1995 – Listing in the Guinness Book of Records

In 1995, the Hague municipality had plans for renovation. This meant that a large chestnut tree was ‘in the way’. The municipality preferred not to cut it down but moving it seemed almost impossible. Guido Ilsink decided to go for it. The preparation took two years. It involved a chestnut measuring 10 by 10 metres. The tree first had to be dug deep on one side. A tree forms new hair roots in its root ball and this process took a year. Then the other side could be dug out and the tree could form new hair roots there. Lifting with a crane was impossible. Using a special technique, with chains and heavy plates under the root ball, the tree was eventually moved to its new location a few dozen metres away. And so in 1996, Darthuizer Group transplanted on Malieveld the largest tree ever transplanted in the world and was named in the Guinness Book of Records for it.