Yvelines. Around fifty demonstrators protest against the felling of trees

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The felling of trees in the Charles-de-Gaulle park in Houilles (Yvelines) continues to provoke reactions. Tuesday September 24, 2024, the collective “Save the trees of Parc Charles de Gaulle” gathered in front of the town hall, a few minutes before the municipal council in order to be heard.

As a reminder, the City of Houilles plans to cut down 52 trees of different species due to “ disease or to decompact the soil” in order to limit large puddles of water in the main park of the municipality.

“It’s a huge mistake”, according to the collective

The collective, a fifty members that evening, contests certain slaughters. “Yews can in fact be cut down because they are toxic. On the other hand, the maples should be preserved, they are not diseased, they claim. Large chestnut trees must be kept for 5, 10, 25 or 30 years following the recommendations of the phytosanitary report commissioned by the City. The goal is to make the park more resilient with trees of varying ages. »

“Cutting down 52 trees at once, or 30% of the trees in the park, is a huge mistake. »

At the end of the rally, no member of the municipality went to meet them, to their great dismay. “Our petition has more than 500 signatures of Ovillois. How many signatures are needed to be considered? 1000, 2000, 3000? », Launches Christophe Héraud, also elected from the municipal opposition.

“A manipulation”, responds the City

Contacted, the municipal majority responded.

“This is a manipulation by an opposition elected official who has given himself the mission of preventing the City’s projects. We have already provided all the information through a letter. »

And added: “The mayor is willing to receive the petition on his desk with the name of the signatory Ovillois. »

Asked about the precise date of the slaughter, the City said it could not provide details, except after the sale on October 6. She says she is focusing, for the moment, on “the construction phasingcirculation spaces to allow residents to continue crossing the park, etc. »

The chestnut trees

The collective raises another question. “The vast majority of the chestnut trees in the park are in the same condition as the chestnut trees that the town hall wants to cut down at all costs, talking about scorching of the leaves which does not alter their vitality according to the report. So why want to destroy these trees specifically when they don’t interfere with anything on the plans? »

“With the landscaper Acte2paysage, we identified thosethe most sufferingin the very compacted soil in the center of the park and, those near Square Verdun, very weakened by severe cuts for a long time,” responds Christophe Haudrechy, deputy mayor for the environment and ecological transition.

Proof that exchanges can still take place…

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