“Trees are living beings and, as such, their biological cycle has an end. Therefore, it is vital that in the near future the need to remodel and update the Ramblas be considered, section by section, and in different phases, to provide the necessary and better space conditions, both on the surface and in the subsoil, for irrigation, protection, etc., to the new Indian laurels let them stand.” This is one of the conclusions of the pilot project that Santa Cruz launched in May last year to try to save the laurels of the Indies, whose vitality has been declining alarmingly in different parts of the capital, especially in the Rambla de Santa Cross.
Although the greater contribution of water and nutrients in the selected specimens (three Indian laurels from the Rambla) has given positive results, with the improvement of the vitality of the trees, and it is advocated that this project be maintained for another seven months before deciding whether extends to the rest of the specimens, the truth is that there are trees that, due to age or the advanced nature of their disease, are no longer recoverable, hence their replacement is recommended.
The report indicates that the sections of the Rambla de Santa Cruz in which the trees have not improved are those that go between the streets of San Isidro and the Monument to Franco, between San Martín and San Fernando, as well as Benito Pérez Armas Avenue , in the specific section of Calle Picasso and Avenida de Madrid, so they would be the most likely to be replaced.
The growth of the city, the lack of water or the attack of a fungus as a result of the weakness of the trees are among the main causes of this general decline.
The Public Services area, currently directed by Carlos Tarife, launched this pilot project a year ago, now evaluated, consisting of providing some 6,000 more liters per month in the amount of irrigation water to these trees, with the aim to create new roots.
Tarife told DIARIO DE AVISOS that “it is a fact that the extra supply of water and fertilizers has improved the health of the laurels of the Indies, so we are going to continue with the program, although, as living beings, their improvement is slow, and, for the same reason, we should start thinking about replacing those who have reached the end of their life”.
After seven months, it has been verified that the three specimens of the pilot project, to a greater or lesser extent, have improved their vitality, although, as the analysis carried out clarifies, “it is a very short period compared to the slow pace, in general, of the reaction of the trees”.
For this reason, it has been proposed to continue with the project to decide whether or not it is convenient to extend a similar system to the entire Rambla with the same objective, that is, to provide more water to promote the appearance of new roots below the pavement. , and improve the hydric state of the laurels of the Indies, which also entails the progress of the crowns of the specimens”. The same report, however, concludes that, although as many of these specimens as the rest of the trees that are undergoing a nutrition program, in which each week foliar fertilizers and fertilizers applied to the land are alternated with irrigation to Cuba, and the cycle is repeated every three weeks, it has been verified that their vitality has improved, the truth is that the sections already mentioned have not improved, although they have not worsened too much either. The rest of the areas are notably better, although some localized specimens remain stable.
For this reason, the report concludes that it is necessary to start thinking about replacing those specimens that have not improved.
