow and fully perform the same ecological functions as the felled tree. This also applies to the recent plantings which are now dying due to the evident lack of periodic support irrigation”.
“It is reiterated that managing urban greenery does not mean choosing the easiest way, i.e. felling, but involves constant commitment to research and application of all possible solutions for the care and maintenance of existing trees; managing the city’s arboreal heritage does not mean cutting down trees but rather means planning, diagnosing and caring for specimens where felling is the last drastic solution. The well-being of our city also depends on the health of its tree heritage, and as associations dedicated to environmental protection, we also expect a more responsible and sustainable approach in the management of urban greenery from consultants and the RUP (single person responsible for the procedure)” .
And they conclude: “We therefore ask the municipal administration to act as ‘guarantor of the service’ ready to sanction any shortcomings as per the contract and to speed up the time required for the establishment of the Environment and Territory Council of the Municipality of Foggia (now on stand by for too long). We invite all citizens to join us in this request and to ensure that future tree maintenance operations are conducted with respect for nature and common well-being”.
