Monday saw the start of the pruning and selective felling of palm trees in Orihuela Costa for the first time in over two years, a necessary measure after the fall of two trees during recent strong winds.
The exercise will take between two and three months and is being carried out after the intervention of Cllr Manuel Mestre, in coordination with the Department of Infrastructure.
Pruning has been initiated after a visual inspection carried out by a specialist engineer, who checked the palm trees of the species “Phoenix dactylifera” in Cabo Roig. During the inspection, several specimens that have been seriously damaged by the “Rhynchophorus ferrugineus”, commonly known as red palm weevil, were identified and marked, which represent a serious risk of falling, and will be cut down.
Also, other specimens of “Phoenix dactylifera” will be pruned to prevent possible falls on the roadway and adjacent houses. These works will be carried out by an arboricultural officer specialised in pruning. As part of the process, a phytosanitary treatment will be applied to the pruned specimens by means of a foliar shower.
In the current budget 1 million euros is earmarked for the replacement of palm trees and trees in Orihuela Costa, once the pruning and felling work is completed, a study will be conducted into the replacement of specimens that have been felled or have fallen in recent years.
