A storm in early July struck down the capital city’s oldest tree – a 300-year-old linden in Sapiegų Park. Since May, 1996, the tree was protected by the city as a botanical heritage specimen. The twin-trunked tree was a living reminder of the time when the park was being developed in the 17th century on the estate of Kazimieras Jonas Sapiega (Kazimierz Jan Sapieha), adjacent to his palatial residence that has survived to this day. The linden tree was planted near the elaborate entrance gates to what is now Antakalnio Street.
The tree was a small-leafed linden (Tilia cordata), 28 metres in height, 1.3 metres in trunk diameter (at the height of 4.4 metres). Supports were being used to keep the tree upright, and it was pruned last year. Once it broke, it was clear that the tree had decayed completely.
Other trees in the park were not affected by the storm.
Arborist Renaldas Žilinskas said the linden tree fell because it had not been sufficiently thinned out, which meant that its centre of gravity was in the upper branches. Of course the tree was already decaying, and was hollow. New shoots may grow from the stump, although this remains to be seen.
Later in the summer, another storm on August 6-7 damaged trees throught the country, especially in northern Lithuania. About 2000 hectares of forest were affected by that storm, destroying more than 30,000 cubic metres worth of lumber. By August 8 insurance experts reported 450 claims for property damage totalling over 320,000 euros, which may rise to half a million, mostly due to flooding and damage from hail.
