The chestnut trees on Barbacan were pollarded a bit more than four years ago (“Pollarding,” September 15, 2008). This was done by the forestry people under Emil Soldatić’s management. At the time, he was one of the most powerful people in the municipal government. He was responsible for many similar tree-cutting ventures back then. Now, pollarding is pruning of trees. Top branches are removed, promoting dense foliage on new branches. Having been pollarded, trees need to be managed carefully to ensure that new branches establish themselves. This has not been done on Barbacan, though, and many chestnut trees have already perished. One after another, they have been summarily removed by the forestry people. Long stretches along the parking lot under the town walls are now denuded. Soldatić and many others in the municipality have been happy about the rapid disappearance of chestnut trees. Recently repaired, the walls are now visible from far away, they like to gloat. But there are no trees to hold the soil under the parking lot any longer. Battered by rains, it is already sinking in the middle. After yesterday’s torrential rains, a deep fissure has appeared under the parking lot. It is only a question of time before its pavement collapses and hurtles down the Motovun hill. And no-one from the municipality seems to notice. The whole lot is too busy for such trivial things. They only park their cars on Barbacan, anyway.