15.02.2011

Diocese and city fell and plant trees at the cathedralyard

Hildesheim (bph) The diocese is reshaping its cathedralyard. At that some trees have to fall, but far less then originally planned. 20 trees are to be felled at the end of February, some of them are diseased and are partially replaced by other trees. Especially in the southern cathedralyard the diocese wants to plant trees all new.

The current concept shows, which trees art to be felled and where new ones are to be plant. Key: tree in dark green: tree, which remains; tree in light green: proposed new planting; tree crossed out with red „X“: chosen for felling; origin of photo material: diocese Hildesheim

The plans for the reshaping go back to a competition of the diocese and the citiy of Hildesheim, which was won by the landscape architecture office of Hahn von Hantelmann based in Hamburg and Berlin. Their conception planned to make a better feature of the sight lines of the cathedral and therefor to fell a range of trees, among others the so called „green cloister“, the two rows of limetrees at the northern cathredraljyard.

During the last months the diocese has rigorosly revised the plans and was advised by experts and some of Hildesheim's citizens. Now the “green cloister“ remains.

Prof. Dr. Rolf Kehr, expert of woodpathology and mycology at the college for applied science and art (HAWK) Hildesheim/Holzminden/Göttingen and his colleague Prof. Dr. Steffen Rust, specialist of tree care, treemonitoring and treebiology supported the plans, furthermore they are going to work as consultants for the diocese. These talks were moderated by the former city manager Dr. Konrad Deufel and Dr. Hartmut Häger, the SPD-party whip in the Hildesheim council. Together a good compromise between the different interests was found. A fellpermit for the trees defined to be felled is there.