COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF LUCAN AREA COMMITTEE
Tuesday, September 27, 2016
MOTION NO. 7
MOTION: Councillor G. O'Connell
"That this Committee requests that the “Living with Trees” policy be reviewed in the light of practice and that strong consideration be given to inserting a revised policy clause that supports the removal of trees where they have become a hazard to local residents."
REPORT:
From a policy perspective, wherever possible, the Council’s approach to tree management seeks in the first instance to promote a better understanding of the value of trees to the urban community. Street trees can transform the character of a street and provide numerous environmental, aesthetic, cultural, social and economic benefits for residents of all ages within South Dublin County.
Trees and vegetation capture carbon dioxide and mitigate global warming. They buffer noise, offer shade, reduce water runoff, control erosion, and absorb airborne particulates and pollutants thereby cleaning the air and reducing asthma and other respiratory conditions. People of all ages, income levels and abilities enjoy higher levels of physical, cognitive and emotional health when they have trees nearby. A rapidly growing body of scientific evidence links access to tree-lined streets and spending time around trees to lower levels of mortality and illness, higher levels of outdoor physical activity, restoration from stress, reduced risk of depression and anxiety disorders, accelerated recovery from surgery or illness and a greater sense of general well-being. Trees provide seasonal interest and natural beauty through foliage, leaf patterns, flowers, bark fruit and canopy. These features have proved to play a significant role in improving sensory stimulation, orientation and circadian rhythms. The benefits of trees growing in an urban environment are extensive.
The Council recognises that trees under its ownership/management are sometimes implicated in issues that are not always attributable to the tree. Many such issues can frequently be resolved by alternative remedial measures that do not require unnecessary removal or pruning of a tree. It is also recognised that residents’ views on trees can vary greatly and a tree that is of great value and beauty to one person can be perceived as an unsightly nuisance to another. The Council’s role is to try to achieve a compromise, which is acceptable to the community at large but not necessarily to every individual within the community and to safeguard the tree population for the future, within available resources. Whether trees are managed for their amenity, social, economic or environmental benefits, their management must be balanced and proportionate to the actual risks from trees. For example, it is both normal and natural for trees to lose leaves and the risk to human safety is usually very low. To address this issue, the Council organises a street cleaning service which will sweep leaves from most streets and residential roads during the autumn period. The Council also has a Social Credit Scheme which can be accessed if a neighbourhood group would like to seek support and assist elderly neighbours sweep leaves etc. This type of action would create a better, more engaged community, ensure elderly residents have social contact with their neighbours and get people involved in the maintenance and care of their area which always has benefits for the community.
Wherever possible the Council’s approach to tree management seeks to strike a balance between the nuisance experienced by individuals, the actual level of risk involved as opposed to perceived risk and the benefits offered by the tree to the wider community. It is in this context that the Council's tree management policy 2015-2020 "Living With Trees" sets out the criteria for removal of a tree which already includes provision for the removal of trees that are considered hazardous. Trees are however removed only when necessary as a last resort where an issue cannot be reasonably addressed by an alternative solution and proactive tree management has had no mitigating effect. It is not the Council's policy to remove healthy trees unless there are exceptional circumstances which are dealt with on a case by case basis. It is important to recognise that the removal of a street tree will often negate the benefit of 30-40 years or more of growth. This asset is not easily replaced and the Council has a duty to act responsibly in managing a sustainable tree population for both current and future generations.
Having regard to the above, the proposed amendment to the Council's Tree Management Policy "Living With Trees" to insert a policy clause that supports the removal of trees where they have become a hazard to local residents is not considered necessary as the matter is already addressed within the current policy document in a manner which endeavours to balance the interests of all residents. The currently agreed Tree Management Policy will be reviewed in 3 years time and it is suggsted that the matter be further considered as part of this process.