After a day of tension and scuffles between protesters and the Police, the Municipality of Villa Allende, in Córdoba, carried out the transfer of a nearly 300-year-old white quebracho tree. The operation took place this Sunday, amidst the rejection of neighbors and environmentalists who tried to prevent the removal of the specimen.
The tree was relocated to allow for the expansion of Padre Luchesse Avenue, a project that authorities consider crucial due to the intense daily traffic, although local residents argue that the move was not necessary due to the space they needed, but rather a “whim” of the authorities. Despite the protests, the crane brought in from Tucumán and the security operation managed to complete the transfer without major delays.
The procedure had been delayed by mechanical failures of the machinery, which intensified the presence of protesters and police interventions. Finally, the workers managed to continue with the task, while the residents filed legal appeals to halt the operation.
During the clashes, incidents with injured individuals and reports of assaults on protesters and journalists were recorded. Although the Justice requested technical reports on the transfer, the construction works continued under police custody.
The planned work by the municipality for the relocation of the Quebracho. Photo: Infobae.
A conflict between urban progress and natural heritage
The case of the quebracho became a symbol of local resistance against the advance of public works without environmental consensus. The tree, considered a natural heritage due to its longevity, sparked a debate on the priority of urban development over environmental preservation.
In this regard, Horacio Schenone, a member of the Argentine Native Forests Foundation, stated to Noticias Ambientales: “The survival chances of transplanting the white quebracho, (Aspidosperma quebracho-blanco), from Villa Allende, Córdoba, are extremely low.”
Protesters argued that the age of the specimen made its relocation unfeasible, given the high risk that it would not survive the procedure. They also claimed to have proposed technical alternatives to avoid its removal, which were not taken into account by the authorities.
Despite the legal actions and technical proposals presented, the Justice dismissed the injunctions. The municipality, on the other hand, reinforced security and assured that the transfer complied with the required technical standards, under professional supervision.
Environmental compensation measures and pending challenges
As part of the operation, the municipality announced a reforestation plan that includes the planting of a thousand native species and the preservation of the quebracho’s genetic material, coordinated with the INTA. These actions aim to mitigate the environmental impact generated by the road construction.
However, Horacio Schenone stated in an interview with Noticias Ambientales that “its root system is very deep and extensive, it cannot be fully extracted without causing irreversible damage to the tree: the loss of a large part of its fine roots will prevent rehydration and feeding post-transplant.”
Nevertheless, the quebracho’s relocation highlighted the need to rethink public policies that affect natural heritage. The lack of effective dialogue between authorities and citizens reflects a recurring conflict when urban interests and conservation are at odds.
This episode in Villa Allende reopens the discussion on how cities manage their growth without compromising natural resources. Finding a balance between development and the environment remains an urgent challenge for communities and governments.
Controversy between neighbors and the municipality of Córdoba over the relocation of the quebracho. Photo: X: @danicaceres2010.
A high-risk relocation
“Given the age of the specimen, its metabolism is slow and its energy reserves are concentrated in its structural maintenance rather than in adapting to the severe stress of a transplant, which would generate a physiological change that a tree of this age would hardly be able to cope with successfully,” stated the member of the Argentine Native Forests Foundation to Noticias Ambientales.
Finally, he explained that “in addition to these concepts, there are more technical factors pointing to the very high probability that, in case of transplant, the white quebracho from Villa Allende will ultimately dry up.”
