Valmiera woman fears storm-damaged tree the city won't remove could destroy her home

A woman named Līga, who lives in a private house on municipal land in Valmiera, says she is increasingly worried about a leaning linden tree growing near her home. She has spent five years trying to convince the local government to cut it down, fearing it could fall and destroy her house or endanger her family.

According to Līga, municipal specialists, including an arborist, have repeatedly concluded that the tree is stable and does not need to be removed. Correspondence with the authority has continued without result, and she says she now feels powerless — she has started parking her car further from the house to at least protect it. After calling the 112 emergency line, she was only told that her report had been logged.

How the municipality assesses trees

The Valmiera municipal council explained that determining whether a tree is dangerous involves evaluating its overall condition rather than a single factor — inspecting the trunk, root area and crown, and checking for signs of damage or decay. A leaning tree is not automatically considered dangerous if the lean developed gradually and no other warning signs, such as lifted roots or cracks in the soil, are present.

The council said felling a tree is a last resort — where possible, risks are reduced through maintenance measures instead. If a resident disagrees with an assessment, the decision can be appealed within a month, and a new inspection can be requested if circumstances change.

Regarding liability should such a tree eventually fall, the municipality acknowledged it is responsible for maintaining trees on land it manages, but said each case would be assessed individually, based on whether the risk was known or reasonably foreseeable and whether necessary precautions had been taken.