COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM AREA COMMITTEE
Tuesday, December 13, 2011
HEADED ITEM NO. 2
2012 ARBORICULTURAL WORKS PROGRAMME
The Arboricultural Programme for 2011 is currently being completed. The programme for 2012 will commence in January 2012 and will be undertaken in two phases:
· January 2012 to March 2012
· November 2012 to December 2012
The Programme will again be focussed on tree maintenance works, in order to make best use of the available resources. As the focus of the programme is primarily on tree pruning and removals, new planting is only being considered in a very limited number of circumstances, e.g. National Tree Week 2012. Tree maintenance works include:
· Tree pruning
· Tree removal
· Stump removal
· Hedge cutting
· Shrubbery maintenance
In relation to trees, priority will be given to trees in the following categories:
- Dead and damaged trees.
- Trees in very close proximity to public lighting columns (less than 1.8m).
- Trees associated with lifting footpaths.
- Trees in conflict with overhead utility cables
Aside from these categories, works will be carried out to trees only where they are considered to be consistent with good arboricultural practice. Examples of this would be crown lifting (removal of lower branches), crown thinning (reducing the weight of large trees), pruning to deal with weak branch junctions, pruning to improve the shape of the tree and removal of suckers.
In order to optimise available resources and having regard to the Health & Safety and Traffic Management procedures that must be put in place, it is again intended to deal with trees primarily on an estate by estate basis rather than on an individual request basis. Individual trees will generally only be dealt with if deemed to be a priority category or for some other exceptional reason.
The commencement of the Arboricultural Works Programme in earnest may be delayed to some extent due to the following factors:
· The Christmas Tree Recycling Programme, which will operate from early January 2012, will also affect the tree pruning and removal programme. This requires a substantial staff input in terms of collection, shredding and disposal of Christmas trees at the twenty five official locations around the county, as well as from a number of unofficial and discontinued locations.
· Subject to weather conditions, the possible deployment of Parks staff to the clearing of snow from public areas around the county.
· The deployment of staff to clean up and remove bonfire material from public parks and open spaces during and after Halloween.
· The extension of pitch maintenance/grass cutting operations. Grass growth now continues into late November as a result of climate change factors.
Arboricultural work in the 2010-2011 season was also very much curtailed due the factors highlighted above.
The Tree Stump Removal Programme commenced in the area in September 2011 and approximately 200 tree stumps were removed as part of this programme. A programme of removal of low hanging branches and epocormic growth from street trees in the following estates has commenced:
· Delaford Estate
· Orlagh Estate
· Orchardstown Drive
The following tables detail the proposed programme:
Table 1: RATHFARNHAM ELECTORAL AREA - HOUSING ESTATE WORK
| ESTATE | EXTENT OF WORK | Pruning/Removal |
| Ashton Close | 12 Ashton Close | Removal |
| Ashton Close | 14 Ashton Close | Removal |
| Ballyroan Crescent | side of 32/34 Ballyroan Crescent | Pruning |
| Beverly Green | 1&2 Beverly Green | Pruning |
| Beverly Grove | 2/4 Beverly Grove | Removal |
| Beverly Lawns | 2 Beverly Lawns | Removal |
| Butterfield Park | 94 Butterfield Park | Removal |
| Coolamber Park | 35 Coolamber Park | Removal |
| Cremorne | 36 Cremorne | Removal |
| Darglewood | 12 Darglewood | Removal |
| Delaford Avenue | 14/15 Delaford Avenue | Removal |
| Delaford Avenue | 41 Delaford Avenue | Pruned |
| Delaford Drive | 16 Delaford Drive | Pruning |
| Dodder Park Road | 77 Dodder Park Road | Pruning |
| Edenbrook Park | Opp. 1 Edenbrook Park | Removal |
| Glendoher Close | 7 Glendoher Close | Removal |
| Glendoher Park | 27 Glendoher Park | Pruning |
| Glendoher Park | 1 opp. 34 Glendoher Park | Pruning |
| Glendoher Park | 28 Glendoher Park | Removal |
| Glenlyon Grove | 9 Glenlyon Grove | Removal |
| Glenlyon Grove | 15 Glenlyon Grove | Removal |
| Glenlyon Grove | 17 Glenlyon Grove | Removal |
| Hermitage Drive | 10 Hermitage Drive | Pruning |
| Knockaire | 8 Knockaire | Pruning |
| Knockaire | Side of 25 Knockaire | Removal |
| Knockaire | 38 Knockaire | Removal |
| Knockcullen Park | 18 Knockcullen Park | Pruning |
| Knockcullen Park | 31 Knockcullen Park | Removal |
| Knockcullen Rise | 9 Knockcullen Rise | Removal |
| Lansdowne Park | 1 Lansdowne Park | Removal |
| Longwood Park | 8,9,11,12,18,27,46,49, 72, 74, 78,85,87/89 | Removal |
| Marian Crescent | 31 Marian Crescent | Removal |
| Monalea Grove | 86 Monalea Grove | Removal |
| Mount Alton | 14 Mount Alton | Removal |
| Moyville | 17,128,142,148,169,198,209,227,228,230,242,246 | Removal |
| Owendore Crescent | 17 Owendore Crescent | Removal |
| Silverwood Road | Opp. 31 Silverwood Road | Removal |
| Willowbank Park | 13 & 25/27 Willowbank Park | Removal |
| Woodbrook Park | 24 Woodbrook Park | Pruning |
| Woodstock Park | Side & rear of 5 & 6 Woodstock Park | Pruning |
Table 2: RATHFARNHAM ELECTORAL AREA – OPEN SPACE WORK
| ESTATE | EXTENT OF WORK | Pruning/Removal |
| Ballyroan Road | Rear of 215 Ballyroan Road | Pruning |
| Castlefield Green | Side of 16 Castlefield Green | Pruning |
| Cremorne | Side of 84 Cremorne | Pruning |
| Elkwood | Side of 48 Elkwood | Pruning/Removal |
| Glenbrook Park | Rear of 65 Glenbrook Park | Pruning |
| Glendoher Close | Rear of 1-7 Glendoher Close | Pruning |
| Glenvara Park | Side of 1C Glenvara Park | Removal |
| Templeroan Road/Scholarstown Park | Trees along Footpath | Pruning |
| Woodview Cottages | Side of 602 Woodview Cottages | Pruning |