Large numbers of trees to be cleared to make way for the work on Zuidasdok

The Zuidasdok project involves renewing Amsterdam Zuid station, plus widening the southern section of the A10 orbital motorway and running part of it through an underground tunnel. Two lanes (in each direction) will be added to the present four-lane motorway. The goal of all this work is to improve the accessibility of this rapidly growing part of Amsterdam. It means that space must be made available in areas currently covered by trees, on both sides of the road and in the central reservation. The affected areas contain around 14,400 trees. This is 300 less than the number indicated last June. The tree-felling operation has been discussed with various stakeholder groups. In response to their request, we have conducted a further critical assessment to determine whether any additional trees could be left in place. Some could be retained, especially around the edges of the Zuidasdok area.

Overgrown

Tim van de Wiel, a green areas consultant, has listed and assessed the trees in question. ‘There are a lot of trees on a very small area of land. That is because it involves a relatively large number of trees with small buds, growing very close to each other. You often find this in places that are not intensively maintained, such as verges. As a result, new trees tend to sprout up spontaneously between the manually planted trees, causing the area to become overgrown. As a result, the individual quality of most trees is fairly poor.’

Phased felling

Clearly, a lot of green areas will have to go, to make way for construction work on Zuidasdok. Rather than clearing them all at once, we follow the ‘Just-In-Time’ principle. This means we do not fell any given group of trees until the moment we actually have to start work in that area. We also have to make allowance for the bird breeding season, of course. This runs from mid-March to mid-September. No trees may be felled during this period. The first tree-felling operation was scheduled for the autumn of 2017.

Following the completion of the project, we will recreate as many green areas as possible. However, there will be fewer than there were before. There will also be fewer trees, but these will be of better quality. We will also plant these area with a greater diversity of species, which is more beneficial for the area’s ecology. In compensation for the felled trees, we will deposit a sum of €2.6 million in the ‘replanting fund’. This money will be used to plant new trees throughout the city.

What now?

The draft decision concerning the Zuidasdok tree-felling permit was available for public inspection from 3 November until 14 December 2016. The decision concerns the felling of approximately 14,100 trees within the boundaries of the City of Amsterdam and approximately 300 trees within the boundaries of the municipality of Ouder-Amstel. Stakeholders are given the opportunity to submit a formal response, if they so wish. The draft decision and the conditions for a formal response can be inspected digitally, from 3 November onwards, at the websites of the Environmental Service for the North Sea Canal Area and the municipality of Ouder-Amstel. The physical documents can be inspected at the following locations:

• Amsterdam City Hall, Amstel 1
• Zuid City Office, President Kennedylaan 923
• Oost City Office, Oranje-Vrijstaatplein 2
• Nieuw-West City Office, Osdorpplein 1000
• City of Amsterdam, Zuidas, World Trade Center, Strawinskylaan 59

• Ouder-Amstel town hall, Vondelstraat 1 in Ouderkerk aan de Amstel
• Community Centre, Dorpsplein 60 in Duivendrecht

Need more information?

If you have any questions about the tree-felling operations for Zuidasdok, please contact the Amsterdam Zuidas Information Centre by phone (+31-(0)800 5065; always available) or by mail (contact@zuidas.nl).

More information about the aspirations for the definitive layout can be found in the landscaping plan (Appendix 8 of the Zuidasdok Zoning Plan).