The indiscriminate pruning practices of the Paraguayan Electricity Administration (ANDE) are causing irreversible damage to countless trees in Asunción, severely threatening the safety of residents. Especially during the rainy and windy seasons, poorly pruned trees frequently fall, blocking public roads and causing accidents, leading to growing public dissatisfaction.

 
Ruthless Destruction, Disappearing Green Spaces

ANDE claims to prune trees to protect power lines, but their methods are truly shocking. Some trees are cut in the middle, as if severed, leaving them with grotesque shapes, while others are severely unbalanced due to excessive pruning on only one side. This goes beyond merely harming aesthetics; it has a severe negative impact on the urban ecosystem. The already insufficient green spaces in the city are further diminished by these indiscriminate pruning practices, and citizens express concern, saying, "The city is becoming increasingly desolate."

Fernando Cubilla, a biologist and professor at the Faculty of Natural Sciences (Facen) of the National University of Asunción (UNA), strongly criticized ANDE's pruning practices. He explained, "The most commonly observed problem is cutting only one side and leaving the other intact," adding, "Trees cut unevenly like this are more vulnerable to strong winds and easily fall." Especially old, mature trees are the biggest victims of such shoddy pruning, jeopardizing the city's beautiful ancient trees.

 
Lack of Experts and Perfunctory Training

Professor Cubilla pointed out that ANDE's pruning work is primarily carried out by outsourced company employees, and their lack of expertise is at the core of the problem. He remarked, "While ANDE's environmental department is said to conduct pruning training, it doesn't seem to be properly implemented in reality," and "Workers don't follow guidelines and try to finish the job as quickly as possible." This shows that ANDE's short-sighted focus on cost savings and work efficiency is threatening the long-term urban ecosystem and citizen safety.

The importance of pruning is directly linked to a tree's health and survival. Professor Cubilla emphasized, "Pruning at inappropriate times, or removing more than 65% of a tree's leaves, can lead to its death." Leaves are essential for a tree's photosynthesis, and removing too many of them prevents the tree from properly generating nutrients, ultimately causing it to wither or weaken and easily fall.

 
Citizen Outrage and Demands for Improvement

Asunción citizens are expressing their dissatisfaction with ANDE's irresponsible pruning practices. "Our neighborhood is full of deformed trees," and "We are anxious, not knowing when a tree might fall," are among the increasingly loud voices of citizens. They are strongly urging ANDE to completely revise its pruning methods, deploy qualified personnel, and establish sustainable solutions that consider both tree health and urban aesthetics.

Currently, ANDE is criticized for not providing clear guidelines for pruning work and for lacking transparency in the work process. Environmental organizations and citizens are therefore demanding that ANDE revise its pruning regulations, disclose work details, and go through a public discussion process to gather citizens' opinions.

 
The Importance of Pruning: A Key Element of the Urban Environment

Tree pruning is more than just cutting branches. Proper pruning promotes healthy tree growth, prevents pests and diseases, and strengthens a tree's structure to withstand strong winds or heavy snow. Furthermore, in an urban environment, trees perform various ecological functions, such as absorbing air pollutants, providing oxygen, and mitigating the urban heat island effect. Therefore, ANDE's inadequate pruning practices should be recognized as a serious problem that degrades the quality of the urban environment.

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