Century-old oak felled in Tallinn's Kadriorg exposes bureaucratic gap

In late August, an old oak tree growing near the A. H. Tammsaare Museum in Tallinn's Kadriorg district was cut down, sparking outrage among local residents. Filmmaker Arbo Tammiksaar, who lives nearby, witnessed the tree already largely destroyed and said it appeared healthy, wide-crowned, and as old as the museum building itself.

Public anger initially fell on museum director Maarja Vaino, but Tammiksaar later admitted he had reacted too hastily and apologized to her. It emerged that the decision on the oak's value stemmed from a dendrological assessment commissioned by the construction firm handling the museum's renovation. The arborist, Evelin Ivask, placed the tree in the lowest, fifth value class, citing bark damage, a large crown posing a safety risk, and a root system damaged by roadworks.

Magnus Lass, head of a department at the Tallinn Environment and Public Utilities Board, confirmed that a city official who inspected the tree upgraded it to the fourth value class — one level higher than the original assessment — yet a felling permit was still granted. The real reason, Lass said, was not the tree's condition but a planned water pipeline network at the site. The permit was requested by 1Partner, the company managing the museum's reconstruction, not the city or the museum itself.

Residents were further angered that the tree was felled almost immediately, even though felling permits normally carry a 30-day period during which they can be contested. Lass explained this reflects a legal gap: the right to fell takes effect as soon as the permit is issued, and nothing prevents immediate action even though the 30-day appeal window formally exists.

Tammiksaar suggested that when the street is eventually reconstructed, the city could turn the site into an avenue and expand the museum's garden, so the oak's loss would not be entirely in vain.