There are plans to build a residential complex on the site of what remains of Polkovyi Park in Vinnytsia. Seventy-seven trees are set to be felled — including unique specimens over 100 years old, as well as a 45-metre-tall black poplar, which has become one of the symbols of the protests. Park defenders have discovered that there are no valid permits for felling the trees, and the authorities simply bypassed the public consultation process.
The community initiative ‘Golka’ reported on this situation.
Historical Park
The green space is situated on Striletska Street and consists of the remains of the historic 19th-century Regimental Park. Giant trees grow here, including oaks, ash trees and maples.
According to environmentalists, this area is of vital importance for the conservation of biodiversity and creates its own microclimate. It is simply impossible to replant such trees under current conditions and in an urban environment.
Protests and a petition
A few days ago, local residents and campaigners held a protest outside the town council to protect the park. A petition to this effect has also been submitted.
The publicity helped to erect a fence around the black poplar, which is said to be the largest tree in Vinnytsia. Its trunk measures almost seven metres in circumference and stands 45 metres tall. Traces of construction machinery having driven near the tree had already been spotted, so the area around its root system was fenced off with a wooden frame.
Source: VITA TV
There are no trees; there were no discussions
The community has documented a number of breaches by the developer and the local authorities. The basis for felling the trees is a so-called Survey Report No. 21. No specialist experts were consulted in its preparation, and no public consultations were held at all.
Another serious breach is that the trees have not been recorded or marked. Furthermore, the documents do not specify the species composition of the stands. Activists are convinced that healthy trees have been felled under the pretence of ‘clearing’.
The park’s defenders also highlighted the hypocrisy of the local authorities. On the one hand, the Vinnytsia City Council has set out the ‘Vinnytsia 3.0’ Strategy, which focuses on environmental sustainability and a ‘green city’. In reality, however, the park is being handed over for complete development.
Local residents, together with the NGO ‘Green Vision’, are calling for these ancient trees to be granted the status of a botanical monument, and for a recreational eco-square to be created for the people of Vinnytsia instead of yet more concrete boxes.
The local television channel VITA TV reported that, on the instructions of the mayor, the departments for regeneration, architecture and architectural and building control held a meeting attended by environmental activists. It was then discovered that the developer’s plans did not include any landscaping of the plots at all.
As a result, work on the building site has been suspended for two weeks. During this time, the company must amend the plans to include all existing trees.
At the same time, the Kyiv authorities are felling trees in Teremky. Over 660 trees are set to be felled there under the pretext of the ‘Sustainability Plan’. Professional architects proposed alternative routes for the heating pipeline to the city, but the authorities decided to reject them.
