- Work has begun on the extension of Metro Line 11, which involves the conservation of only 5% of the trees in the affected area.
- Ecologists in Action denounces inconsistencies in the inventory of trees in the executive project.
- The massive deforestation will affect several parks in Madrid, such as Parque de Comillas, Parque de Arganzuela, Parque de Darwin or Jardines Jimena Quirós.
In November, work began on extending Line 11 of the Madrid Metro. The monumental project plans to connect the stations of Plaza Elíptica and Conde de Casal through an infrastructure of 7 km and an investment of 500 million euros. It will have two new stations, Comillas and Madrid Río, whose works seriously affect the Comillas and Arganzuela parks. Ecologistas en Acción had access to the execution plan and noted major irregularities in the tree inventory and environmental analysis.
massive felling of trees
Of the 1,218 trees found in the area affected by the works, the project envisages speak 855 yes transplant 302so that only 61 trees will be preserved, 5% of the total. These are adult specimens of up to 35 different species which include the pinyon pine (Pine tree), plane of shadow (Spanish plantain), Almez (Southern Celts) and mulberry (White mulberry). For each tree a card has been prepared to evaluate the state of health of the specimen. Ecologists in Action reviewed each of the included sheets, concluding that theThe vast majority of trees are perfectly healthycataloged by the inventory itself as in good condition, and some regular without disease.
The culling of these specimens contradicts the document itself where it is specified that “felling and felling were considered only in those cases in which the tree presented some type of lesion or malformation, as well as parasites or diseases, (…) specimens whose phytosanitary status was defined regular, bad or dead (exemplary without appreciable life) or the inclination of the trunk is greater than 45º”.
Even the last statement doesn’t justify the felling, as most have an inclination between 45º and 90º, usually in an upright position. Ecologists in action recalls that, in accordance with Law 8/2005, of December 26, for the protection and promotion of urban trees in the Community of Madrid in its article 2: “The felling of all trees protected by this law is prohibited when these trees are necessarily affected (…) by the construction of infrastructure (…) they will be transplanted.”
To find justification for compliance with the standard, one must go to another document, the Identification and evaluation of impacts, which states that “considering the technical difficulty, the economic cost and the guarantees of survival that an adult tree specimen can show in the face of transplantation, a trunk perimeter equal to or less than 50 cm was estimated as a threshold value for deciding to transplant healthy trees”.
Ecologistas en Acción believes that transplanting these specimens seriously endangers their survival, but argues that, because of this, transplanting or, failing that, culling should only be considered an option when absolutely necessary. And that’s not the case.
Comilla Park.
Destruction of Comillas Park
Comillas Park is located on Antonio Leyva Street, between Plaza Elíptica and Glorieta Marqués de Vadillo. The newly planned station in the park occupies only a portion of it, yet the extent of tree slicing has been considered for virtually the entire park. This implies that only 11 trees are preservedaccording to the project plans. The reason for this fact could be found in an access ramp for trucks and in the occupation of the land by the TBM structures, which will access the subsoil from this point.
Ecologists in Action is amazed that alternatives have not been studied for the location of these structures that do not involve the absolute destruction of a natural heritage of high environmental value that also limits the use of a public supply that is essential for the neighborhood in the long term of execution of the works. Furthermore, the same document specifies that this will take place “maintaining a total of 10,000 m2 of green area for public use during the works”. It is therefore incomprehensible the need to proceed with the foreseen abatement.
More parks affected
The scope of the felling is not limited to the Comillas Park. In addition to the multiple demolitions on public roads connected to emergency exit connection points, other parks such as Darwin Park in the Moratalaz district, the Jimena Quirós Gardens in the Retiro district or the square located next to the Paseo de Santa María de la Cabeza between the Baleares and Inmaculada Concepción streets. Particularly alarming are the fellings in the Arganzuela Park foreseen following the construction of the new Madrid Río station which, as in the Comillas Park, goes beyond the area next to the station works. Ecologists in Action calls for measures to alleviate the impact of these works on urban trees, as the location of depots and construction machinery is no excuse for the annihilation of all green infrastructure in these areas.
Arganzuela Park.
Ecologistas en Acción also warns that the proper protection of trees that are not cut down is also a responsibility not to be evaded, despite the fact that it is common in Madrid to see how official regulations are systematically violated, resulting in visible damage to existing trees and many times condemning death of the copy.
This environmental attack adds to a recent wave of nonsense related to the management of public works in Madrid that are attacking trees and urban greenery and to which the public administration has accustomed us.
In conclusion, Ecologistas en Acción requests that, before it is too late, the Department of Transport and Infrastructure of the Community of Madrid correct the project forecasts of the works and entrust the contracted company with the execution of the works, the UTE ACCIONA – DRAGADOS -ROVER INFRA.SA, which plans the relevant actions to ensure the survival of as many trees as possible.
