COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM/TEMPLEOGUE/FIRHOUSE/BOHERNABREENA AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, October 08, 2019

MOTION NO. 1

MOTION: Councillor Carly Bailey

That this Area Committee calls on the Chief Executive to make improvement works at the Cherryfield and Beechfield and Cromwellsforth Road areas in Walkinstown relating to tree maintenance works. Many of the roadsides have had trees removed with very tall, unsightly stumps left behind, with some blocking private residents entrances. On other roads, the stumps were taken but the verge has been left in an awful state and no trees replanted. On the Cromwellsforth Road, trees were removed and not replaced which has left the area looking much less cared for than the Dublin City Council side of the road and has encouraged illegal parking.

 

REPORT:

Tree maintenance works have taken place in the Cherryfield and Beechfield areas in 2018 as part of the Council's Tree Management Policy - Living with Trees -  proactive, cyclical programme of tree maintenance. A full survey of all trees in the area was carried out to inform the scheduling of tree pruning and removal works. In order to reduce the numbers of tree removals, it was agreed to trial a different type of pruning called pollarding. Pollarding reduces the size of branches while maintaining the height of the main stem and restricting the overall size of the tree. The pollarded trees will continue to be monitored.

With regard to replanting, if a site where a tree was removed is suitable to support a new tree, the site may be replanted with a suitable tree species. Because the stump has to be placed on a stump removal list and sufficient time needs to elapse to allow breakdown of residual underground root material, the process from removal to replanting may take up to 3-5 years. Replacement tree planting will only take place during the dormant season. The 2019/2020 Tree planting prgramme will be presented to the November meeting.

There are streets where there are particular difficulties from a tree planting perspective including narrow margins, replacement of grass margins with hard surfaces, widening of residential driveways, on-street resident car parking, traffic, overhead wires and underground utility cables located within narrow grass and roadside margins. This is the case in Cromwellsfort Road.

A tree planting scheme for St Joseph’s Road has been included in Public Realm Improvement Works Programme. This will involve the preparation of a tender for the overall design and construction of tree planting pits along the road and the planting of trees there in a manner that deals with the significant adverse challenges in the area.

In the meantime, residents should contact Gardai regarding illegal parking and the obstruction of pathways.