The municipality of Santa Cruz de Tenerife early closed one of the lanes of Avenida 25 de Julio on Thursday and will maintain this closure until further notice. This decision follows the collapse of a large tree and a subsequent evaluation of the trees in the vicinity.
The lane in question connects Plaza de los Patos to Numancia Street, as detailed by the Santa Cruz Local Police on social media.
The collapse of the tree necessitated the brief suspension of traffic in both lanes while the teams from Parks and Gardens worked in conjunction with the Fire Service.
Following a technical assessment of the trees along the roadway, it was decided to keep one of the two lanes closed to vehicular traffic.
The loss of this tree adds to the periodic occurrences within the city; the most recent being that of a significant eucalyptus in García Sanabria Park. Its felling resulted in protests from residents, including a vigil for the tree. Groups like Los Arboles Speak have been raising alarm for years, with growing urgency and escalating anger, regarding what they perceive as a “war” on treescapes by the local authority.
Carmen de la Rosa, a prominent member of Los Arboles Hablan, remarked in June when the eucalyptus was removed that “it is not accurate to say that the trees in the city are well maintained,” as claimed by the council. “Numerous trees, including palm specimens, are not watered and are left to wither, as seen with those behind the fences due to the construction at the Viera and Clavijo building. Others have exposed roots and some have completely uprooted.” … She expressed concerns over the replacement of historic trees, aged 30, 40, or 50 years, with new ones, particularly flamboyant varieties, despite the mature trees offering shade and nesting opportunities. “This is simply unacceptable.”
