The jacarandas that have adorned the central Puerto Escondido Street in Santa Cruz for decades, connecting Suárez Guerra with San Clemente, are set to be felled by the City Council, as reported by the environmental group Los Árboles Hablan. They claim the reason is that the trees are sick and pose a danger to pedestrians in the event of a potential collapse.
Members of Los Árboles Hablan question the causes of these trees’ ailments, asserting that “they have branches and flowers, which means they are very much alive and this does not justify the council’s intentions.”
In a video shared on social media, tree advocates argue that “the Santa Cruz City Council intends to cut down these jacarandas because they are sick, which is due to years of mistreatment and neglect from Parks and Gardens: they lack an adequate irrigation system, are not treated when ill (sick trees should be treated, not cut down), and receive no fertilisation or suitable soil and tree pits,” they assert.
Jacarandas Used as “Lamp Posts”
They further point out that “these trees have been festooned with cables and bulbs for years as the council uses them as lamp posts. These cables damage the bark and disrupt the circadian rhythms of birds, people, and trees.”
“They may be sick, but unhealthy trees can be treated with endotherapy, a technique that involves introducing substances into the trunk without harming the environment or people,” emphasise members of Los Árboles Hablan.
They also add that the jacarandas in this central street “lack an irrigation system,” questioning how long it has been since the council last watered the jacarandas, leaving them to die of thirst.
The group therefore criticises “yet another arboricide in the city. Politicians care little for the value of trees; they allow them to die with total impunity, especially the jacarandas, which play a significant role in purifying the air.”
Street Renovation
Puerto Escondido Street is set for a complete transformation next year, as reported by DIARIO DE AVISOS last year. The councillor for Public Services and Strategic Planning, Carlos Tarife, indicated that the council has awarded the project and secured the necessary budget, amounting to one million euros, funded by the Government of the Canary Islands.
The renovation work on this urban road is expected to commence in the second half of next year, with the council aiming to transform this central street into a shared space, incorporating improvements to the pavement, new lighting, a redistribution of the existing waste bins, and new trees.
Puerto Escondido Street, located in the Centro-Ifara district, currently spans 266 metres and features a wide pedestrian area alongside a traffic lane, with separate access for vehicles wishing to use one of the two parking facilities in the vicinity.
