COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, October 14, 2019

QUESTION NO. 23

QUESTION: Councillor E. O'Brien

To ask the Chief Executive to outline the number of trees felled in the County by this Local Authority in the last 12 months and to detail the numbers felled per local electoral area

REPLY:

The Council's Tree Management Plan - Living with Trees - outlines the Council’s position regarding the ongoing maintenance, renewal and management of trees.

Trees are removed only when necessary as a last resort. The criteria for tree removal are:

tree is dead, dying or is considered hazardous due to its poor structural or biological condition,. Hazardous conditions may exist above and/or below ground and may include significant root, trunk or crown decay, split trunks and crotches, and large dead limbs.

The tree has declined beyond the point of recovery and is no longer meeting the functional or aesthetic requirements of a street tree. Typically, a tree with 30 percent or less of its foliage remaining would meet this criterion.

Fatally diseased trees (eg. Ash dieback, Fireblight Disease) may be removed before they reach the primary threshold in order to prevent the spread of disease to healthy trees.

To allow space for development of nearby trees that may be more desirable for retention

To allow space for new planting

To make way for any approved engineering or building works when unavoidable construction work will immediately compromise the stability or viability of the tree.

Tree proven to be causing significant structural damage that cannot be reasonably addressed by an alternative solution and proactive tree management has had no mitigating effect.

To abate actionable nuisance

The trunk of the tree is within 2m of a public lighting column and the long-term viability of the tree if retained in its location would be compromised by a requirement for ongoing maintenance in order to maintain the effectiveness of the adjoining street light.

The number of trees pruned, removed and planted in 2019 to the end September 2019 are listed below.

 

Tree pruned

Trees removed

Trees planted

2019 to end Sept

2198

664

1639

The breakdown of the removals is recorded per Area Committee geographic area.

Clondalkin                                                                   138

Lucan Palmerstown                                                      214

Tallaght                                                                      188

Rathfarnham, Templeogue, Terenure                             124