Street Trees- FCC not thinking ahead?

Corsendonk

I live along a tree lined road and over the years I have observed the growth of the trees that FCC have planted to improve the look of the area. Reading FCC "Growing Fingal" we now have 40,000 of these street trees but my question is are FCC wasting our money on this project and costing is more money in the long term?

I remember when they planted them on my road someone pointed out to the council that most of the trees were planted under electricity and telephone lines and this surely would cause problems but the all knowing council reply was not to worry because by the time the trees had reached that height the cables would be buried. Still not the case 20 years later and now the overhead wires are intertwined with tree branches that sway in the slightest wind. Then we have the footpaths cracking and rising due to the growth of roots under the footpath, even in the good times it was hard to get funding for footpath repair and we live in a nation that if you were to trip over your own feet, its someone elses fault. So are the council exposing us to litigation and damaging its own property?

Khannie

Trees are nice though.

Corsendonk

Khannie wrote: »

Trees are nice though.

So are forests, they have 5,000 acres of open space to plant a new forest plus they had to buy a software database to track the 40,000 trees and pay someone to work it.

sdanseo

Roads without verges and trees look unfinished, cheap and neglected in my opinion. Trees give a sense of "finished" and often mean there's a bit more space.

cathy01

I wish they could have planted Appple trees , the tree outside my house is huge,every autum, the ground is covered with leaves and its bloody hard work picking them up, they can be very slippy when wet.I wouldnt say itsblocking my light , but it is HUGE.I hate trees that are so big you cant see anything else.One of my neighbours has a load of trees ,like Christmas trees, they have grown higher than her house and have totally blocked the view from my wondow, there is nothing I can do about it.I did ask for them to be trimmed and was told no.They did cut them back this year, butonly about 3 of them as the branch fell of into a neighbours house , and he has young kids, but the other, emmm about 6 trees are just monsters.

Khannie

Corsendonk wrote: »

So are forests, they have 5,000 acres of open space to plant a new forest

Because that's exactly the same as having trees on your road. :rolleyes: You'd seriously prefer no trees on the street than your current non-ideal situation? Maybe find something that's actually worth giving out about. For the most part the council do a very good job.

Corsendonk

[QUOTE=Khannie;73207711]Because that's exactly the same as having trees on your road. :rolleyes: You'd seriously prefer no trees on the street than your current non-ideal situation? Maybe find something that's actually worth giving out about. For the most part the council do a very good job.[/QUOTE]

Not really, you ever seen much wildlife in trees on your road apart from a dog peeing against it or a cat stuck up on it trying to catch the birds. What's wrong with putting resources into planting a new forest in Fingal were a wide range of flora and fauna can be supported? The last decent(more than a couple of trees in a park) forest planted was when we were still the pink part of the Map. Nothing stopping the council putting seasonal flowers or dwarf rooting stock trees is there on your street not the tall native species suitable for forests that shed leaves and crack paths making it unsafe for the older part of our society.

The Hill Billy

Corsendonk wrote: »

So are the council exposing us to litigation and damaging its own property?

If that's the way you look at it then the same could be said of any local authority worldwide that plants trees in urban spaces. This is not a unique situation to Fingal.

My 2¢ - I like the trees where they are in our towns & villages. Long live the trees!

Corsendonk

Hill Billy wrote: »

If that's the way you look at it then the same could be said of any local authority worldwide that plants trees in urban spaces. This is not a unique situation to Fingal.

My 2¢ - I like the trees where they are in our towns & villages. Long live the trees!

Litigation in Ireland would be more aggresive than the rest of the EU because the courts actually listen to the nonsense down at the Four Goldmines as the lawyers call the Four Courts. So you have to prepare a due diligence defence. A little like the McDonalds coffee cup that has the warning that it may be hot. Sounds stupid but they have to CYA themselves.

Fall over a pavement in Brussells and they would laugh at you in the townhall and tell you to look where you are going next time. Sure your European workmates would say the same about their own countries.

Khannie

Corsendonk wrote: »

Not really, you ever seen much wildlife in trees on your road apart from a dog peeing against it or a cat stuck up on it trying to catch the birds.

I'm not interested in having trees outside my house to promote a big biodiversity drive (though I very much appreciate the birds. We feed them every day). I am interested in having a tree though. It looks nice. I'm glad I don't live on a completely urbanised, treeless street. I think it would be horrible. If you're reading this: Thanks FCC. I appreciate the trees. My tax money put to good use IMO. If the streets have to be repaired because of them, then so be it.

There are lots of old people where I live. I don't hear them giving out about the trees (and yes, I do talk to them).

LeoB

sdeire wrote: »

Roads without verges and trees look unfinished, cheap and neglected in my opinion. Trees give a sense of "finished" and often mean there's a bit more space.

I think there are other ways to make streets look "finished" welcoming without trees. Large shrub pots with a bit of colour look well like hanging baskets. That said I like some of the trees but think we have far to many.

Khannie wrote: »

Because that's exactly the same as having trees on your road. :rolleyes: You'd seriously prefer no trees on the street than your current non-ideal situation? Maybe find something that's actually worth giving out about. For the most part the council do a very good job.

Most of us agree the council do a good job but the point of the thread where we have these trees causing blackouts during stormy weather makes me wonder if they should be cut back because there is not much hope of getting the cables put underground.

Corsendonk wrote: »

I live along a tree lined road and over the years I have observed the growth of the trees that FCC have planted to improve the look of the area. Reading FCC "Growing Fingal" we now have 40,000 of these street trees but my question is are FCC wasting our money on this project and costing is more money in the long term?

the cables would be buried. Still not the case 20 years later and now the overhead wires are intertwined with tree branches that sway in the slightest wind. Then we have the footpaths cracking and rising due to the growth of roots under the footpath, even in the good times it was hard to get funding for footpath repair and we live in a nation that if you were to trip over your own feet, its someone elses fault. So are the council exposing us to litigation and damaging its own property?

Corsendonk wrote: »

So are forests, they have 5,000 acres of open space to plant a new forest plus they had to buy a software database to track the 40,000 trees and pay someone to work it.

40,000 trees would make for a nice young forest and I would be delighted if the council took a few open spaces made them into areas for people to walk, jog or cycle.

The other big issue could be, If a ree causes damage to a house after the council have been notified of the possible danger who will pay-up? You can be rest assured there will be court proceedings

cathy01

I know of one eldearly lady who was so afraid of slipping on the wet leaves that she didnt go outside for days.I ended up ringing the council a few times forher.They could only cut them back at a certain time of the year.God love her, they did it in the end.

Brian?

We just planted a load of trees around our estate* and I think they're a great idea. They really improve the look of the area. More trees I say, MORE!

* well I planted 2 of them across the road from my house, I was in work when the real hard work around the back of the estate was done.

Brian?

LeoB wrote: »

The other big issue could be, If a ree causes damage to a house after the council have been notified of the possible danger who will pay-up? You can be rest assured there will be court proceedings

Ah come on, it's quite clear who pays up: your house insurance. If they want to take Fingal CC to court let them off.

Khannie

LeoB wrote: »

I think there are other ways to make streets look "finished" welcoming without trees. Large shrub pots with a bit of colour look well like hanging baskets. That said I like some of the trees but think we have far to many.

I'd say those shrub pots you see around the city are ching ching.

LeoB wrote: »

Most of us agree the council do a good job but the point of the thread where we have these trees causing blackouts during stormy weather makes me wonder if they should be cut back because there is not much hope of getting the cables put underground.

I'm sure if there was a financial imperative they'd be put underground but like yourself I don't see that happening. I've no problem with cutting them back a bit. Sounds like a perfectly reasonable solution.

LeoB wrote: »

40,000 trees would make for a nice young forest and I would be delighted if the council took a few open spaces made them into areas for people to walk, jog or cycle.

Yep. Me too. More trees! Just not at the expense of trees outside my house.

The Scientician

I like trees, I don't like having to limbo when I'm walking down the street. Granted, I'm tall but in lots of places the trees are kept way too low hanging.

Corsendonk

Amazing how many topics started on boards these days get picked up.

Evening Herald July 23

A DUBLIN councillor to put a bounce in his step by installing rubber footpaths.
Labour's Cian O'Callaghan is urging Fingal to put down the springy pavements beside trees.
The innovative approach would help combat the city-wide problem of roots breaking through concrete surfaces, the councillor believes.

cost
His suggestion has already been used in the US, promoted as being "good for the trees and easier on the knees".
Rubber footpaths around trees are said to last about 14 years -- early three times longer than concrete slabs.
But Fingal County Council is not convinced. In a reply to Mr O'Callaghan, it stated the research does not point to any particular benefits.
"The use of rubber footpaths has been researched previously and discounted as impractical due to high cost and limited use," the local authority said.
"It can only be sourced in small slab form which would still be subject to root upheaval requiring constant maintenance to prevent trip hazards."
The council said it has determined that "more appropriate tree selection for each location" is the best long term solution.
This policy seeks to match "eventual tree size to available rooting area", it explained.
Another question raised by Mr O'Callaghan concerned hanging light standards.
The council said these are usually used as a way of improving light levels by dropping the lamps below the tree canopy.
"This requires high pruning of trees and is best done as the trees develop. For most existing situations would result in trees being so severely pruned as to remove much of their amenity value," the local authority said.

broken
Its tree management policy has been developed over the past five years.
"The public consultation ran through the early part of 2010 and the policy adopted in October 2010. It is intended to make an annual report to the members regarding the policy and any changes considered necessary," the council said.
Broken or uneven footpaths expose local authorities to legal actions if a member of the public is injured by tripping

Cardinal Richelieu

Those street trees are dangereous!!

Fingal Independent March 20th

SOME 28 claims amounting to over €600,000 - an average of €22,250 - arising from trips relating to uprooted trees on footpahts were settled between 2006 and 2010, the local authority has confirmed.

Full Article

Lady_North1

I'm in Hilltown in Rivervalley. Trees severely pruned in the last couple of weeks with five chopped on my road completely. They are beautiful sycamore trees but not sorry to see them go. have about 20 growing in my garden every year that have to be pulled up. Don't want them.... Too big for the area....

CorsendonkX

The cull begins....

http://www.northcountyleader.ie/news/council-removes-trees-without-prior-consultation

No street trees within 5 metres of a street light, if they apply that policy across Fingal, firewood should be cheap this winter.

Stheno

Poor planning leading to this?

periodictable

It's all about the right trees in the right places.
For example, know of copper beech planted on pavement 15 feet from houses-these trees potentially reach 120 feet in height with a spread diameter of up to 100 feet.
The potential for correct tree choice and placement is tremendous, but the people making the decisions don't have the knowledge.

CorsendonkX

I presume some of the estates that FCC take in hand have been planted by the developer. Does anyone know if planning permission in Fingal also covers what cultivars of trees can be planted by the developer on the street? If so, when did that come into effect and does it also take account of the 5m rule?

expectationlost

http://www.herald.ie/news/fury-as-1000-trees-given-council-chop-29595531.html "the tree policy had been on display for months in the council buildings" :rolleyes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HNmIQX_ImgM

Sklarker

Some gurriers snapped 8 young trees in Lusk Village last week....

cathy01

What if the tree is in your garden and the light on the street?
Just wondering?