Probe into "brutal pruning" of ancestral tree

The chestnut tree, classified as a tree of public interest since 1945, is a cherished natural monument and a vital part of Sintra’s ecological heritage.

A 600-year-old chestnut tree, the oldest in the municipality of Sintra and classified as a tree of public interest since 1945, has been severely damaged in what local environmental groups are calling an unauthorized and brutal act of destruction.

The incident has prompted the Grupo Amigos das Árvores de Sintra (GAAS), a tree conservation group, to file a formal complaint with the Portuguese Attorney General’s Office (PGR), alleging that the tree was cut and disfigured without proper authorization.

The chestnut tree (Castanea sativa L.), located on a property along Caminho dos Frades, is a cherished natural monument and a vital part of Sintra’s ecological heritage.

According to GAAS, the tree was “completely rolled and disfigured,” leaving only its thick, twisted, and decayed trunk, along with four small branches, one of which is approximately 25 years old and the others much younger.

The group warned that the tree’s future foliage, when it regrows, may be insufficient to produce the nutrients needed to sustain its massive trunk, leading to a slow decline and eventual death.

In its complaint to the PGR, GAAS expressed outrage over the “brutal cutting/pruning” of the tree, which they claim was carried out without the required authorization from the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF).

The tree, which has stood for centuries, is protected by law, with a 50-meter protection zone around its base. Any intervention requires prior approval from the ICNF, which GAAS says was not obtained in this case.

The group speculated that the tree’s slow growth and the resulting pressure on a nearby wall may have prompted the intervention.

”The trunk’s gradual expansion was causing cracks in the wall, and one of the branches was touching the corner of a house, raising concerns about potential breakage or collapse,” GAAS acknowledged.

However, they argued that these issues could have been resolved through less destructive means, such as reinforcing the wall with metal bars, installing support cables to stabilize the branches, or performing light pruning to keep the branches away from the building.

"While such work would have been costly, it could have been subsidized under existing laws," GAAS noted, adding that subsidies for the maintenance and conservation of classified trees have never been made available by the Environmental Fund or the ICNF.

GAAS described the incident as an “attack on one of the oldest, noblest, and most beautiful trees in the Lisbon region and the country,” calling it a “living national monument.”

The group emphasized that the intervention was carried out without prior consultation or authorization from the ICNF, constituting a serious violation of environmental regulations.

The case has also raised concerns about a lack of oversight, as neither the Sintra City Council nor the Sintra-Cascais Natural Park were reportedly aware of the tree’s disfigurement.

GAAS has called for a criminal investigation into the matter, urging the Public Prosecutor’s Office to intervene if the illegality of the action is confirmed.

The Lusa news agency reached out to the Sintra City Council and the ICNF for comment but has yet to receive a response. Meanwhile, the Municipal Forestry Technical Office has reported the incident to the Republican National Guard (GNR) for further investigation.

As the tree is classified, any intervention requires technical approval from the ICNF, making this case a potential legal and environmental battleground.