COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF LUCAN AREA COMMITTEE
Tuesday, November 25, 2014
HEADED ITEM NO. 12
Tree Maintenance Programme Winter 2014 / 2015
Tree Management in South Dublin County
Trees make a significant contribution to the character and appearance of South Dublin. They also enhance biodiversity and play a crucial role in mitigating climate change.
It is estimated that South Dublin County Council has responsibility for the management and maintenance of at least 60,000 trees. An inventory of street trees within the administrative area has not previously been undertaken and information is limited. It is however well recognised that parts of South Dublin’s administrative area, such as the long established neighbourhoods of Rathfarnham, Terenure, Templeogue, Clondalkin, Palmerstown and Lucan, have ageing and mature tree populations where tree maintenance is required in order to sustain the health and viability of these trees into the future. Traditionally, the majority of tree works have been carried out during the winter season using the same staff that are involved in grass maintenance during the summer months. This complimented our labour availability but against the backdrop of a maturing tree population, a backlog of work has built up. The planting of new trees and replacement planting where trees have been removed has also been very limited in recent years and there is a need to plan for the renewal and continuity of our tree population. In addition, the absence of a clearly defined policy for tree maintenance and prioritisation of work has resulted in public expectation of the service beyond that which is necessary or achievable.
These issues are reflected in increasing numbers of requests for tree maintenance received via the Council’s Customer Contact System. The volume of tree maintenance requests has doubled within the last year with many being repeat enquiries. At present, much of the Council’s tree resource is managed by responding to complaints but reactive management is not efficient and does not give our customers the best service.
2015 - New Approach to Tree Management
Next year, 2015 will represent the start of a significant change in how we manage our trees with the development of a more strategic approach to inspection, planting, maintenance and management. This will lead to a faster response period to the many service requests for tree maintenance. From 2015, the Council’s aim is move towards more efficient, cost effective proactive management rather than reactive management of the County’s street tree population. Our objectives are to:
- minimise complaint driven and reactionary tree works as much as possible
- increase the efficiency of our tree maintenance service
- carry out works on a planned basis
- advance a proactive programme of cyclical pruning targeted initially at priority locations where intervention is most needed
- focus on tree maintenance works on an estate by estate basis rather than reacting to isolated individual requests. Individual trees will only be dealt with if deemed to be a priority category or emergency situation.
Central to this approach is to recognise and promote the value of existing trees as well as planning for renewal of the tree population. Expectations of how we manage our tree population have to be balanced with the realities of resource availability.
A number of new tree management initiatives are being planned for implementation in 2015 which will enable progress towards an improved service, a more informed and strategic approach to tree management, greater understanding of trees and a more aesthetically pleasing County.
These planned initiatives include:
- Development of a Tree Management Policy for South Dublin County.
- Commencement of a countywide baseline survey of the County’s street tree population.
- New procedures for tree inspections arising from requests for maintenance
- Purchase of a street tree management software system.
- Establishment of two skilled tree maintenance crews to operate year-round to augment seasonal tree crews who traditionally operate over the winter period.
- Improved co-ordination with ESB Networks for enabling of tree maintenance works under power lines
- Phased introduction of a planned cyclical programme of tree maintenance
Collectively these initiatives, in time, will lead to the more effective and efficient management of the tree resource to enhance South Dublin County as an attractive and healthy place in which to live and work and promote a harmonious co-existence between trees and people where the benefits of trees are valued.
Tree Maintenance Programme for 2015
The Tree Maintenance Programme for Winter 2014 / 2015 is being undertaken from November 2014 into 2015 and represents the completion of outstanding works from 2014 with the addition of commitments given high priority for action during 2014 and tree works committed for 2015.
The programme includes a significant number of individual trees across a wide geographic spread. It is widely accepted that having regard to available resources and to the Health & Safety and Traffic Management procedures that must be put in place, this approach to tree maintenance is not an efficient use of resources. However, it is envisaged that the quantity of individual requests should reduce in proportion as progress with the planned cyclical programme of tree maintenance on an estate by estate basis increases. When backlogs of individual tree maintenance commitments have been cleared, new works requests will in future be considered by referring to the tree survey records and the Council’s Tree Management Policy.
While the Winter 2014 /2015 programme of tree maintenance works is scheduled to take place during this period, it should be noted that the schedule may be disrupted as a result of severe weather events, such as flooding, snow or storms, where it becomes necessary to re-deploy staff away from normal work programmes to provide a priority response.
The tables below indicate the proposed work and are divided into the following 5 categories:
- Estate Street Tree Maintenance
- Hedgerow Maintenance
- Open Space Shrubberies Maintenance
- Stump Removals
- Individual Trees for pruning or removal
- Estate / Street Tree Maintenance
| Estate | Works Required |
| Abbeywood | Prune / removals |
| Airlie Heights Road | Prune / removals |
| Ardeevin Court | Hoist prune / removals |
| Arthur Griffith Park | Hoist prune / removals |
| Ballyowen Estate | Prune / removals |
| Cherbury Estate | Hoist prune / removals |
| Hermitage | Prune / removals |
| Hermitage Park | Hoist prune / removals |
| Palmerstown Avenue | Hoist prune / removals |
| Woodfarm Acres - The Coppice | Hoist prune / removals |
| Woodfarm Acres - The Dingle | Hoist prune / removals |
| Culmore Road | Prune / removals |
| Woodfarm Acres - Elderwood Road | Hoist prune / removals |
| Woodville | Hoist prune / removals |
| Woodview | Hoist prune & dead/diseased tree removal |
| Woodview Heights | Hoist prune / removals |
- Hedgerow Maintenance
| Location | Works Required |
| Abbeydale Estate | Hedge trimming |
| Abbeywood Estate | Hedge trimming |
| Adamstown playground | Hedges and shrubbery |
| Airlie Estate pitches | Prune beech hedges |
| Ardeevin Court | Hedge trimming |
| Arthur Griffith Park Estate | Hedge trimming |
| Ballyowen Park | Hedge trimming |
| Ballydowd Manor (Fforesters) | Hedges within estate |
| Beech Park Estate | Hedge trimming |
| Beechgrove Estate - No. 35 and pitch | Hedge trimming |
| Bewley Estate | Boundary hedge - prune both sides |
| Castle Road | Hedge trimming |
| Castle Riada Estate | Prune hedge dividing the estates Castle Riada Avenue and Castle Riada Drive from the Old Clondalkin Road |
| Cluain Rí park | Hedge trimming |
| Earlsfort Estate | Hedge trimming |
| Fairways Estate | Prune hedges within the estate |
| Finnstown Estate - Phases 1 to 4 | Hedge trimming |
| Glebe | Hedge trimming |
| Glenaulin Park | Hedge trimming |
| Griffeen Rd | Hedge trimming |
| Griffeen Valley Park | Prune overhanging branches and shrubs – back of houses bordering GVP, and hedges at Hayden’s Car Park, Tennis Courts and Running Track |
| Haydens Lane | Hedge trimming |
| Hollyville Lawns | Hedge at 48 |
| Hermitage Estate | Hedge about house |
| Hermitage Park (Extension) | Beech hedge along the road both sides |
| Larkfield Estate | Prune all hedges and shrubberies |
| Liffey Estate | Prune all hedges and shrubberies |
| Lucan Demesne | Hedge trimming |
| Mount Andrew Estate | Boundary hedge - prune both sides |
| Mount Bellew Estate | Prune hedges within the estate |
| Moy Glass Rd | Hedge trimming |
| Palmerstown Ave/N4 | Hedge trimming |
| Riversdale House | Hedge trimming |
| Hedge trimming | |
| Waterstown Park | Hedge trimming |
| Whitehorn Estate | Hedge trimming |
| Willsbrook Park | Hedge trimming |
| Woodview Heights | Hedge trimming |
- Open Space Shrubberies Maintenance
| Location | Works Required |
| Beech Grove | Prune trees on open space adjoining no. 37 |
| Hermitage Park | a no. of diseased beech for removal to side of pitches |
| Lana na Pairce / Hermitage Park | Prune trees in Hermitage Park on boundary with apartments |
| Sarsfield Park | Prune vegetation on open space |
- Stump Removals
| Location | House No. | Estate | Works Required |
| Arthur Griffith Park | opposite 113 | Arthur Griffith Park | Stump removal |
| 156 | Arthur Griffith Park | Stump removal | |
| side 170 | Arthur Griffith Park | Stump removal | |
| 184 | Arthur Griffith Park | Stump removal | |
| 221 | Arthur Griffith Park | Stump removal | |
| Ballydowd | 42/43 | Ballydowd Grove | Stump removal |
| 45 | Ballydowd Grove | Stump removal | |
| Ballyowen | 12 | Ballyowen Crescent | Stump removal |
| 9 | Ballyowen Road | Stump removal | |
| 18 | Ballyowen Way | Stump removal | |
| Beech Park | 305 | Beech Park | Stump removal |
| 10 | Beech Park | Stump removal | |
| side 107 | Beech Park | Stump removal | |
| 104 | Beech Park | Stump removal | |
| 124 | Beech Park | Stump removal | |
| 128 | Beech Park | Stump removal | |
| 150 | Beech Park | Stump removal | |
| 159 | Beech Park | Stump removal | |
| 76 | Beech Park | Stump removal | |
| 78 | Beech Park | Stump removal | |
| 79/80 | Beech Park | Stump removal | |
| 81 | Beech Park | Stump removal | |
| 85 | Beech Park | Stump removal | |
| Cannonbrook | Estate | Cannonbrook Avenue | Stump removal |
| Chalet Gardens | Entrance to estate | Chalet Gardens | Stump removal |
| 21 | Chalet Gardens | Stump removal | |
| Esker Drive | Esker Drive | Stump removal | |
| Esker Lane | 9/11 | Esker lane | Stump removal |
| Adare/Brook Cottage near Woodville Estate | Esker lane | Stump removal | |
| Esker Lawns | 44 | Esker Lawns | Stump removal |
| 84 | Esker Lawns | Stump removal | |
| 115 | Esker Lawns | Stump removal | |
| 116 | Esker Lawns | Stump removal | |
| 128 | Esker Lawns | Stump removal | |
| 131 | Esker Lawns | Stump removal | |
| 147 | Esker Lawns | Stump removal | |
| Fairways | 39 | Fairways | Stump removal |
| Finnsvale | 8 | Finnsvale | Stump removal |
| Glenaulin | 51 | Glenaulin Green | Stump removal |
| Glenmaroon | 13 | Glenmaroon Rd | Stump removal |
| Hillcrest | 21 | Hillcrest Park | Stump removal |
| Lucan Heights | 1 | Lucan Heights | Stump removal |
| Roselawn | 6 | Roselawn | Stump removal |
| 11 | Roselawn | Stump removal | |
| 27 | Roselawn | Stump removal | |
| St Finnian’s | 1, 2,3 | St Finnian’s Crescent | Stump removal |
| Turret Road | 45 | Turret Road | Stump removal |
| Whitethorn | 10 | Whitethorn Way | Stump removal |
| Woodfarm Acres | 2 | Glenpark Road | Stump removal |
| 19 | Laburnum Walk | Stump removal | |
| 21 | Laburnum Walk | Stump removal | |
| 13 | The Glade | Stump removal |
- Individual Trees for Pruning or Removal
| Location | House No. | Estate | Works Required |
| Abbeywood | 2 | Abbeywood Avenue | Prune |
| 16 | Abbeywood Avenue | Prune | |
| 25 | Abbeywood Avenue | Prune | |
| Ardeevin | rear 4 | Ardeevin Court | Prune |
| Arthur Griffith Park | side no.144 on open space | Arthur Griffith Park | Dead tree removal |
| laneway access to rear 190 | Arthur Griffith Park | Prune | |
| side and rear 205 | Arthur Griffith Park | Hoist prune | |
| rear 209 | Arthur Griffith Park | Hoist prune | |
| side of 210 | 210 Arthur Griffith Park | Hoist prune | |
| 218 | 218 Arthur Griffith Park | Hoist prune | |
| rear 244 | 244 Arthur Griffith Park | Hoist prune | |
| Beechpark | 10 | Beechpark | Hoist prune |
| rear 22 / 24 | Beechpark | Hoist prune | |
| 57 | Beechpark | Hoist prune | |
| 261 | Beechpark | Prune | |
| 285 | Beechpark | removal | |
| 286 | Beechpark | Prune | |
| 299 | Beechpark | Removal | |
| Colthurst | 1 | Colthurst Green | Hoist prune |
| Dodsborough | 21/22 | Dodsborough Road | Prune |
| Esker Lawns | Esker Lawns | Removal | |
| Esker Park | 118 | Esker Park | Prune |
| Finnstown | open space | Finnstown Cloisters | Dead tree removal |
| Foxborough | 4/6 | Foxborough Drive | Prune |
| Park west of Community Centre | Griffeen Valley Park | Dead tree removal | |
| Hermitage | 13 | Hermitage Place | Hoist prune |
| front & side 1 | Hermitage Road | Removal | |
| side 47 | Hermitage Road | Removal & prune | |
| 17 | Hermitage Road | Hoist prune | |
| side of 1 | Hermitage Valley | Hoist prune | |
| 14 | Hermitage Valley | Hoist prune | |
| Hillcrest | 27 A | Hillcrest Close | Removal |
| 54 | Hillcrest Drive | Prune | |
| Kennelsfort Road | Kennelsfort Road | Dead tree removal | |
| Kew Park | 10 | Kew Park | Prune |
| Liffey Valley Park Estate | 37-39 | Liffey Place | Dead tree removal |
| Moyglas | open space | Moyglas Lawn | Dead tree removal |
| Palmerstown | 124 | Palmerstown Drive | Dead tree removal |
| 1 | Palmers Grove | Dead tree removal | |
| Riversdale | open space | Riversdale Avenue | Dead tree removal |
| Rochfort | open space on left of avenue | Rochfort Avenue | Dead tree removal |
| open space at end | Rochfort Park | Dead tree removal | |
| 22 | Rochfort Park | Dead tree removal | |
| 32 | Rochfort Park | Dead tree removal | |
| 34 | Rochfort Park | Dead tree removal | |
| Roselawn | 11 | Roselawn | Prune |
| 23 | Roselawn | Prune | |
| 15 | St Finnian's Crescent | Removal | |
| Westbrook Park | 53 | Westbrook Park | Prune |
| Westbury Park | 17 | Westbury Park | Prune |
| Woodavens | 12 | Woodavens | Prune |
| Woodfarm Acres | 154 | The Coppice | Hoist prune |
| 27 | Elderwood Road | Prune | |
| Woodview | 52 | Woodview | Hoist prune |
| 109 | Woodview Heights | Hoist prune | |
| Woodville | At entrance to | Woodville Avenue | Dead tree removal |
| 21 | Woodville Grove | Prune | |
| 4 | Woodville Lawns | Prune | |
| 3 | Woodville Walk | Prune |