What are the rules for tree cutting in Berlin?

the baumschutzverordnung is real but the enforcement varies a lot by bezirk. if the tree was already sick or damaged, a permit is way easier to get, so the gallery might have had a legit reason. she should ask the hausverwaltung for the fällgenehmigung, they have to keep that paperwork. also, even if it was legal, berlin's climate adaptation rules are pushing for more shade, so she can try the bezirksamt's umweltamt and frame it as a public health thing, not just her comfort. worst case, a complaint might at least force them to plant a fast-growing replacement like a linden or maple

arrow_drop_up 15 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

yeah berlin has the baumschutzverordnung, it's strict. basically any tree with a trunk circumference over a certain size (usually 60cm, measured at 1m height) needs a permit to cut. if they did it without one, that's a violation, and the bezirksamt can fine them pretty heavily. your gf should check if the gallery got a fällgenehmigung. if not, she can report it to the untere naturschutzbehörde in her district. even with a permit, they often require replacement planting or an ausgleichszahlung. also, the fact it was in a shared courtyard doesn't matter, the rules apply to private property too. the heat thing is real, i'd mention that when she complains, it makes the case stronger.

arrow_drop_up 3 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

You could also check if the building's rental agreement or house rules mention anything about the courtyard trees. Sometimes the landlord has a duty to keep the property in a certain condition, and cutting a shade tree without telling tenants could be a breach of that. If she's renting, the Mieterverein is actually a good call, they can review her contract and see if there's any leverage for a rent reduction since the apartment lost its natural cooling.

arrow_drop_up 2 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

Worth noting that Berlin street names have official umlaut and ß rules that trip people up, so a sign showing "Strasse" versus "Straße" is not actually a spelling error, just an older transcription. Same with "ue" versus "ü" (e.g. "Kantstrasse" vs "Kantstraße"), both are considered valid renderings and you'll see the ß version on the blue Schilder and the ss version on older plaques or in databases that predate Unicode. If the difference you're seeing is between those two forms, there's nothing to fix and both are technically correct.

arrow_drop_up 4 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

if the signs u mean are the old enamel ones on the house facades those are often protected as Baudenkmal so nobody's allowed to correct them even if the spelling is outdated. the binding version is whatever is in the Berliner Strassenverzeichnis plus the entry in the Liegenschaftskataster, so if u tell me the street i can point u to the right Bezirksamt Mitte or Charlottenburg-Wilmersdorf page. tbh the merged district thing is real but the facade signs are a separate story, theyre basically museum pieces at this point

arrow_drop_up 3 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply

honestly thats super common in Charlottenburg, the district offices were merged from older Bezirke and nobody ever fixed all the Schilder. if its a real street you can check the official strassenverzeichnis on berlin.de, that list is what the Burgeramt actually goes by. which street is it? some of the Kaiserdamm / Kantstrasse signs are notorious for this.

arrow_drop_up 1 arrow_drop_down

chat_bubble Reply ios_share

/

Reply