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Tree fall in Großer Zschand: Hikers in danger from dead wood!
In Großer Zschand, Sebnitz, a dead spruce tree fell on a hiking trail, raising questions about safety. Further tree falls are possible.
Tree fall in Großer Zschand: Hikers in danger from dead wood!
A tragic incident occurred in Saxon Switzerland when a dead spruce fell on a popular hiking trail. This happened in the Großer Zschand, an area known for its impressive rocks and hiking trails. The tree fall is likely to have put many hikers in danger, especially since work had been carried out to fell dead trees along the trail just a few days earlier. These fellings were part of preparations for future civil engineering work.
The route, which is also known as Armory Street and runs from Neumannmühle to the Old Armory, will be used until the end of the year to lay fiber optic cables and a dry line. This dry pipe is intended to help the fire department get extinguishing water into the forest more quickly in the event of forest fires. The national park and forestry administration emphasizes that the entire route was not cleared of dead wood during the felling, but only selective interventions were made in four to five places.
Increased warnings for hikers
National park spokesman Hanspeter Mayr then warned that further tree falls could be expected under certain weather conditions, such as strong winds. Hikers are encouraged to cross the Großer Zschand quickly and avoid longer stays. Appropriate information signs at the entrances to the forest area inform you that you enter the forest at your own risk.
This situation is particularly explosive as the hiking trail was closed for almost two years in the recent past due to the danger of falling dead wood. At that time, felling was not possible due to nature conservation requirements. The path was only reopened to hikers and cyclists at the end of 2022.
Construction work is currently underway, which was commissioned by the city of Sebnitz. These are due to start in October and could result in temporary closures for hikers. The measures were approved in consultation with the Sachsenforst and the Upper Nature Conservation Authority.
The immediate safety of hikers is the focus and it remains to be seen how future weather conditions will further impact this issue. For more information about the dangers and current construction work, see the current reporting on www.saechsische.de.