Cutting of diseased trees in the Schlassgoard area and on the Schifflange wasteland

For some time, regular walkers of the Schlassgoard area and neighbors of the former ArcelorMittal Schifflange site had been able to see fallen trees falling along the Alzette river. At ArcelorMittal in Luxembourg, owner of these lands, our Real Estate department then noticed that many others were old or even sick. Following this observation, an authorization from the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Infrastructures was requested in order to cut these trees subject to a phytosanitary study.

The phytosanitary study

To ensure that the trees to be cut were very sick, a phytosanitary study was carried out with the company Biotope Environnement Luxembourg on 189 trees.

The study showed that 18 of these 189 trees were considered "very dangerous" because their stability is not guaranteed and must therefore be evacuated first for the safety of visitors.

25 trees were also considered "dangerous", they represent a lesser but existing danger. Their slaughter was then strongly advised by Biotope Environnement Luxembourg.

68 additional trees have been identified as potentially dangerous and an intervention is necessary as for the other specimens.

After receiving the analyzes carried out by this external company, ArcelorMittal Luxembourg has chosen to strengthen the security of the site and of its visitors by felling the trees mentioned above, with the authorization of the Ministry of Sustainable Development and Infrastructures.

Spacies impacted

These logging operations will not have a great impact on the biodiversity of the sites concerned. It was identified that no tree to be cut was the host of bird nests or shelter of any species. The possibility that these trees are potential habitats being ruled out, it is then possible to proceed with the cutting.

The trees concerned are:

• Black poplar
• Silver birch
• White willow
• Black elderberry
• False ebony laburnum
• Plane maple
• Common ash
• Hazel

The wood from these trees will then be donated to the Administration of Nature and Forests, which will process it and use it in chips for heating their buildings.  

Please note that the logging work on the Schlassgoard estate and on the ArcelorMittal Schifflange site has already started and will continue until the end of December 2021.