UTRECHT – The municipality of Utrecht sees “weighty objections” to the felling of trees around primary school De Fakkel. The school in Tuinwijk has applied for a felling permit for eight trees because of the significant nuisance caused by a flock of starlings.
Parents have been complaining to the municipality for some time that bird droppings cause enormous stench. Bicycles are being shitted under and it would no longer be pleasant to play in part of the schoolyard.
Parties want commitment
GroenLinks, Party for the Animals and PvdA wanted alderman Lot van Hooijdonk to promise during the weekly question time that the felling permit would not be granted. “Although we take this nuisance seriously, cutting down healthy trees is not a good solution. We want the municipality to look for a solution in consultation with the school that is good for the trees, starlings and the school,” said Anne Sasbrink, councilor of the Party for the Animals.
Pepijn Zwanenberg of GroenLinks was also surprised by the school’s solution. The councilor has just started his fifth term in the city council, but has never seen such a solution in all that time: “I think this is the first time”.
To the question of the parties whether the permit could already be refused, Van Hooijdonk said he was not yet able to give an answer. But she hinted that the chance that the permit will be granted is extremely small.
“The nuisance is very annoying, we take that seriously. But we also take the felling of trees seriously and we want to prevent as much as possible,” said the alderman. “I can say that we see very serious objections. Cutting trees just because of nuisance will not happen in Utrecht.”
‘It really smells bad’
The school itself previously announced that it found the measure draconian, but school director Iris Hekkert saw no other solution. “We want a long-term solution. If you’re not here, it’s hard to imagine, but it really stinks. If there’s another way than felling: I’d love to. But we don’t want that nuisance anymore.” she told RTV Utrecht this week.
Van Hooijdonk indicates that consultations have taken place with the school. “We don’t have the right idea yet, but I do expect it to work. We see possibilities,” says Van Hooijdonk. The school and the municipality are helped by nature. Starling season seems to be coming to an end, providing additional time to find a solution.