The residents of Halden liked what they saw when this year’s fir tree was planted in the square. Then the landowner called.
– I usually can’t come up with a white lie once, because it shines in my eyes. And now I’ve “stolen” a Christmas tree!, a distraught park manager Irene Østnes in the municipality of Halden tells VG:
Sorry sorry sorry!
This Christmas story begins a bit back in time:
Two weeks ago, the majestic fir tree became part of the town square. On November 17, unsuspecting residents of Halden gathered to take candlelight with them.
Then the landowner got in touch:
The tree he thought he had legally cut down on municipal land turns out to be privately owned.
The case was first discussed in Halden Arbeiderblad.
– 14 days ago we harvested the tree, now it has been decorated. Then we hear that we have stolen the tree. At first I thought whoops, what is this. That can’t be true, the park manager tells VG.
Mismeasured
A few weeks ago, the municipality started scouting. They came across the tree in question, which was located in a roadside dam, between the roadside and a steep mountain. The branches hung over the town road and the distance between the tree and the road was thought to be about 1-1.5 metres.
If it’s a municipal tree, they’d cut it down because, among other things, it could scratch passing cars.
– Then we found out that the tree was kinda cute and we could use it as a Christmas tree.
In retrospect, it turned out that the distance was two meters, which means that it was not a municipal tree.
– I thought I’d paste it again
– Oh, what have I done now, I thought. The municipality really doesn’t have the habit of going to steal. I measured on the map and thought then it says inside. But I fell short, and it’s my fault. I didn’t do my job
– Then there’s nothing to do but apologize, I really screwed up. I’m so bored.
The sincerely sorry park manager says she stayed awake pondering how to make amends.
– Last night I thought about picking up the tree in the square and gluing it again, but it’s practically impossible.
Owner: – That tree has stood for generations
Østnes has been making Christmas trees for the municipality for eleven years now, and says it is the first time they have been in this situation.
– We usually get trees from private individuals because they think it’s nice to have their fir tree in the city, then we come to clean it and remove the root.
The Christmas tree’s original owner, Martin Persson, rushed Council on the phone when he added that the nearly 100-year-old tree had vanished at the same time Council erected the Christmas tree in the square.
– That tree has been around for generations, ever since my roommate’s great-grandfather built the house.
He does not accept that this is a misunderstanding:
– I understand that the misunderstanding could occur within the municipality, but there was no misunderstanding between the municipality and me as the owner, because I was not told.
– And he took the initiative: if it had been the other way around, if I had collected wood from a communal plot, I would have been reported immediately, he believes.
– It’s a very beautiful tree, isn’t it nice that the people of Halden can appreciate it?
– Yes, absolutely. The situation would have been completely different if the municipality had asked in advance, says Persson, who fails to see the humor in the case:
– If you think the council took a tree from a non-council plot of land it’s funny, that is. But he’s still stealing.
Østbø says she fell to the ground as soon as she made contact.
– You can get the wood and we can plant, that’s what I can give, what else can I do?, says the manager of the park in despair.
The last tree paid for by the municipality was around NOK 3,000.
But Christmas tree owner Persson believes all you have to do is get wood from your own tree.
The case is now with the council’s lawyers.
