Tree Slaughter

On a recent jog through the forest, I spotted this sign affixed to tape blocking the path:

In case you're wondering, the top part's in German, bottom in French

 I knew it meant they were doing something to the trees and that entering the area was forbidden, but I'd never seen the word abattage before.  


So I went home to consult my best friend, Google Translate.  And you know what it told me?

abbattage = slaughter!  They were slaughtering trees in the forest!

As much as I love Google Translate, I guess it does have its weaknesses.


(In all fairness, when I entered "abbattage d'arbres," it said "tree felling."  But I like "tree slaughter" better.)


 A few days later, the path was reopened and there were indeed piles of slaughtered trees everywhere.

Victims of the massacre

I must say, Luxembourg does an outstanding job of maintaining--grooming, really--its forests*.  I always see city workers in there, trimming trees, blowing leaves, doing... well, I'm not exactly sure what.  Perhaps this nice display I passed today explains it.

Or maybe not.  Since it's in German, I can't read it.  I guess I could head over to Google Translate... but I think I'll just let it remain a mystery.

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*So much so that last year the local news reported that six trees were missing from the forest and the suspects were still at large--which begged the question, how on earth did they notice six missing trees in a forest of millions??  Only in Luxembourg...