Three ancient plane trees cut down in Samarkand boulevard area (video)

On September 7, reports circulated on social media that three plane trees, believed to be around 1,000 years old, had been cut down along the right side of the entrance road from Oqsaroy Street to the Amir Temur mausoleum in Samarkand’s university boulevard. The incident sparked public outrage, prompting responses from the regional administration and the Department of Ecology.

According to the statement, a working group comprising officials from the Samarkand regional department of Ecology and environmental protection, the Regional emergency situations department, and the regional branch of the plant quarantine and protection agency inspected the site.

The investigation revealed that the three plane trees planted along the boulevard had stood for many years and had gradually lost their structural stability due to external factors. Cavities had formed in their trunks, and the trees had tilted about 40 degrees toward the road, creating a serious safety hazard for pedestrians and vehicles.

“The condition of these trees, caused by climate change and other natural factors observed in our country, poses a potential threat of emergencies that could harm visitors to the Amir Temur mausoleum, tourists, and the large number of residents. Therefore, considering the high risk these trees posed to human life and property, a decision was made, based on the conclusion of the Department of Ecology, to cut them down and plant new plane trees in their place”, the department’s statement said.

It was further noted that on August 22 of this year, the regional department of Ecology issued a permit for the felling. The permit stipulated that for each felled tree, ten new trees of equivalent value must be planted and maintained for two years, with the involvement of the wider public in the process.

“It is stipulated in the permit that, in place of the felled plane trees, ten saplings older than five years and equivalent in value must be planted. The responsibility for carrying out these planting works has been assigned to the Landscaping department of the Samarkand city administration, which is also held accountable”, the permit stated.

It is worth noting that earlier, a total of seven trees, three cherry trees, three apricot trees, and one lilac bush, were cut down in the presence of officials from the district department of Ecology and environmental protection in the Botanika neighborhood of Qibray district, Tashkent region.