Viewing trees as a road safety issue to be solved is now a thing of the past. This is confirmed by the strong reactions to the announced felling plan by the Haute-Marne Departmental Council last February: in particular the reactions of the Minister for Ecological Transition, Christophe Béchu (Le Figaro, 15 February 2024), and the Victimes & Citoyens association (press release, 15 February 2024).
In November 2023, our international symposium entitled ‘The Essential Beauty of Tree Avenues’ brought together researchers, field professionals, elected officials and citizens of 11 nationalities.
It concluded with a joint declaration, supported by the scientific and ethical contributions of the speakers. This ‘Carcassonne Declaration' reminds us that, in view of the major challenges facing us today, tree avenues are ofpublic interest. It also points out that there is no correlation between road safety and trees planted in rows along roadsides. On the contrary, tree avenues play a positive role on road safety, and their beauty is essential for our mental health, which is a major social issue today .(top expenditure item for the French National Health Service, leading cause of death among 15-35 year olds, a virtually stable figure of 9,000 suicides per year, far ahead of the number of road fatalities).
Consequently, the ‘Carcassonne Declaration’ calls on public authorities to commit to maintaining and replanting these green ‘cathedrals’, which also represent the brand images of the different regions. In practical terms, this means abandoning the outdated road safety doctrine that imposes minimum distances between trees and the edge of the road.
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To read our press release, click here.
