Brochure on Chemnitz woody species published
The two authors Horst Grundmann and Karl Naue have spent years meticulously documenting trees and shrubs in Chemnitz. The compiled knowledge is now available in the "Gehölzflora" - the brochure "Die Gehölze im Stadtgebiet von Chemnitz", which was presented today on Andréplatz and is now available.
Botanist Horst Grundmann has been single-mindedly pursuing a project for years: the identification, recording and documentation of all tree and shrub species in Chemnitz. He gained Karl Naue, the former head of the tree nursery in Dittersdorf, as a like-minded fellow campaigner. He has excellent knowledge and a wealth of experience in woody plants. During the joint "hunt for valuable trees and shrubs", the species and varieties of trees and shrubs were recorded in public areas, along roads and, where possible, in private gardens and in the wild.
The two authors paid special attention to trees and shrubs that are particularly valuable, are very old, very rare, characterise the landscape with their beauty, are under protection or were planted on special historical occasions. A total of around 3,800 individual tree locations were registered. The information recorded included the location (district and street), age, size and height of the tree.
Trees make a significant contribution to improving the quality of life in urban areas. They offer residents a varied and structured cityscape and landscape. In addition, they have diverse and important functions in the natural balance, which contribute significantly to people's health and well-being. Trees not only have a positive effect on the warmer urban climate by providing shade, they also purify the air of pollutants and dust, produce oxygen, provide food and nesting sites for numerous animal species and, last but not least, protect the soil from erosion on slopes.
So trees cannot be valued highly enough. This is another reason why the Chemnitz Environmental Agency, the lower nature conservation authority, has taken on the publication and printing of the brochure. Many thanks go to the two authors, Horst Grundmann and Karl Naue, for their many years of tireless and meticulous work. And the result is something to be proud of:
The "Gehölzflora" is not just a list of where the respective trees or shrubs are found. It contains valuable information about the frequency and rarity of woody species in Chemnitz or which are particularly worthy of protection. It also serves as a basis for the designation of trees as natural monuments. The brochure also contains a list of the oldest and largest trees in Chemnitz. There are eight trees in the city with a trunk circumference of over five metres. The oldest are up to 400 years old. And there are 732 different species of trees in Chemnitz.
Only very few areas in Germany have such a well-founded list of trees and shrubs.
The brochure "Gehölze" in the city area of Chemnitz" is available from the Chemnitz Environmental Agency. A nominal fee of 10 euros is charged. If you are interested, please contact Ines Kunze on 0371/488-3602 or by e-mail: umweltamt.naturschutz@stadt-chemnitz.de.