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City requests help with watering trees – whitewash protects trunks from heat damage
The ongoing heat wave and drought are visibly taking their toll on the urban greenery in Groß-Gerau. Young trees, especially those in densely populated inner-city areas or along roadsides, are suffering from a lack of water. The municipal works department is working daily to water the plants and protect them from lasting damage – but given the strain of climate change, they too are reaching their limits.
Trees in the city: Vital greenery
“Our urban green spaces are an indispensable part of our living environment – they provide cooler air, filter particulate matter, offer shade, supply oxygen, and provide habitat for animals. And all of this is free,” emphasizes Mayor Jörg Rüddenklau. Especially during times of extreme weather, it is important that the population feels a sense of shared responsibility.
White paint as protection against overheating
White-painted tree trunks are an unusual sight these days. The paint serves as thermal protection, lowering the temperature inside the trunk on the sun-exposed side by up to ten degrees. "Without protection, cracks, sunburn, or cell damage are likely," explains Ilka Linke from the municipal works department. This type of damage used to be rare – now it's a regular risk.
Help from the neighborhood requested
Young trees especially need regular watering, but older trees also increasingly require water. Therefore, the city is asking for support from the public. Anyone who would like to help can register as a tree sponsor and get involved with a watering can, hose, or watering bag.
Irrigation bags hold 50 to 100 liters of water, which is slowly released into the soil over several hours – ideal for dry, compacted soils.
Manfred Rupprecht at the depot via email :
📧 manfred.rupprecht@gross-gerau.de
A collective effort for a vibrant city
“We already have several dedicated citizens who regularly take care of ‘their’ tree,” reports Mayor Rüddenklau. “Such examples show what is possible when we act together. Nature will thank us for it.”
(Gross-Gerau-Red/PSGG)
Featured image: Groß-Gerau district town/Gerd Keim
