COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, July 13, 2015

HEADED ITEM NO. 10

TREE MANAGEMENT POLICY - “Living With Trees”

REPLY:

South Dublin County Council is responsible for the management and maintenance of an estimated 60,000 trees.

In view of the many benefits that we receive from trees and the Council’s responsibility for tree management and protection, a Tree Management Policy “Living with Trees” has been produced to set out the Council’s approach to the issues affecting the trees within its stewardship and to inform a better understanding of these issues. The development of this Tree Management Policy signals a new commitment by South Dublin County Council to looking after one of our most valuable natural resources. It represents a significant change in how we manage trees with the development of a more strategic, proactive, planned approach to inspection, planting, maintenance and management. This will enable progress towards an improved service and a more effective and informed tree maintenance programme.

The Tree Management Policy is intended to provide a framework to guide and support decisions made by the Council on the management and development of a sustainable tree population in the county. The Policy is also intended to act as a point of reference for the public, Councillors, Council staff and professionally interested people to enable informed discussion and to establish a clearer, consistent and more structured approach to the issues affecting trees.

The Policy identifies the Council’s intention to implement a routine and systematic inspection of all its trees for the purposes of managing risk and in accordance with recognised good practice. The Council’s aim is move towards more efficient, cost effective proactive management rather than reactive management of the County’s street tree population.

In this regard, the Policy indicates the Council’s intention to progress towards a planned cyclical programme of tree maintenance. This represents a move away from pruning individual trees on a one off reactive basis to pruning entire roads or whole estates which is more cost efficient both in terms of cost, efficiency and community benefit.

Clarification is given to the circumstances in which tree pruning or removal operations will be considered appropriate and procedures for processing customer enquiries are identified. A priority system for arboricultural operations is proposed, based on the risk that the trees present to people or property.

Engaging the community in the management and maintenance of our trees is recognised as an essential ingredient of any future ambitions to develop a sustainable and properly managed urban treescape within the South Dublin administrative area.It is important to enable and encourage people 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 however to be balanced and managed with the realities of resource availability.

Public Consultation Process

South Dublin County Council’s draft Tree Management Policy “Living with Trees” was presented to the meeting of the Environment, Public Realm & Climate Change Strategic Policy Committee (SPC) on February 3, 2015. It was agreed to proceed with a public consultation process and invite the public to submit comments and observations to inform further development of the draft policy. It was also agreed to establish a working group comprising members of the Environment SPC with supporting Council officials to work on the development of the draft policy.

The public consultation process was launched during National Tree Week by the Mayor, Cllr Fintan Warfield on Monday, March 2, 2015. The draft Tree Management Policy document was displayed for public viewing on the Council’s website www.sdcc.ie from March 2 - April 10, 2015. The public consultation process was promoted via a press release, social media, notice on the Council’s website and four public information sessions at the Council’s public libraries. Notices were emailed to Resident Associations, Tidy Town groups and to interested bodies such as An Taisce, Environmental Protection Agency, Tree Council of Ireland, ESB, Bord Gais, and Eircom.

A presentation on the draft Tree Management Policy was made to the Council’s Elected Members on March 23, 2015. A series of internal information sessions were also undertaken to invite the input of the Council’s Public Realm staff who operate the Council’s tree maintenance and management programme. The closing date for receipt of written submissions was Friday, April 10, 2015. A total of 19 written submissions were received.

A full report on the public consultation process was presented to the meeting of the Environment, Public Realm & Climate Change Strategic Policy Committee (SPC) on May 5, 2015. The SPC Tree Management Policy working group met on March 23, June 2 and June 23, 2015 to consider and discuss submissions form the public consultation process and other issues.

The draft Tree Management Policy “Living with Trees” has been amended to reflect issues raised as part of the public consultation process and the considerations of the Council’s Environment, Public Realm & Climate Change Strategic Policy Committee (SPC).

The full text of the amended draft Tree Management Policy “Living with Trees” is presented as an attachment to this report.