COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, December 13, 2021

QUESTION NO 30.

QUESTION: Councillor F. Timmons

To ask the Chief Executive would he issue a report how many trees are being planted in SDCC and compare this to how many have been removed by disease or building ? and that this is for the years 2019 , 2020 and 2021

REPLY:

The attached chart outlines the tree maintenance statistics for the last 3 years including tree removal and planting.

	2019	2020	To end Nov 2021
Trees inspected	14518	4884	14102
Trees pruned	3258	3907	6705
Trees removed	990	706	431
Stumps removed	1033	544	281
Trees planted	1914	1541	Commencing Dec

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

The tree has declined beyond the point of recovery and is no longer meeting the functional or aesthetic requirements of a street tree.

Fatally diseased trees (eg. Ash dieback, Fireblight Disease) may be removed before they reach the primary threshold 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.