Lisbon City Council is facing a new controversy. All because the executive led by Carlos Moedas announced on March 23 that it will cut down dozens of trees for the construction of a new parking lot, including the much-loved jacaranda trees.
The felling will take place on Avenida 5 de Outubro, as a result of the new underground parking lot in Entrecampos, which will be called PEPE – Parque de Estacionamento Público de Entrecampos, and which is part of the Operação Integrada de Entrecampos project.
According to a post by Lisbon City Council on social media,
Avenida 5 de Outubro will become greener and have more trees. The aim of the intervention is to build the new Entrecampos public parking lot and, in the end, the number of trees in the area will be doubled, which contrasts with the original plan for the area, which stipulated that all of them would have to be cut down.
The project being carried out envisages a considerable increase in the green and permeable area through the planting of new vegetation of more than 30 new species of shrubs and herbaceous plants, with 41 more trees than are currently on Av. 5 de Outubro…”
The indignation of Lisbon residents
The Lisbon City Council’s intervention on Avenida 5 de Outubro plans to remove 47 trees, of which 22 will be transplanted to other green areas, leaving 25 that will be impossible to replant.
Although the city council confirms that this intervention will result in the planting of more trees and more shade on the avenue, many Lisbon residents and environmental activists are against this procedure, especially when it comes to questioning the felling of the jacaranda trees to be replaced by other species.
Proof of this indignation can be seen in the public petition “No to the felling of the jacaranda trees on Av. 5 de Outubro”, which has already collected more than 20,000 signatures (as of the date of publication of this article).
The City Council’s response to the protests
In view of the proportions that this issue is already taking in various media outlets, the Lisbon City Council today (March 25) published a clarification on the controversy over the felling of the jacaranda trees on Avenida 5 de Outubro:
Catarina Freitas, from the Municipal Environment Directorate, stated that
We do not authorize the felling of trees for free. We’re going to requalify and enhance the public space, and ensure that technical care is taken in assessing the existing trees.”
Joana Almeida, Councillor for Urban Planning,
Avenida 5 de Outubro is going to be greener and have more trees. After the construction of the Entrecampos public parking lot, the number of trees will double.”
Some figures were also given on what will actually be in the project:
- there are currently 75 trees: 30 will be kept, of which 20 jacarandas and 2 plane trees will be transplanted; and 25 will be cut down because they are not viable for transplanting;
- 88 new trees will be planted, of which 39 are jacarandas that will already be in the nursery, to be planted when they get bigger;
- as compensation for the work, the promoter of the project will have committed to planting 200 jacaranda trees throughout the city.
Lisbon City Council has also announced that this urban planning project will be the subject of public appreciation in two presentations at the Lisbon Urban Information Center, on April 28 at 6pm and April 2 at 5:30pm.
PEPE figures
The new parking lot will be for public use only and will contribute to better urban planning in the Entrecampos area, helping to reduce surface parking on Avenida 5 de Outubro. Here are some figures taken from the website created for the purpose:
- The PEPE is scheduled to be completed in 2027
- It will be accessible 24 hours a day, seven days a week
- PEPE will have more than 400 exclusively public parking spaces
- Of these, 60 will be exclusive parking spaces for residents
- It will have 40 charging stations for electric cars
- As well as 100 places for bicycles