The buzzing of chainsaws returned early to the corner of San Jacinto and Pagés del CorroWith the trunk now dry and without a crown, the Seville City Council has begun the definitive felling of the ficus that presided over the atrium of the parish of San Jacinto, in Triana, after months of failed attempts to recover it and a six-month moratorium agreed in the Plenary Session.
Neighbors, activists and curious people have come to witness the operation, among the sadness for the loss of a neighborhood icon and the municipal conviction that the specimen could no longer be saved. Planted more than a century ago and cataloged as a monumental tree and a Site of Cultural Interest, the ficus will become a memorial in Triana and on a plaque at its base.
How we came to this outcome
The conflict broke out in August de 2022, when the Dominican order, owner of the temple, began a dismounted for safety reasons and damage to the church with municipal authorization. The intervention was provisionally halted by a court following an appeal by the AMJA, and the tree was greatly diminished. With the change of mandate, in 2023 a agreement between the Consistory and the Dominicans which gave Parks and Gardens direct competition and turned the front garden into a public space.
In September 2024, a municipal technical report certified the “final collapse” of the specimenAt the request of the Platform in defense of Ficus and the group With Podemos-IU, the Plenary granted a six-month moratorium to monitor its development during winter and spring, expanding the tree pit, increasing irrigation, and applying treatments. Monitoring did not detect functional regrowth or structural improvement.
The withdrawal operation has begun at eight o'clock, with the area cordoned off, a dozen officers present, and several police vehicles to organize the surroundings. The work is being carried out in sections of the stump and could take two days, depending on the summer heat, and without major traffic disruptions, beyond the fenced sidewalk next to the parish.
What happened to the tree?
Technicians link the agony of the ficus to the severe pruning of 2022, which eliminated around 70% of the cup. This intervention drastically reduced its photosynthetic capacity, exposed the bark to the extreme heatstroke and opened the door to pathogens.
Since then they have advanced saprophytic fungi and rot, with cambium decomposition, loss of root mass and general weakening. The reports conclude that the specimen was structurally collapsed, without the capacity to nourish itself or to sprout again with guarantees. To learn how to better care for ficus and prevent similar damage, it is important to know your needs and limitations.
Parks and Gardens implemented various measures: endotherapy, soil analysis, tree pit improvement and placement burlap for protection. These actions were included in a specific maintenance contract by 7.115,72 EurosDespite the efforts, the deterioration continued and specialists advised against keeping the stump standing.
Safety has weighed heavily in the final decision. trunk wood It is degraded and fractured, which has even led to its reuse as a functional piece being ruled out - carving a small piece was even considered. bookstore— due to poor quality and the associated risk.
A symbol and a controversy that never fade
For Platform in defense of the Ficus, the City Council has not been transparent in this final stretch and part of the risks were assumed by the residents. Supported by a report by Professor Manuel Enrique Figueroa, they maintained that there was still a minimum margin of lifeThere were small winter shoots, which withered months later.
From the gardening blog They describe the withdrawal as a blow to natural heritage and recall the broad citizen mobilization of 2022, with neighbors and activists chained together to stop loggingIn his opinion, the case of the ficus tree demonstrates the need to raise the bar for protecting urban trees.
Among the people of Triana, there is the grief for the loss of the tree and the perception that keeping the trunk dry was pointless because of its appearance and risks. Others would have preferred to keep it as it was. symbol of memory and a warning for the future.
The ficus witnessed the life of the neighborhood for more than a century - including historic brotherhood outings - and became landscape reference Triana. Its disappearance reopens the debate on how to balance security, heritage, and climate in an increasingly hot city.
What will remain in San Jacinto
The City Council plans keep a section of the trunk - around one meter high - with a explanatory plaque that tells the story of the tree and the citizen movement that tried to save it. The option of transforming the wood into a public object has been ruled out by the technicians.
Municipal services indicate that it is not viable plant in the same spot due to the volume of roots and the limitations of safely extracting the stump. In the surroundings, it was transferred as public space In 2023, following the agreement with the Dominican Order, symbolic formulas are being considered to keep his legacy alive. Previous reports even suggested the possibility of offset planting of another species, but outside the exact location of the ficus.
During the works, the adjacent sidewalk is fenced and signposted, with police surveillance to ensure safety. The municipal plan is to complete the deforestation without significant disruptions to the neighborhood's traffic.
