VISITORS SURPRISED Walnut trees at Žuta tabija cut down after analysis by the Faculty of Forestry UNSA

(Patria) - Numerous visitors to Žuta tabija, which offers a beautiful view of Sarajevo, were unpleasantly surprised by the sight of felled trees. The Institute for the Protection of Cultural, Historical, and Natural Heritage of Sarajevo issued a public statement.

"Five walnut trees on the plateau of Žuta tabija were an indispensable 'living' element of the landscape of this site. Due to significant damage to all five trees, the collapse of one tree in the summer of 2024, and the potential risk of the remaining four trees falling, the Cantonal Institute for the Protection of Cultural, Historical, and Natural Heritage of Sarajevo, as the owner of the land on which the trees are located, had a duty to eliminate the potential risk to human life and health and material assets. On the other hand, as an institution responsible for the protection and preservation of certain culturally and historically valuable elements of urban greenery, our mission and goal is to maximally preserve and extend the lifespan of valuable dendrological elements of Sarajevo's urban landscape.

Therefore, in cooperation with the Faculty of Forestry of the University of Sarajevo, we conducted a detailed analysis of their growth characteristics, an assessment of their health status and risks, and examined the possibility of implementing appropriate professional remediation measures for the observed irregularities, injuries, and rot for each individual tree, which would achieve a satisfactory health status and stability, and extend their lifespan. In addition to the visual method for assessing the condition of the trees, the applied methodology included resistance testing and tomography to obtain information about the condition of the wood inside the trunk and the root system, i.e., the extent of rot, the strength and resistance of the trunk, and the expected direction of fall.

Unfortunately, the results of these analyses, contained in the Elaborate on the condition of the trees with proposed remediation and conservation measures prepared by the Faculty of Forestry of the University of Sarajevo, indicated that remediation and conservation measures could not achieve a satisfactory condition, and that due to the high risk posed by these trees, their removal was the only solution to eliminate the danger. Although it is not always possible to save and preserve every tree, especially since the process of decay is inevitable for living beings, we wish to draw attention to the fact that the decision to remove trees as heritage assets should be based on the results of detailed expert analyses and assessments. Therefore, making scientifically and professionally founded decisions is the only correct way to handle heritage assets," stated the Institute.

The work was carried out based on a decision issued by the Service for Investments and Communal Affairs of the Old Town Municipality.

The second phase of this project involves selecting adequate locations and plant species for replacement planting in order to revitalize the vegetation of Žuta tabija while improving the living conditions for the growth and development of young trees.