Thousands of French demanded in a petition to stop cutting down the 2,000-century-old oak trees immediately. The wood of the trees is supposed to be used to restore the roof and the Parisian cathedral of Notre Dame, but according to the protesters, the French Minister of Culture is complicit in an “environmental murder”.
In a country of nearly a third of it covered with forests and woodland – which accounts for nearly 17 million hectares of trees – cutting down 2,000 old oak trees shouldn’t be a problem. Certainly not when wood was used to revive the tower and upper truss of Notre Dame Cathedral in all their glory after a devastating fire nearly two years ago.
Photo: ISOPIX
still. Since the first oak trees were torn down in the former royal jungle in Bercy (in northwest France) this week, the game is on a cart. A petition to stop this “environmental killing” obtained more than 41,500 signatures at any given time.
Read also. A thousand centuries old oak trees have been felled for the new Notre Dame tower
“Trees that are 100 years old or more are part of our living heritage and constitute an ecosystem in their own right. The initiators said that our land is in danger, and our forests are suffering from global warming, so that choice is not understood. And according to them,” in the twenty-first century, It would make sense to choose more responsible technologies that would reduce damage to the environment. ”They point out that concrete was used to rebuild the cathedrals of Reims and Nantes, so they don’t understand why the National Heritage Committee is not choosing this now.
Photo: AFP
Romantic relationship
Culture Minister Roslyn Bachelet, who was there when the first oak trees fell – four columns 8 to 14 meters high and 50 to 90 cm wide – already felt the pouring rain. The minister said, “You have to run a forest or a forest.” These trees were on the list to be cut down anyway. So there is definitely no question of amputating our heritage. ”He – she National Forest OfficeThe government agency that manages forests and forests of the French state confirmed that a thousand trees represent barely 0.1 percent of all the wood that goes into the construction and furniture sector each year. The spokesman said, “Every year more wood is added than what is harvested,” intending that he is not talking about “cutting” or “cutting” but about “harvesting”. The service is also well aware of the emotional connection the French have with their forests and forests.
The chance that the opponents will take a home hit and that the slash – or harvest, if you like – will be stopped, is virtually nil. President Emmanuel Macron is determined to reopen Notre Dame to the public in 2024, just in time for the Olympics in Paris that summer. Very tight deadline. The 2,000 selected trees must dry up until 2023 before they are felled. Only then can the reconstruction of the truss and spire begin according to the original plans of the architect Viollet-le-Duc. So, even the slightest delay could frustrate the president’s cramped plan.
