On Saturday 20 June the municipality's outdoor team was busy in several places clearing roads of fallen trees and loose branches. The municipality asked road users to take care and to allow for disruption and closed roads.
Residents can report a fallen tree or broken branch at meldingen.aaenhunze.nl, preferably with a photo. Green waste from the storm can be taken free of charge to the recycling centre on the Spekstoep in Gieten.
In Aa en Hunze and Borger-Odoorn several monumental trees, trees registered for their age and value, also came down or lost branches, sometimes causing serious damage to houses and roofs. The Bomenwacht, the tree care service of Landschapsbeheer Drenthe, has already received more than 25 reports of damage to monumental trees from across Drenthe, and more come in every day. Most concern branches that are hanging loose or have fallen onto a roof, but five monumental trees could not be saved.
“The impact of the storm is becoming clearer every day,” says project leader Thijs Blom of Landschapsbeheer Drenthe.
Blom explains that trees suffer more from storms in summer, especially when strong, swirling gusts come together with heavy rain.
“With their full canopy of leaves, trees catch more wind, while the rain increases the weight on the branches,” says Blom.
According to him, far more ordinary trees have been damaged than monumental ones. The Bomenwacht deals with the reports as quickly as possible: anything that has blown over or is lying on a roof is removed, and loose branches are pruned. Members of the Bomenwacht with damage to a monumental tree can email info@lbdrenthe.nl or call 0592 316 616.