COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM/TEMPLEOGUE-TERENURE AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

HEADED ITEM NO.11

 

Report on 2017 Tree Management Programme

In the period January 1 – November 30 2017, tree maintenance involving tree pruning and removal, was carried out on just over 2,500 trees across the county. This figure includes tree maintenance works completed on over 1,000 trees in the Terenure, Templeogue, Rathfarnham Areas.

Throughout 2017 to date, the Council has had two full-time tree crews in operation with one primarily carrying out tree maintenance north of the N7 and the other operating south of the N7.  Recruitment of 5 new staff to enable the formation of a third full-time tree crew took place in May and June of this year.  These staff are currently deployed within the existing tree crew structures in order to gain practical experience while undergoing the necessary training and skills development to advance the formation of a third full-time tree crew.  During the period January to March, two additional seasonal tree crews were also deployed in the delivery of the tree maintenance service across the county. Seasonal tree crews are again being deployed in accordance with staff availability over the ongoing winter and forthcoming early spring period.

In line with the Council's Tree Management Policy 2015-2020 "Living With Trees", the focus of the 2017 Tree Maintenance Programme has been on a planned programme of works for entire roads or whole estates. The objective of this approach is to enable efficiency and productivity of the tree maintenance crews and advance a proactive programme of cyclical pruning targeting priority locations where intervention is most needed and where it will yield greatest community benefit.

The following is a list of estates in the Terenure, Templeogue, Rathfarnham Areas where a complete programme of tree maintenance involving removal or pruning of all trees that were identified as requiring works was carried out during 2017. In advance of commencing works within an estate or road, a full survey of all trees at the location is carried out to inform the programme and scheduling of tree pruning and removal works for all trees in the estate or road that are identified as requiring tree maintenance.

Some of these locations surveyed are noted as having trees in close proximity or in conflict with overhead electricity wires. In such locations, the schedule of tree maintenance works require to be undertaken by an ESB approved arborist suitably qualified in the specialist skills of utility arboriculture. The Council has recently completed the tender process to seek the services of a suitably qualified arborist to undertake these works which is scheduled for completion in early 2018.

Tree Inspections & Maintenance of Whole Estates Completed during 2017

Estate / Road	Status
Boden Wood	Work complete
Brookwood	Tree survey complete.   Tender in preparation for required works
Delaford Park	Work complete
Dodder Road Lower	Tree survey complete. Overhead ESB wires in conflict with trees. Works scheduled to be completed by contract in early 2018.
Fonthill Park	Tree survey complete. Overhead ESB wires in conflict with trees. Works scheduled to be completed by contract in early 2018.
Hillside Park	Tree survey complete. Overhead ESB wires in conflict with trees. Works scheduled to be completed by contract in early 2018.
Idrone	Work complete
Knocklyon Avenue	Work complete
Muckross estate	Tree survey complete. Overhead ESB wires in conflict with trees. Works scheduled to be completed by contract in early 2018.
Rathfarnham Wood	Work complete
Rossmore Road	Tree survey complete.   Work scheduled to commence Saturday, December 16th and to be completed over a sequence of Saturdays and off-peak periods
The Glen, Boden estate	Work complete
Willbrook Lawn	Work complete
Willbrook estate	Tree survey complete.   Meeting arranged with residents on 13.12.17 to discuss proposed programme of works
Monalea Grove & Wood	Tree survey complete and work scheduled to commence week beginning 11.12.17
Dargle Wood	Tree survey complete. Works scheduled to be completed winter 2017/spring 2018 by seasonal tree crew

Emergency Tree Works

In addition to the planned whole estate and road programme, reactive and emergency works are carried out on individually located trees as necessary in order to manage risks to the public. This service is for dangerous trees such as trees with large hanging branches, where a tree is in danger of falling, or where a tree has actually fallen. If a tree is identified as posing an immediate and present danger, action will be taken to make the tree safe. Emergency works are also carried out where a tree is rendered hazardous as a result of severe weather conditions.

Arising from storm Doris in February this year, the Council’s tree maintenance crews removed 28 trees from across the county. Storm Ophelia on October 16th last necessitated the removal of 58 trees across the county and remedial tree pruning works were carried out on a further 32 trees. The clean-up operation post storm Ophelia, which took precedence over the Council’s planned Tree Maintenance Programme for a period of approximately 3 weeks, also involved removal of fallen branches and other debris from over 90 reported locations.

Emergency and reactive tree works will normally take priority over the planned programme of tree maintenance works in estates and it must be recognised that there is consequent impact on progress with the planned programme. Emergency tree works were carried out on a total of over 150 trees during 2017.

Tree Planting

A programme of tree planting is currently in progress which will involve the planting of c.230 trees in the Terenure, Templeogue, Rathfarnham Areas over the coming weeks in fulfilment of tree planting commitments under the 2017 tree planting programme.  Locations for this tree planting include Rathfarnham Wood, Whitecliff, Beverly, Hillsbrook Avenue & Drive, Dangan Park, Shelton Park & Gardens, Whitecliff, Orwell Park - Green, Drive, Crescent, Way, Lawn, Glade, Heights, Dale, View, Rise, Avenue and Close. 

The tender process is currently in progress to procure a further 240 trees for planting in the Terenure, Templeogue, Rathfarnham Areas during spring 2018. Locations for this tree planting include Butterfield District area, Cremorne, Glendown, Osprey, Templeogue Wood, Whitechurch, Whitehall Road and Willington.

A design proposal is in currently in preparation in conjunction with the Council’s Roads Section for a scheme of tree planting at St. Joseph’s Road. The design proposal seeks to present a solution that addresses the significant constraints placed on tree planting in the area by a proliferation of overground and underground services along with residential access.