The scenes that take place this week along the Oelegemsteenweg in Wommelgem are not for sensitive nature lovers. A woodcutter quickly gets rid of the 154 silver poplars that together formed a beautiful, French-looking canal. Groen demands that the college of aldermen fulfill its promise to reconstruct the paved road and plant new trees.
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Jan Auman
Today at 15:34–
‘Flat on the stomach for King Auto’. The reaction of art photographer Nick Hannes from Oelegem speaks volumes and he is far from alone in his judgment. ‘This was the first one I passed on my way home after the hustle and bustle of the Antwerp ring and E313. I was instantly in a good mood and felt all the stress slip away from me. This clear-cut is a disgrace,” said another resident of the Ranst district in deep mourning.
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David Bergen, a widely appreciated arborist from Schilde, won the contract from the municipality of Wommelgem, but leaves the chopping or, better, pulling out the white ambers to fellow specialist Den Houthakker from Schelle. It will be sweet for the rest of the week. Bergen is not insensitive to the destruction of the trees and recognizes that they are certainly not deadly ill.
“But there is a legally valid felling permit and that means the trees are already dead for us”, says Bergen serenely. The arborist knows the tree all too well. As a student – on his way to Antwerp by bike – he drove past it every day thirty years ago. “I’ve often admired those ‘white trees with eyes’”, the sturdy arborist also becomes a bit wistful.
“The permit was issued after much deliberation. I can follow the municipality of Wommelgem somewhere. The tensile tests performed on these silver poplars indicated that leaving them alone would not have been without risk. Drastic pruning every few years could have been done, but that is an expensive solution in view of the construction of the announced cycle path.”
The high trunks and broad crowns are completely ground on site into pulp: biomass with which energy will be generated. Bergen is supervising the work and has, among other things, checked that there are no longer any nests of birds or bats in the canopies. “I also assume that the municipality of Wommelgem will involve me in the follow-up: how to give this float again a beautiful green, rural appearance,” said the expert from Schilde.
The Oelegemsteenweg is quite long. Den Houthakker has his job with it. — © BFM
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Keep promises
The latter is now also the main concern of Groen in Wommelgem. Eva Pierets, Jan Herthogs and Koen Roskams demand that mayor Frank Gys (N-VA) and alderman Alex Helsen (N-VA) fulfill their promise to reconstruct the Oelegemsteenweg. “We will remind the aldermen and the entire municipal council of their promise in good time,” said Roskams.
As far as Groen Wommelgem is concerned, the Oelegemsteenweg must be tackled as quickly as possible. Jan Herthogs: “The cycle path is now no more or less than a deadly strip. The road surface is worn and the speed is too high. Only a thorough approach can improve the comfort and safety of all road users.”
“We don’t just mourn for the trees,” says Eva Pierets. “We also denounce the lack of vision and entrepreneurial spirit of the city council. Groen Wommelgem finds it incomprehensible that all budgets for the Oelegemsteenweg were shifted, while it was known that interventions would be needed to keep the avenue safe and healthy. This board opts for the easiest and cheapest solution: cutting everything down.” (jaa)
–The parody of Groen Wommelgem on the official communication of the municipality. — © RR
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–The fate of the ‘unstable’ silver poplars: sawn into large pieces awaiting further reduction to biomass. — © BFM
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