El Artxanda viewpointThe park, one of Bilbao's most visited spots, is currently undergoing a significant transformation of its wooded landscape. The City Council has launched a project to remove trees. almost fifty false acacias which were in poor condition and posed a risk to those who stroll or enjoy the views in this busy area.
This is not merely a one-off security measure, but a measure framed within the municipal strategy for improving and replacing treesThe City Council aims to strengthen both the protection of people and the environmental quality of the area with this initiative. The intention is for Artxanda to remain a green, pleasant, and safe viewpoint, but with species that are better adapted and have greater ecological value.
A withdrawal motivated by the risk of falling
According to municipal sources, the main reason for the intervention is the risk of falling of false acaciasespecially during periods of adverse weather with strong winds. Studies carried out by the Municipal Parks and Gardens Service have revealed that the trees are in a clearly deficient physiological and structural state, incompatible with the high influx of people at the viewpoint.
In recent years, they had already been recorded overturns and partial landslides Some trees were damaged, fortunately without personal or material damage, but enough to confirm the need for preventative action. The City Council emphasizes that, in such an exposed and busy area as Parque de la Huella and its surroundings, it cannot afford to maintain trees with compromised stability.
In total, they will withdraw 49 trees Located at the Artxanda viewpoint, all of them are Robinia pseudoacacia, commonly known as black locust. This is a planned project taking place this week and next, with the aim of minimizing disruption and ensuring the area remains accessible during the work.
The intervention, the City Council emphasizes, is part of a broader policy of urban tree review, in which both safety and health criteria of the specimens and their ecological fit in each specific environment are assessed.
An invasive species in poor health in Artxanda
The false acacias removed in Artxanda belong to the species Robinia pseudoacacia, a tree native to North America that has spread widely in Europe and which, in the Basque Country, It is included in the Regional Strategy for the Control of Invasive Alien FloraThis cataloging is in response to its high colonization capacity and the impact it may have on local biodiversity.
In urban and peri-urban environments, this species tends to occupy spaces quickly, favoring processes of biological invasion that alter the ecological functioning of the ecosystem. As they expand, they can displace native vegetation, modify the soil, and affect the natural balance of the environment. On a mountain as emblematic as Artxanda, the presence of a species with these characteristics represents an added pressure on the local flora.
However, in the specific case of the Bilbao viewpoint, the City Council insists that the trigger for the action is not only its classification as an invasive species, but above all its poor structural and physiological conditionThe technical reports describe a group of aged and weakened trees that have suffered from the passage of time and episodes of extreme weather.
Advanced deterioration: rot, mold and cracks
The analyses carried out by the Municipal Parks and Gardens Service detect hollows in the trunks, internal rot, structural cracks and the presence of fungi in many of the specimens. This is compounded by a weakening associated with both natural aging and... Adverse weather conditions that have been happening in recent years.
These pathologies significantly reduce the ability of trees to remain stableespecially when gales blow or heavy rains soften the ground. In this context, keeping them standing in such an exposed location as the Artxanda viewpoint is considered a risky decision.
Municipal technicians point out that, although many of these trees may appear acceptable from the outside, the internal wood loss and hidden cavities These factors seriously compromise its strength. Wood-degrading fungi and longitudinal cracks are clear signs that the tree has lost much of its ability to withstand stress, increasing the likelihood of fractures or sudden collapses.
The combination of all these factors has led the City Council to opt for preventive action, following criteria of citizen security and avoiding waiting for an incident to occur. The high volume of tourists, athletes, and families passing through the Parque de la Huella and its surroundings makes any risk related to the trees particularly sensitive.
False acacias and true acacias: similar, but not the same
La Robinia pseudoacacia It is commonly called false acacia because its flowers resemble those of some true acacias, but they do not actually belong to the same botanical family. The false acacia is a leguminous tree with hanging clusters of fragrant white flowers, leaves composed of several leaflets and small spines at the base of the leaves.
True acacias, on the other hand, encompass various genera that, in general, present more developed spinesThey have thinner leaves and flowers grouped in globular heads or spikes, instead of pendulous clusters. Although they may be confused at first glance, their morphological characteristics and ecological behavior are different, something that specialists take into account when managing trees.
In the case of Artxanda, the choice of the black locust tree was originally based on landscape criteria and rapid growth, but now The priority is safety and ecological integrationExperiences in recent years, with episodes of instability and the spread of diseases, have shown that these specimens are not the best option for an exposed and windy area.
Replacement with ash and oak trees: greater ecological value and stability
Once the false acacias have been removed, the Bilbao City Council will proceed to replant the viewpoint with native speciesbetter adapted to the local climate and ecosystem. The chosen species are ash and oak, two trees very common in the forests of Bizkaia and with a high ecological value for the fauna and flora of the area.
These new specimens offer greater structural stabilityThis results in more predictable behavior in gales and a better response to adverse weather conditions. Furthermore, its medium- and long-term development is compatible with the biodiversity of the surrounding area, favoring the presence of birds, insects, and other species associated with Atlantic forests.
The City Council emphasizes that this commitment to ash and oak trees fits with the lines of work in forestry and environmental matters These initiatives, promoted by various institutions in Bizkaia, aim to recover and expand the area of ​​native woodlands. Although the intervention in Artxanda is smaller in scale, it moves in the same direction: replacing trees that are foreign to the ecosystem with others that are better integrated.
The goal is for the viewpoint to remain a space green, accessible and safewith trees that combine scenic value and structural robustness. As the new trees grow, the landscape of the area will change, but the municipal intention is for it to evolve towards a more naturalized and sustainable model.
The work done in Artxanda gives a very clear picture of the approach Bilbao is taking in the management of its green spaces: native species and more resilient ecosystemsThe removal of fifty or so damaged false acacia trees, along with the planting of ash and oak trees, marks a turning point for the viewpoint, which will maintain its emblematic character while reinforcing the protection of people and the surrounding natural environment.