The only tree line on 8th March Street has been cut down, after the reconstruction, 86 tulip tree seedlings are planned to be planted

The only avenue of trees and one of the city's rare refuges from the summer heat on 8th March Street, next to the "Čepurci" city cemetery in Podgorica, was cut down for sidewalk renovation.

Several residents of that part of the city complained to "Vijesti" claiming that the trees were cut down negligently, and that employees of the "Zelenilo" company told them that they had to cut down "trees that were more than two decades old because they were 'raising' the sidewalk."

"We are completely shocked by the unreasonable decision to cut down the only tree line on the street. The claims of the employees of 'Zelenil' are absolutely unfounded, because the sidewalk can be built without cutting down trees. As always, no one asked the residents of the street, but even more importantly, no one asked the experts. At the beginning, a mistake was made when planting trees in the past, because no one consulted dendrologists or anyone who understands trees, so they left a small diameter around the trees. If they had asked, they would have known that it was a type of tree that grows quickly, has a wide trunk and roots," the citizens said.

"Zelenil", managed by Nemanja Gajović, told the editorial staff that the city company 'Putevi' has begun the rehabilitation of the roadway structure on 8th March Street, and that the paulownia trees have been cut down.

"They include the reconstruction of sidewalks with 47 adult paulownia trees, as well as one maple tree. Paulownia is a plant species that is primarily grown as an industrial tree, characterized by intensive growth, pronounced height and thickness growth, as well as a strongly developed root system, and in conditions of limited space for root development and the existence of physical barriers in the lower layers of the soil, at the specified location, plank veins formed, which raised and deformed the sidewalks. The selection of the species and planting of paulownia at this location were not carried out in consultation with 'Zelenilo', that is, they were not carried out in accordance with the rules of the profession," said "Zelenilo".

They explained that this is a sidewalk area where, they claim, it is not possible to "apply adequate care and maintenance measures that this species requires":

"Significant damage has occurred to the sidewalks, with a real danger that other infrastructure facilities will be endangered in the coming period, such as the fence of the city cemetery 'Čepurci', tombs, curbs, roads and underground installations. For the above reasons, it is necessary to remove the existing trees and replace them with a species with a less aggressive root system and which is more suitable for planting in urban areas," said the city's "Zelenil".

According to the company, the planting of 86 tulip tree seedlings has been recommended and planned for the formation of a new tree line.

"Which will be distributed along the tortoar and in newly formed green lanes along the road. An irrigation system will also be installed along the tree line, and approval for the work is currently being awaited from the competent secretariat, as well as the findings and opinion of the expert hired by the Capital City, in order to additionally provide and confirm a professional solution and avoid similar situations in the future," Zelenil announced.