Trees affected by mushroom infestation

Sick and weakened trees will have to be felled in the Villette Park and elsewhere. The municipality is promising to plant replacements.

A statement from the municipality on Tuesday stated "Securing the diverse stock of trees throughout the municipality of Cham is of great concern to the residents office (Einwohnergemeinde). The trees are regularly checked for diseases, pest infestations, broken branches and dead wood, and, in recent weeks, it has been noted that individual trees are "very sick or weakened" and could therefore pose a safety risk.

The affected trees are affected by various fungi that destroy the wood tree– in particular the honey fungus (Armillarias)  and the ash dieback (Hymenoscyphus fraxineus). In concrete terms, two ash trees and three alders will have to be felled in the Villettepark. Six horse chestnut trees will be planted as a replacement in the near future. "These very valuable young trees will be carefully maintained over the next few years," says Markus Schuler, Head of Horticulture at the Cham community, in the statement. "The horse chestnuts will then grow into stately solitary trees. This growth will accompany us in the coming years and will certainly delight our hearts."

Trees wil also have to be felled in the Städtli area
Felling actions and replacement plantings will also take place in other areas of the municipality. For example, a lime tree will have to be felled at the Schwingkeller, as well as a birch tree, a Judas tree (Cercis siliquastrum)  and three spruce trees along the Zugerstrasse at the Städtli I, a walnut tree and a birch at the Technikum, and an American oak tree at the Röhrliberg sports complex. Forestry interventions will also be carried out in the Lorzenpark, working together with the Cantonal Forester. Replacement plantings "in the immediate vicinity" are planned for all of these trees.

Photo 1: The Honey fungus is a threat for the trees
Photo 2: The herb bed by the Dorfplatz (village square)

Tree plantings to promote biodiversity in spring would be carried out, among other things, at the Kirchbühlweg, on the Städtlerallmend, at the Werkhof along the Sinserstrasse, at the Hagendorn schoolhouse and in the Lido (Strandbad). Beds of herbs will also be increasingly laid in place of non-local ground cover plants and bushes. "These beds will have a very high ecological quality, as they will include 30 different native wildflower species, such as the ordinary yarrow (achillea millefolium), the brownray knapweed (centaurus lacea), the spiked speedwell (veronica spicata), the Nottingham catchfly (silene nutans ), the orange-hawkbit (pilosella aurantiaca) and many more," explains Markus Schuler in the municipal communication.

In conclusion, he says: "Even though it seems a pity to fell the trees mentioned above, this is absolutely necessary."