Green Street has lost its blue spruce trees: 50-year-old trees have been cut down in Rostov-on-Don.
Early in the morning of November 12, residents of Zelenaya Street noticed equipment behind the fence of a private property. Then the felling began, and the residents called the police. The story repeated itself the next day, November 13: by the time the police and the administration arrived, young birch trees and mature spruce trees had already been felled.
Authorities said the trees were destroyed without permission and that a compromise solution for the future use of the land was being sought.
The standoff continued for three days: people kept vigil near the site, fearing further logging. A public hearing was held on November 14. At the hearing, the owner of the site, businesswoman Maria Tambieva, expressed dissatisfaction with the situation: since she had paid for the land, she shouldn't be prevented from managing it. She also asserted that the felled trees were "nothing special."
The 900-square-meter plot of land, where the trees grew, is located at the beginning of a forested area, in front of a grove. Eight years ago, the plot was transferred to joint ownership by court order for the construction of a house, but this year it acquired a private owner. The issue of the plot's intended use was scheduled for discussion at the December meeting of the Rostov City Duma. Apparently, this fear prompted the owners to act.
"The owner of this plot is individual entrepreneur Maria Tambieva, the same last name (note) as Andrei Tambiev, the former director of the Rostov DIZO and former Rosreestr official. A quick search of social media reveals at least a connection between these people, who don't share the most popular surname in Rostov," notes Rostov Telegram channel "Tyutina".
The plot is a corner lot and has a very advantageous location: it's surrounded by greenery on one side and a busy highway on the other. According to one theory, the owner intended to build a retail establishment here.
While logging has been suspended, the police, prosecutors, and local authorities have joined the case to decide the future of the site.
