Giant Hackberry in Vukovarska Street Cut Down
Dubrovnik's Vrtlar explains the sequence of events that led to the tree's removal after an arborist spotted cracks and fungi in the canopy.
Dubrovnik's Vrtlar explains the sequence of events that led to the tree's removal after an arborist spotted cracks and fungi in the canopy.
The giant hackberry tree on Vukovarska Street in Dubrovnik was cut down to its roots on Thursday, August 13, 2026. Dubrovnik's horticultural company Vrtlar d.o.o. has now provided a detailed explanation of why the decision to remove the tree was unavoidable, as reported by Slobodna Dalmacija.
As Vrtlar points out, the removal of the tree was not initially planned at all. Cutting is only considered after all other available options have been exhausted. When a large skeletal branch broke off and fell onto a taxi on August 3, 2026, Vrtlar d.o.o. immediately hired a certified climbing arborist to secure the canopy with cabling and perform sanitary pruning.
They emphasize that at that point, tree removal was not planned under any circumstances. When inspecting the tree from the ground, there were no visible signs of compromised static stability; the arborist only noticed them after climbing into the canopy.
During that inspection, cracks were found at the branch forks, along with the presence of fungal fruiting bodies. Due to these findings, an additional expert opinion was sought from Prof. Dr. Vinko Paulić, a professor at the Faculty of Forestry at the University of Zagreb, to whom photographs of the tree and the observed damage were sent.
The expert assessment showed that the hackberry, although vital, had compromised static stability. Cracks at the junctions of major structural branches, previous branch failures, the presence of fungal fruiting bodies, and the tree's position over a roadway, sidewalk, and parking area increase the risk of further breakage and threaten the safety of people and property.
Since it was not possible to safely implement a canopy cabling system, and the identified risk could not be permanently eliminated through other available measures, the decision to remove the tree was made solely to protect the safety of citizens.
Vrtlar has announced that a new tree will be planted as a replacement during the autumn period at the nearest suitable location.
