Felled chestnuts tree cancer worries

Felled chestnuts: tree cancer worries

21/10/2014

In a city in the Ruhr area, 126 chestnut trees have to be felled because they are sick. The bacterium „Pseudomonas syringae“ The tree populations in North Rhine-Westphalia have been threatening for years. Among other things, it can cause tree cancer. An expert is concerned.

Tree stands threatened for years
Already since 2006 the bacterium threatens „Pseudomonas syringae“ the chestnut tree stocks in North Rhine-Westphalia. It can cause various plant diseases such as tree cancer, wilting or spots. It is transmitted by insects and penetrates through openings in the bark in the tree, the wood is rotten. The „Chestnut Killer“ has spread in the past eight years in the whole of Germany, like the „image“ reported. Meanwhile, the chestnut dying takes on threatening proportions.

126 trees have to be felled
In the castle forest of the Ruhr district town of Herten, the trees are affected by the bacterium and must be felled. Since the beginning of the week, the 126 trees that were planted 23 years ago are felled. In their place, 100 new trees (lime trees) are to be planted by the end of the year, as reported by the Regionalverband Ruhr. The costs, including precipitation and disposal, are around 110,000 euros. The first diseases on the trees were said to have been noticed in 2008. A beltoon from 2012 made it clear that the trees can not be saved.

Expert worries
For years, news of the threat to chestnut stocks has caused concern. Experts are also concerned. Opposite the „image“ said the graduate biologist Thomas Kowol (53) from the Hamburg Institute for Tree Care: „I do not know if I can make chestnut males with my grandchildren in ten or fifteen years. If things go badly, the trees will all be gone soon. The disease has the potential to greatly decimate, perhaps even eradicate, the chestnut.“ The specialist calls for a nationwide action plan.

Horse chestnut as a natural remedy
Critically Kowol added: „The chestnut is not interesting for forestry, unfortunately has no lobby. But it must be researched quickly to a resistance breeding, so that the tree has a future.“ Although it should be true that the chestnut is not of great importance for forestry, in the field of natural medicine extracts from the horse chestnut play a role and can help against venous disorders. In addition, in the cooler months of the year, it is extremely attractive for many children to play with chestnuts. By staying outdoors, the offspring can also prevent various autumn diseases. (Ad)