Cork City Council seeking views from public on new tree strategy

DEVELOPING a tree inventory, planning an annual strategic tree care works programme and piloting the making of additional tree preservation orders are just some of the actions contained in Cork City Council’s Draft Tree Strategy.

The strategy, which has been published for public consultation, sets out 13 internal policies and 33 actions which the local authority intends to carry out over the next five years relating to public tree management, retaining existing trees, and planting new trees.

The report states that, of the total tree canopy in the city, 17% is within the council’s ownership while the remaining 83% is on privately owned or on institutional lands.

“This Tree Strategy will be prepared with a short-term horizon, through [to] 2028, to align with the 2022-2028 City Development Plan.

“While this strategy aims to increase tree canopy cover by 2028, no quantified canopy target will be set at this time, as doing so would be arbitrary.

“Further information on the profile of existing trees must be collected and considered to set an ambitious, yet realistic, target,” the report states.

Strategy actions 

Among the actions set out in the strategy, Cork City Council said it plans to develop a baseline inventory of trees in its ownership.

“Cork City Council currently has limited records in relation to city council-owned trees.

“Similar to human medical records, having details of a tree’s species, health, age, and other factors can help systemically plan for trees’ preventative and proactive care.

“Information such as species and age diversity also provide strategic guidance for new tree planting.

“Developing a tree inventory is a foundational step towards a strategic tree works and planting programme,” the local authority said.

Following on from this, the council will establish a targeted strategic annual tree planting programme which sets out all tree planting that is planned for the coming year, “to ensure that tree planting is as efficient and beneficial as possible”.

Pests and diseases

Identifying and addressing the current and potential pests and diseases impacting existing trees is also among the proposed actions.

“For example, several of the native woodland habitats within Cork are ash woodlands and ash dieback, a disease caused by a fungal pathogen, will likely have a significant impact on in Cork City in coming years. A plan for managing the impact of ash dieback is required,” the council said.

The strategy also states how the council intends to pilot the making of additional tree preservation orders (TPOs) where appropriate.

TPOs can require the tree owner to seek permission from Cork City Council before cutting down or pruning a protected tree.

At present, there are 12 TPOs in the city.

The Draft Tree Strategy can be viewed in full on the consultations section of the council’s website, consult.corkcity.ie. The closing date for receipt of submissions on the draft strategy is Friday, February 16 before midday.

Following this, the council said it will review all submissions “and revise the Draft Tree Strategy as appropriate”.

The Tree Strategy will then be submitted to the elected members of council for consideration, likely in April 2024.