COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Tuesday, May 07, 2019

QUESTION NO. 19

QUESTION: Councillor F. Timmons

To ask the Chief Executive for a report into the planting of new trees this year in SDCC and to say how many by LEA and to outline the importance of trees in our fight against climate change?

REPLY:

Trees make a major contribution to the character and appearance of South Dublin County. They provide significant economic, social, environmental, ecological and aesthetic benefits to communities and to urban and residential streets, parks and open spaces. They also enhance biodiversity and play a crucial role in mitigating climate change. Tree planting is listed as one of the nature-based solutions which is critical in climate change adaptation and agreed as part of South Dublin County Council’s Draft Action Plan 2019-2024

Areas targeted for new tree planting are those where trees have been removed or where there is an identified need to increase the overall tree cover. Requests from Council members and local residents for new trees in their streets or areas have also been taken into consideration within the planting programme and have been prioritised according to the number of trees already on the street, including those in front gardens and on adjacent land.

The principle of planting the ‘right tree in the right place’ will apply for all new and replacement tree planting. Trees are selected for their appropriateness of scale and proportion to their surroundings and the aesthetic contribution they make to that environment. 

Potential sites for tree planting have been inspected to assess their suitability for new trees, considering factors such as services, sight lines, warning signs and traffic signals, distance from public lighting columns, space for future crown and root growth, etc.

The tree planting programme 2018-19 is available on the Council’s website and was presented to the Area committees. Details given below show tree planting which has been carried out to date in 2019.  Further planting will take place in the autumn/winter of 2019 and tendering of these works will take place in due course.  The elected members will be presented with the details of that tree planting programme when available and this is expected to be in September/October 2019.

Tallaght      150

Clondalkin Rathcoole    274

Lucan Palmerstown       222

Rathfarnham Templeogue Terenure 292