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Why do Bucharest's trees fall with every storm? Explained by landscape architect Diana Culescu

A severe storm hit Bucharest on Wednesday night, causing approximately 1,000 trees to fall across the capital, according to data from the Bucharest-Ilfov Emergency Situations Inspectorate (ISUBIF). The incident involved not only fallen trees but also damage to infrastructure such as 34 utility poles, 30 roof elements, and 27 construction elements, along with flooding affecting 450 vehicles and 66 buildings. In the surrounding Ilfov County, 251 interventions were recorded, including 32 fallen trees and 125 flooded homes. Diana Culescu, a landscape architect and vice president of the Romanian Association of Landscape Architects, attributes the large number of fallen trees primarily to poor urban tree management rather than the intensity of the storm itself. She highlights examples such as a dry tree near the Parliament Palace that was not removed despite being dead for years, and trees planted along Calea Victoriei, which suffered broken branches due to improper pruning and insufficient root space.