COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
Monday, January 15, 2024
QUESTION NO.8
QUESTION: Councillor E. Ó Broin
To ask the Chief Executive what progress has been made towards identifying and screening locations for mini-woodlands as agreed under Motion 6 from the March 2023 council meeting?
REPLY:
The Council's Public Realm Section has mapped the entire Green Infrastructure of the county, this is a key objective of the Green Infrastructure Strategy and County Development Plan. This mapping exercise has identified areas where green infrastructure is fragmented and in need of further connectivity. Through this extensive exercise, the Council has identified locations where mini woodlands could be planted to link existing green infrastructure together. Mini Woodlands are small, dense, rapid-growing plantations of entirely native species in an urban setting which assist wildlife in moving from one area to another, encouraging genetic diversity as well as providing a natural refuge in urban areas. Using native species mini woodlands are designed to mimic a natural habitat with a canopy tree layer, a sub tree layer, a shrub layer, and a ground layer. To date, the Council has planted mini woodlands in Greenhills Park, Mill Lane and Sean Walsh Park. The ground preparation for a fourth site has taken place in Dodder Valley Park and planting is expected to be completed by Spring 2024.
The proposed tree planting programme for 2023/'24 was presented to the area committees at the November and December meetings and this programme contains a total of eleven proposed mini woodland sites in addition to those listed above. The sites included in the tree planting programme are contained in the table below complete with information regarding the current status of each site, 3 of the sites have been selected and screened and work is underway to select and screen the remaining 8 locations. It is hoped that it will be possible to involve interested community groups in the planting of each of these sites.
| No | Location | Site selection status | Screening status |
| 1 | Dodder Valley Park/Mount Carmel | Site selected | Screening exercise completed |
| 2 | Ballycragh Park | Site selected | Screening exercise completed |
| 3 | Firhouse/Carrigwood open space | Site selected | Screening exercise completed |
| 4 | Tymon Park (1) | Not yet selected | Not screened |
| 5 | Tymon Park (2) | Not yet selected | Not screened |
| 6 | Dodder Valley Park (2) | Not yet selected | Not screened |
| 7 | Corkagh Park (1) | Not yet selected | Not screened |
| 8 | Corkagh Park (2) | Not yet selected | Not screened |
| 9 | Griffeen Valley Park (1) | Not yet selected | Not screened |
| 10 | Griffeen Valley Park (2) | Not yet selected | Not screened |
| 11 | Waterstown Park | Not yet selected | Not screened, |