Trees in the city
Around 4,500 street trees and roughly the same number of trees in green spaces and other municipal facilities enrich the cityscape of Hof. For safety reasons, regular tree inspections and maintenance measures are carried out. The city strives to preserve and develop its tree population. To this end, numerous trees are planted every year. In spring 2020, for example, 500 young German oaks were planted at Lindenbühl.
The city of Hof is currently taking part in the "Stadtgrün 2021" research project of the Bavarian State Institute for Viticulture and Horticulture (LWG) in Veitshöchheim, in which promising new tree species are being investigated for their suitability with regard to climate change issues.
Here you can find out what you need to do if you want to cut down or prune protected trees and how you can contribute to the preservation and propagation of the tree population in the city of Hof.
Tree protection ordinance
A tree protection ordinance applies in Hof, according to which certain trees are protected: Deciduous trees and silver firs (Abies alba) from a trunk circumference of 80 cm, measured at a height of one meter or, in the case of multi-stemmed trees, from a trunk circumference of 50 cm per individual trunk.
If you wish to fell a tree protected under the ordinance or prune it to a significant extent, an application for permission must be submitted to the Environment Department.
Before doing so, it is advisable to clarify the eligibility for approval with the Green Areas Department as the technical department. Please arrange an appointment with us for an inspection.
Help us
Every living creature, whether human or animal, needs oxygen to breathe. Our trees filter carbon dioxide from the air and release oxygen.
Our urban trees are also particularly valuable and worth protecting because they:
- Provide shade and thus ensure pleasant cooling on hot days,
- act as air filters and noise reducers at the same time,
- provide privacy with their canopy of leaves and protect against UV radiation,
- create a habitat for birds and insects and
- increase the quality of life in the city.
The city of Hof takes care of the preservation and development of the city's tree population. In addition to replacement and compensatory planting, new trees are planted when roads, squares and other urban open spaces are converted or newly built. Last but not least, attention is paid to appropriate greening when drawing up development plans.
Tree sponsorships
Fancy a bit of urban gardening on your doorstep? The city of Hof provides plants and seeds for anyone interested in gardening a street tree in their neighborhood and looking after the tree.
What is a tree sponsorship?
- As a tree sponsor, you can plant the tree slice - the open ground around the tree - according to your own ideas in consultation with the green spaces department.
- You water your planting and the tree regularly, especially in dry weather.
- If necessary, clean and weed the tree bed.
- You can fence in the tree location in consultation with the green spaces department (maximum fence height: 50 centimeters).
- Of course, you do not have to worry about checking or pruning the tree. This is done by the city of Hof.
By sponsoring a tree, you are beautifying the cityscape and doing something for bees, butterflies and the like.
Tree donations
With a tree donation, you as a citizen, association or company can also help to develop the tree population in Hof and thus promote the quality of life in the city. Your donation enables trees to be planted in public green spaces, on streets and squares, in recreational areas and in the city's municipal cemeteries.
The guideline value for a tree donation is 2,000 euros. This covers the costs of purchasing, planting, caring for and watering a tree in the first few years. If the tree location has to be established first, e.g. in streets and sidewalks where there were previously no trees, additional costs of approximately the same amount will be incurred.
Of course, we are grateful for any monetary donation of any amount from a minimum of 50 euros. These donations will be combined with other donations until the required amount for tree planting is reached.
You are welcome to pay your donation into the account DE38 7805 0000 0380 0000 26 at Sparkasse Hochfranken with the reference "tree donation".
We would be delighted if you would visit your donated tree from time to time. Watch it grow and flourish and enjoy it! You are welcome to do something good for your sponsored tree - water it when it's dry or keep the tree slice clean - in addition to the tree care provided by our city gardeners. If there are any obvious irregularities, we would be grateful if you could inform us. We can then react more quickly and avert damage more effectively.
