Tree felling in Cottbus: Safety first – understanding requested!

Tree felling in Cottbus: Safety first – understanding requested!

Tree felling work is planned in the Mitte and Schmellwitz districts in the coming weeks. As the city of Cottbus/Chóśebuz reports, these are measures that have become necessary to ensure traffic safety. The felling is scheduled to be completed by mid-December 2025 or the end of February 2026. The reason for these measures is the poor health status of the trees and the lack of safety against breakage, which can pose a threat to public spaces. The work is being carried out by Frischke Landschaftspflege GmbH and is financed from city funds.

In the Mitte district, a hornbeam tree and a linden tree on Schlossberg will be felled on the Pushkin Promenade, among others. In the Schmellwitz district, four oak trees on Gotthold-Schwela-Straße are on the list of fellings. After the work is completed, replanting is also planned until April 2026. The city asks residents to understand the temporary disruption that the work could cause.

Tree owners' duty to ensure traffic safety

Trees are not only a valuable part of our environment, they can also pose potential sources of danger. Legal responsibility for the safety of trees in residential areas typically lies with the property owner. The traffic safety obligation obliges them to minimize the dangers that could arise from their trees. This means that tree owners must regularly check the condition of their trees to ensure that no one is harmed by falling branches or overhanging branches. A breach of this duty may result in claims for damages, a circumstance that should not be taken lightly.

There are various ways to fulfill the traffic safety obligation. These include, among other things, separating people from sources of danger, putting up warning signs or felling rotten trees. Regular tree inspections are essential because reactive measures, i.e. subsequent interventions, are often not sufficient to avoid legal consequences. Anyone who delegates their traffic safety duties to third parties, such as professional tree care companies, still remains responsible and must ensure that they work carefully.

Overall, it is important to have a good handle on caring for and controlling our trees to ensure both your own liability and the safety of the public. It is therefore up to every property owner to take a regular look at their trees and, if necessary, take action in good time.