COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM/TEMPLEOGUE-TERENURE AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, June 12, 2018

MOTION NO. 4

MOTION: Councillor P. Foley

"That the Chief Executive advise if the tree stumps in the Greenhills areas of St. Patrick’s Rd, St Conleth's Rd, St Joseph's Rd, St Gerard's Rd, St James' Rd, St Malachy’s Rd, St. Brendan’s Crescent and St. Anthony’s Crescent could be removed and if the same area could be considered for the Tree Planting Programme."

REPORT:

"When a street tree is felled by the Council, it is not always possible to remove the stump immediately.  Under these circumstances a short tree stump is left as a temporary measure. The stump is usually left at around 1m high so that it does not constitute a trip hazard in the intervening period. Tree stump removal is normally undertaken during the winter months between November and February when staff who are engaged in grass cutting operations over the growing season are reassigned to this task. It may also be done once there are a sufficient number within a location for their removal to be economical, subject to staffing commitments to other Public Realm seasonal operations of the time.

In regard to tree stumps in the Greenhills areas of St. Patrick’s Rd, St Conleth's Rd, St Joseph's Rd, St Gerard's Rd, St James' Rd, St Malachy’s Rd, St. Brendan’s Crescent and St. Anthony’s Crescent, these locations are being listed on the tree stump removals programme for completion of all tree stump removals as soon as practically possible when the programme resumes in the autumn.

These locations will also be surveyed to identify suitable locations for new or replacement tree planting and any currently suitable sites will be listed for planting as part of the winter 2018/spring 2019 tree planting programme. However, where a tree and stump has been recently removed, sufficient time needs to elapse to allow breakdown of residual underground root material to provide the root space for establishment of a new tree and the process from removal to replanting may take up to 3-5 years.  In accordance with the Council’s Tree Management Policy 2015-2020 ‘Living With Trees’, the aim is that every tree felled should be replaced to ensure that over the years, the County retains its tree stock for future generations.  While it is not always practical or prudent to replace a tree with the same species that was previously planted or in the same location due to the presence of underground services or other limiting factors, the Council endeavours to plant replacement trees in the nearest available and most suitable location to where a tree has been removed."