Cutting woody plants and felling trees
The pruning and felling of trees is standardised. If the trees fall under the provisions of the City of Chemnitz tree protection statutes, you require a permit from the City of Chemnitz Parks Department for pruning/felling all year round.
In addition, further nature conservation regulations apply. This is to ensure that wild animals have sufficient habitat for resting, breeding, shelter (rest, regeneration, protection from predators), as well as food and nesting material. Especially in densely populated cities, it is important to comply with these species protection regulations, which are not only intended to protect wild bird species, but also insects, mammals, amphibians and reptiles. They are all part of a sensitive ecosystem and as such are also links in the food chain.
Irrespective of the further explanations, hollow-rich individual trees (legally protected biotopes), trees in protected areas under nature conservation law or trees with birds of prey nests (eyries) are protected all year round.
Pruning/tree felling during the growing season
In addition to the above-mentioned regulations and restrictions, it is not permitted during the vegetation period (01.03. to 30.09.), it is generally not permitted to cut, prune or remove trees outside the forest, short rotation plantations or horticulturally utilised areas, hedges, living fences, bushes and other woody plants.
Careful shaping and maintenance pruning to remove the growth of plants or to maintain the health of trees is permitted. This includes pruning the annual and therefore non-woody growth of hedges.
However, further species protection regulations in accordance with the Federal Nature Conservation Act must be observed, according to which no occupied breeding or resting places (e.g. nests, tree hollows, woodpeckers) may be found in the trees to be cut or felled. No occupied breeding or resting places (e.g. nests, tree hollows, woodpecker holes) of specially or strictly protected animal species (including, for example, all European bird species, bats, hornets) may be present in the trees to be cut or felled. This must be checked independently and conscientiously before work begins (with the help of an expert if necessary).
Measures that serve to avert real, immediate dangers in the context of ensuring traffic safety are exempt from the authorisation requirement. These cases must be documented before the felling/cutting is carried out (photo and brief assessment/confirmation by specialist personnel).
Exemption from the general prohibition may be granted in exceptional cases and must be applied for in writing.
Pruning/tree felling from 01.10. to 28.02.
In the period from 1 October to 28 February, trees and shrubs can generally be cut or felled without a permit.
However, the above-mentioned regulations and restrictions must be observed.