No less than 7157 people have signed the petition for the preservation of the pedunculate oak in Hollandscheveld. On Wednesday afternoon, the strong appeal was presented to alderman Jan Zwiers. He spoke of a ‘beautiful action’.
The protest song The pedunculate oak of Riegmeer by musician Bertus ten Caat from Hollandscheveld blares across the Raadhuisplein this Wednesday afternoon. A modest occasional choir of GroenLinks members, sympathizers and interested parties sings along with the text.
The serenaded pedunculate oak on the Albartsweg in Hollandscheveld is now one of the most famous trees in our country. The monumental, valuable tree is in danger of being felled because it is in the way of a planned substation, a large transformer station on the Riegmeer business park.
After reporting in this newspaper, volunteers from GroenLinks launched a petition against the felling permit. That action then had a snowball effect on social media and its own protest song.
After the national commotion surrounding the tree, the municipality decided to talk to the initiators of the petition and experts to see if the tree can still be saved.
Puberty
Alie Kroezen took the audience back on Wednesday to 1921 when her grandfather planted the 4-year-old tree, to later get shade in his farmhouse. The tree is therefore clearly older than 100 years. For a pedunculate oak, that is puberty, because the tree can live to be 400 years old.” For Kroezen, preserving the tree, preferably in the same place, is worth a lot.
Although the investigation is still ongoing, it seems clear in advance that moving the tree is the only feasible scenario. “Given the choice of location for the substation, it will be very difficult to leave the tree standing,” said alderman Zwiers. “But there is new hope that the oak can be moved.”
Tipping point
Christa Berenpas, initiator of the petition, hopes that the tree will not only be preserved, but that the municipality will give priority to ecological values over economic values when making future plans. “Let this pedunculate oak be a tipping point in that.”
According to alderman Zwiers, Hoogeveen wants to be a green municipality. “At Riegmeer, we as a municipality are already doing quite a lot in the field of ecology.” He pointed to the construction of ecological zones, to the badger sett and the fauna passages. “It’s about finding a good balance and that’s not always easy.”
Link
Zwiers characterized the petition for the preservation of the tree and the musical setting as ‘a wonderful action.’ “As a municipality, we also learn from this process, from this tree. He also stands for connection with society.
Climate mayor Grietje Loof gave a poetic lecture from the perspective of the pedunculate oak. “I am indispensable, an air purifier, there is so much life in and under me. I am a champion in biodiversity, the king of Riegmeer.”