Italian towns face protests over illegal tree cutting during bird nesting season

On 19 May 2026, Ezio Roi, the mayoral candidate for the civic list “Noi per Imola”, filed an urgent complaint with the Forestal Carabinieri to stop the felling of 27 fifty‑year‑old pines in Imola. The trees were cut on 18 May, during the peak breeding period for local bird species, which Roi says breaches the EU Birds Directive, Italian law (L. 157/1992) and the Criteri Ambientali Minimi (CAM) that forbid such actions from March to August. He demanded an immediate suspension of the works and a preventive seizure of the site to assess ecological damage.

The Imola case reflects a broader wave of tree‑cutting controversies across Italy. In cities such as Naples and Palermo, civic groups and the environmental NGO LIPU have protested the removal of mature trees in public parks and historic avenues, alleging violations of the same CAM rules and inadequate technical justification. Officials cite safety concerns and urban regeneration projects funded by €211 million from the PNRR and EU‑linked energy firms. Critics argue that replacing old trees with saplings undermines carbon capture and biodiversity, especially during the critical nesting season.