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Paris plan to fell trees near Eiffel Tower opposed

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Agence France-Presse

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Eiffel Tower EPA-EFE" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/life/04/30/20220430-eiffel-tower-in-paris-epa-efe.jpg"/><figcaption>People wearing face mask sit with a view to the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, 04 January 2022. <em>EPA-EFE/MOHAMMED BADRA</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>PARIS, France - Paris is aiming to redevelop the area around the Eiffel Tower in time for the 2024 Olympic Games, but the city&#x27;s residents are beginning to rebel over a plan that would see 22 trees ripped up. </p><ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/01/03/21/for-pinoy-breaking-community-long-road-to-2024-paris-olympics-lies-ahead">For Pinoy breaking community, long road to 2024 Paris Olympics lies ahead</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/life/multimedia/photo/05/16/19/eiffel-tower-130th-anniversary">Eiffel Tower 130th anniversary</a></li></ul><p>The Paris mayor&#x27;s office wants to build tourist facilities and offices at the foot of the world-famous landmark.</p><p>Architect&#x27;s projections show semi-submerged buildings covered in greenery.</p><p>But campaigners have launched a petition urging the mayor&#x27;s office to ditch the plan, expressing particular concern over the fate of some very old trees.</p><p>&quot;We reject the felling and endangerment of dozens of healthy trees, in particular the 200-year-old and 100-year-old trees, which really are the city&#x27;s green lungs,&quot; says the petition, launched by four environmental groups.</p><p>Around 35,000 signatures have been gathered so far.</p><p>Deputy Mayor Emmanuel Gregoire sought to mollify opponents of the scheme.</p><p>&quot;No 100-year-old tree will be cut down,&quot; he said.</p><p>His aides told AFP they were working to reduce the number of trees to be felled for the project, having already cut back from 42 to 22.</p><p>They also stressed the redevelopment was part of a plan that involved planting dozens of trees and creating a green space across the clogged centre of the French capital.</p><p>But campaigners remain unconvinced.</p><p>&quot;They are creating some vegetation, but they are destroying a lot of it at the same time,&quot; said Philippe Khayat of the SOS Paris association, one of the backers of the petition.</p><p>The tower is one of the world&#x27;s most famous buildings and welcomes some seven million visitors a year.</p><div><strong>pyv/pga/jxb/har</strong></div><div><strong>© Agence France-Presse</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=1672881" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Paris is aiming to redevelop the area around the Eiffel Tower in time for the 2024 Olympic Games, but the city's residents are beginning to rebel over a plan that would see 22 trees ripped up. 