Study area

The Street trees study area is part of Vác River Promenade and is located to the south-west of the city centre. At this stretch, the promenade is separated from Danube by a linear park (Sculpture Park). There is one direction street along the promenade to the east. Just on the other side of the street is located the Vác Swimming pool and beach. To the north the promenade continues along the river for few hundred meters before it ends at the Vác Penitentiary and Prison complex. To the south the promenade ends in green meadow and only the bicycle route leading to Budapest continues forward.

History

The original river promenade was built in 1764 prior to empress Maria Theresa visiting the town. The river bank was ‘tidied up’. A  new carved stone wall was erected and new tree were – sycamores and horsechesnuts – were planted to replace the overgrown and neglected locust trees. The old iron railing of the Parliament building in Budapest was redundant and brought to Vác to be installed along the  Promenade.

After the World War II, based on the new River Regulation Plan, the Danube bed was narrowed down. A wall parallel to the old promenade wall was erected. The space between the two walls was gradually filled with stones and debris. Today this area is occupied by Sculpture Park.

Some of the old trees planted in the 18th century are still standing today, and the iron railing is still in place. Here are some before and after images to illustrate the changes

source: Dunai Szigetek (2011),

https://dunaiszigetek.blogspot.com/2011/06/vaci-korzo-egykor-es-most.html

Conditions

360 view (click on the hand tool for better pan)

This area is relatively exposed. The trees provide some degree of wind protection, however the close proximity to the river is very noticeable. The constant cool breeze is very pleasant in the summer but that is not the case in the winter.

All the trees planted along the promenade are deciduous species. In summer they provide good shade and relief from the heat and in the winter there clear views towards the winter and plenty of sunlight throughout the short days.

Soil structure here is alluvial. The trees are growing in narrow but long tree pits. In most cases 2-3 trees are sharing one common tree pit. A hedgerow is planted in between the trees, wherever possible.

Ecology and management

Due to the close proximity of Danube occasional flood events are not unusual in this area, however in one in 100 years flood event the water does reach beyond the second stone wall.

The choice of tree species is only for decorative purposes but suggest that trees were chosen to withstand various weather conditions including strong winds and the occasional flooding, nevertheless survive for several generations. The main species are European horse-chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum),  London plane (Platanus × acerifolia) and Common hackberry (Celtis occidentalis). Most of the trees are healthy and thriving well apart from the European horse-chestnut.

For several years now the entire country’s population is being devastated by an invasive miner-moth species from the Balkans. The trees are not even able to keep their canopies green until the end of the summer.

Hedgerow here is a mix of several species including Common privet ( Ligustrum ovalifolium),  Japanese mahonia ( Mahonia japonica) and Common snowberry (Symphoricarpos albus).

Management is moderate. Dead branches are regularly removed. Old and sick trees are also removed. Remnant of an old trunk can still be seen here and there. Hedgerows are kept in an informal shape and maintenance trimming is carried out only once a year.