COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, July 13, 2020

QUESTION NO. 11

QUESTION: Councillor Eoin Ó Broin

Does SDCC have grass cutting equipment to allow cut grass to be collected and thus removed from grassed areas under the maintenance of Public Realm, in order to allow long-term depletion of Nitrogen stocks in the soil so as to allow a proliferation of non-grass species e.g. wildflowers? If not, how can SDCC have a biodiversity action plan if it is unimplementable due to the lack of relevant machinery?

REPLY:

South Dublin County Council is a signatory to the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan, which contains many actions that support pollinators. South Dublin County Council has implemented projects and initiatives of varying types in support of biodiversity, many of these actions are in partnership with community groups, local resident associations and Tidy Towns Groups, with the support and encouragement of elected members and Council Staff. Some of these projects are detailed further below. These projects are supported by South Dublin County Councils policies and plans that incorporate biodiversity and pollinator supporting criteria. SDCC's County Development Plan has policies and objectives which outline the Council’s commitment to biodiversity; in particular Chapter 8, Green Infrastructure, and Chapter 9, Heritage, Conservation, and Landscapes are particularly relevant. The Council also included actions from the National Pollinator Plan within the adopted Climate Change Action Plan; (please see actions listed under 'nature based solutions'). The Council’s Heritage Plan also supports biodiversity and the Councils Tree Management Policy 'Living with Trees' puts the management of trees within a structure that supports the retention and expansion of the Councils tree canopy as well as encouraging the planting of native tree species. A Biodiversity Action Plan will also be completed later this year.

The main action undertaken by the Council that benefits pollinators involves a restructuring of mowing patterns and timings. This reduced frequency of grass cutting allows wildflowers to flower and set seed, providing additional opportunities for pollinating insects which are currently challenged by habitat loss and chemical usage. South Dublin County Council have audited some of these wildflower meadows with insect surveys and they display a wide variety of insect life, in some cases quite rare species have been discovered (reference Tymon Park). In order to create the wildflower meadows; altered mowing regimes have been in place in a number of the Council’s larger parks for the benefit of pollinators and biodiversity for a number of years; commencing with 13 separate areas in Tymon Park totalling 18 ha and 3 areas along the Dodder Valley Park totalling 5 ha as well as significant area in Waterstown Park. These areas were chosen for their particular soil types, the nature of their botanical composition, and their contribution to the amenity enjoyment of these parks. In 2019 these areas of wild flower meadowland were increased to 90 hectares; at various locations within our parks across the county and this is maintained for 2020.

This has proven to be a popular and highly successful action; with orchids in the thousands being counted. The use of the 'Managed for Biodiversity' signs assisted with spreading the message and the results have in general been positive. Most residents supported the initiative and requests were received that other areas also be looked at for similar reduced mowing for 2020 with much positive comment and feedback being received from members of the public.

It is intended to carry out ecological surveys in 2020 / 2021 in these meadows and evaluate our success to date in terms of supporting insects and wildlife. This will allow us to also evaluate other locations for this reduced mowing approach. These wildflower meadows are highly important for pollinators as a lot of the meadowland species are native or naturalised and support local pollinators. The lower intensity cutting can reduce costs (and emissions) associated with more frequent maintenance, however there is still a financial outlay required to cut, gather and remove the very long grass after it is cut. There are 2 categories of cutting for pollinators:

a) once-cut-a-year for large meadows

b) areas which need to be maintained but where every second normal cut can be missed out (i.e. cutting once every 4 or 5 weeks) in order to facilitate the flowering of low-growing pollinator plants like clovers and birds-foot trefoil.

In the case of the first-mentioned regime; the cut can leave the arisings or gather them. Gathering them is the preferred option where the object is to reduce soil fertility. However this may not always be required and sites are assessed on a case-by-case basis. This process does require specialised machinery and the Council has engaged a contractor to carry out the operation in 2020. In the case of the second-mentioned practice the council has sufficient machinery.