Visby officials debate tree removal and urban redevelopment

Local authorities in Visby are addressing the management of significant trees within the urban landscape. In the Lilla torg area, officials are debating the fate of eight large plane trees located at a parking site slated for redevelopment into housing, offices, and commercial spaces. While seven of the trees are healthy and could potentially be moved, experts warn of high costs—estimated between 1.5 and 4 million SEK per tree—and significant logistical challenges in the narrow city center. An alternative involves adjusting building plans to accommodate the trees, though the impact on development revenue remains unstudied.

Separately, Region Gotland has announced the removal of several dead or unstable trees for public safety. This includes a pear tree and a red horse chestnut in Östercentrum, as well as a large robinia in Tallunden with a cracked trunk. A large ash tree at the Visby bus station will also be cut down; however, it will be preserved as a stump to serve as a habitat for insects and fungi and to assist in carbon storage. New trees will be planted to replace those removed.