Trees at risk of shedding their branches not only are to be found in Faro’s Alameda João de Deus gardens, the council now has admitted that it has a list of 130 trees across the regional capital that need urgent attention.
A huge branch crashed to the ground last week in the Alameda João de Deus garden, provoking urgent questions about public safety, especially after the accident in Madeira last weekend where a falling tree killed 13 people at a religious festival.
Local Algarve news service Algarve Primeiro has been on the case after interviewing concerned users of the C19th garden which is situated on the east side of the city. Last Thursday, August 17th, at around 18:00, a group of visitors including children were shocked when a huge branch fell to the ground.
One of the garden users told Algarve Primeiro that, "it has been a shame to see what has happened with the maintenance of this garden. I do not know if the council is aware of this, but the truth is that, beyond the aesthetic effect, the danger is imminent to the point of being afraid to look for a place in the shade."
Other complains have been levelled at the falling of branches from trees that should have been cut back or reduced in height, but that give the appearance of having being abandoned.
The council said it was aware of the huge branch that fell, “...fortunately without consequences for any of the bystanders," adding that the tree is "an exotic species and constitutes a danger to the users of the Alameda gardens. This is the reason why it will be pruned drastically, reducing its canopy to a third."
The municipality said that the management of Faro’s green spaces is contracted to Hidurbe Serviços SA, which undertakes the "maintenance and conservation of public gardens in the city of Faro," but agreed that it is down to the council’s company Fagar to maintain the safety of all of the trees located in Faro's many public spaces.
Faro council’s city service team has an inventory of all the ‘at risk’ trees and says that a procedure ‘is in progress for the acquisition of pruning, maintaining and reducing 130 trees.'
By the end of Monday August 21st, work had started in the Alameda João de Deus garden with large sections cordoned off and closed to visitors. It is hoped that the tree maintenance programme will be completed as soon as possible and that other councils follow Faro's lead.
Alameda João de Deus gardens, (Photo: Algarve Primeiro, 2017)
