If you walk across the Parade in Den Bosch, you may be surprised. 91 thin, new trees have been ‘greased’ there against the bright sun and heat of Tuesday. White painted trunks can be seen on both sides of the Parade.
The municipality of ‘Den Bosch wants to provide extra protection for the recently planted trees. This is done by applying a layer of ‘tree white’. if this is not done, the young bark may tear from the trees.
Tree whitening is normally more common in southern European countries such as Spain, Italy and Greece. Nevertheless, the municipality now lubricates their trees more often. “The current warm summers amplify the damage to young trees even more. Reason enough for us to provide extra protection for newly planted trees in such a location for the first few years,” says municipal spokesman Gert-Jan van Zoggel.
The ‘treatment’ of the saplings was a one-off. The young trees will not remain white forever. The layer will therefore disappear over time like snow in the sun.