Felling of 70 oaks along railway line sparks criticism

The felling of more than 70 mature oak trees along the local railway line between Anthering and Weitwörth in Salzburg’s Flachgau district has drawn criticism, ORF reported. The Salzburg Linien, which operates the route, said the trees were removed for safety reasons.

The trees stood along about one kilometre of track and were up to 25 metres high. They were estimated to be at least 60 years old. Only tree stumps remain.

Salzburg’s Green Party said the clear-cutting was unnecessary. Martina Berthold, the party’s state chairwoman, referred to a tree assessment commissioned by Salzburg Linien in November 2025.

According to Berthold, the assessment found that one tree had to be felled and recommended removing three others. The remaining trees only needed maintenance, such as removing dead wood or reducing their crowns.

Salzburg Linien said its inspection had recommended felling seven individual trees, along with regular removal of dead wood and crown trimming across almost the entire remaining group. These measures would have reduced the danger but would not have guaranteed safety, the company said in a written statement.

For the safety of passengers using the Salzburg local railway and people travelling on the adjacent road, those responsible decided to remove the trees, the company said. Its representatives were not available for an interview with ORF.

The district authority raised no objection to the felling in March 2026. It ordered Salzburg Linien to plant new trees by next spring. The Greens said young replacements would be a poor substitute for the mature oaks, which can live for several hundred years.