Tree Falls on Rambla de Santa Cruz Due to Bacterial Infection
A substantial jacaranda tree collapsed yesterday morning onto the Rambla de Santa Cruz road, near the Hispano Inglés school, disrupting traffic flow in the outward lanes of the city. Public Services technicians and Parks and Gardens staff attribute the incident to internal rot caused by a supposed bacterial infection. Interestingly, the tree displayed no external signs of poor health.
The City Council has stated that samples have been collected and are currently under analysis to determine the exact cause of the fall. The results are expected to be available in about a month. Despite continuous monitoring of the city’s trees, the council has announced a comprehensive reassessment of all jacaranda trees in the area, with the aim of promptly replacing the fallen tree with a new specimen.
Mayor José Manuel Bermúdez revealed that initial technical analysis suggests a bacterial presence that, while not visibly damaging, led to the tree’s collapse. As a result, a thorough inspection of all trees in that section of the Rambla will be conducted to guide future decisions.
Highlighting the abundance of trees in the capital, Bermúdez acknowledged the inevitable lifecycle of trees, emphasizing the city’s rigorous tree care and monitoring practices, given its significant tree population exceeding World Health Organisation recommendations.
Over the last seven months, the Public Services department has felled 206 trees due to poor condition, with 439 new trees planted in their place, ensuring a proactive approach to tree management. Notably, 14 branches and 9 roots have also collapsed during this period.
Following previous tree incidents due to fungal infections, the City Council engaged the specialist company Árbol Investigación y Gestión to conduct a comprehensive study of all trees in the capital. This same company will now assess the jacaranda trees on the Rambla, providing necessary insights for further action.
