The absence of a tree preservation and replacement policy at the Galway City Council is of great concern and is detrimental to the city’s green enviroment.
That is the opinion of city councillor Catherine Connolly who said the recent decision by the council to cut down four mature beech and chestnut trees at the entrance to Wellpark Grove on the Monivea Road highlighted in a very acute way the absence of a tree preservation and/or replacement policy in the city.
“After a number of meetings and a petition with over 170 signatures this matter was resolved satisfactorily with the planting of three lime and two oak trees. However the absence of a tree policy has surfaced again with the cutting down of mature trees on the University Hospital Galway site and in particular the Inis Aobhinn site on the Costello Road side of the hospital.
Shantalla residents were “horrified” to see two mature trees on the Costello Road side in the process of being cut down on the Tuesday of Christmas week, she says.
“On contacting the city council I was very concerned to learn from the enforcement officer that there was nothing he could do as the land was not owned by the city council. What then emerged was even more worrying in that it was confirmed that the HSE West had recently been granted permission for an inner ring road with a particular condition of that planning permission that all the trees on the hospital site were to be recorded with a view to their preservation and/or replacement.
“However that planning permission had not yet been activated and in the meantime if the HSE West decided to cut down the existing trees there was nothing the city council could do!”
Councillor Connolly says this is an “absolutely extraordinary situation” and highlights the urgent need for a tree policy to be adopted by the city council.
“Without such a policy it is clear that the owners of private property and indeed institutional land in the city can cut down any trees they like. I tabled a motion in this regard last July and received a positive response that suitable specialists would be employed to undertake a full tree survey in the city together with the drafting of long term management plans.
“However as far as I understand this is only in relation to city council property which leaves trees on private property and institutional land unregulated and the preservation of trees thereon utterly dependent on public outrage.”
Councillor Connolly says she tabled a further motion for an update on the situation and also for the adoption by the city council of a tree policy in relation to existing trees on both public and private land.
“I am also awaiting the report of the enforcement officer in relation to the trees cut down.”
