Sint-Pieters-Woluwe asks residents to water street trees amid drought

Sint-Pieters-Woluwe, a municipality in Belgium, is calling on its residents to help water the approximately 8,000 public trees lining its streets. The trees are suffering under the persistent drought, requiring more frequent watering than the municipal green service can provide.

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We need you

"We need you," stated Alderman for the Environment, Damien De Keyser, in a social media appeal. He clarified that the request is for older trees, as younger ones receive weekly watering. Watering the remaining 8,000 trees is beyond the capacity of the municipal service. De Keyser suggested that residents can help by spending "2 minutes and 5 cents on a bucket of water."

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You can help us by spending 2 minutes and 5 cents on a bucket of water

The drought is affecting nature across Brussels, with the fire department responding to twice as many calls for falling trees last summer compared to normal. While Sint-Pieters-Woluwe has not yet experienced such severe issues, De Keyser noted that many trees are losing branches. He explained that trees on streets, with limited root space, are more vulnerable to drought than those in parks. "People see with their own eyes that nature is very thirsty," he said.

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People see with their own eyes that nature is very thirsty

De Keyser believes the appeal is being well-received, fostering community spirit during the dry spell. He highlighted that this citizen involvement is a small effort that saves the municipality significant costs in hiring extra staff and equipment. The alderman hopes this "civic spirit" can serve as an example for other municipalities struggling with drought. Sint-Pieters-Woluwe plans to plant 2,000 additional climate-resilient trees by 2030 and may repeat this watering appeal during future dry periods.

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civic spirit