COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, March 09, 2015

QUESTION NO. 19

QUESTION: Councillor R. McMahon

To ask the Chief Executive to outline in detail the full process involved in Tree Pruning and Removal from when a Councillor or member of the public send in a request for service right through to what is done with the lumber once a tree is removed or pruned?

REPLY:

The Council’s Customer Contact System is usually the first point of contact for enquiries and complaints from public representatives and members of the public, including those relating to trees. Details of the customer’s name, address, contact details, nature of the enquiry and location of the enquiry are logged into the Customer Contact System. The enquiry is then referred to the relevant Council section for response.

Any tree-related emergencies are referred for immediate action in accordance with the Council’s emergency procedures. An emergency is defined as a tree that is in immediate danger of collapse or a tree that is causing an obstruction requiring urgent attention.

For non-emergency tree enquiries, customers are either informed of the Council's policy in regard to an issue where tree maintenance work is not considered a priority or where a site inspection is considered necessary, customers will be informed that such a site inspection will be undertaken after which the customer will be notified of what action, if any, is considered appropriate.

Currently, the Council undertakes tree inspections primarily in response to requests for tree work.  Each inspection involves an assessment of the tree's health and condition, and identifies if any work is required, having regard also to any issues raised in an enquiry that has been received in relation to a specific tree.

Based on figures for 2014, the current requirement for tree inspections is c.1600 per annum. These inspections are primarily of individual trees across a wide geographic spread throughout the county.  In order to make most efficient use of the Council’s staff resource who undertake tree inspections, non-emergency inspections are normally undertaken when there is sufficient number of tree inspections listed for undertaking within a particular geographic area.  Following inspection, where it is agreed that tree works are required, the tree is listed for inclusion on a future tree maintenance programme in accordance with its considered priority.

The pruning, removal and planting of street trees, removal of tree stumps, hedge cutting and maintenance of open space shrubberies is undertaken under the Council’s annual Tree Maintenance Programme.  The development of the annual Tree Maintenance Programme largely evolves each year from recommendations arising from tree inspections in response to requests for tree maintenance works received over the previous 12 month period from members of the public and public representatives via the Customer Contact System.  The annual programme for the year ahead is presented to meetings of the Council’s Area Committee meetings usually during November.  The Tree Maintenance Programme for 2015 was presented and approved by the Council's Area Committee meetings in November 2014.  This programme is ongoing from January 2015 to December 2015. 

Wherever possible, the wood debris from tree maintenance work is converted and recycled into woodchips for use as a mulch in planted areas or surfacing for woodland paths within the Council’s parks and open spaces. Larger sections that can’t be processed by the woodchipper are recycled according to the condition and species of timber. At present, these are generally made available to wood turners for carving and crafting or for firewood to charitable organisations through official local contacts. Green waste generated from tree works in woodlands is usually left in situ to create wildlife habitats.