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Local Authority Street Tree Management

Innovative services helping county and town councils manage their public tree resource

Local Authority Street Tree Management

Street trees are a vital public resource. We offer innovative services to help County and Town councils in Ireland better manage their trees.

1. Tree Strategy & Policy Advice.

For authorities who have the staff and resources, a tree strategy is the key to better, proactive, and cost-effective management of their public trees. Expert advice at the initial stage of developing a strategy, and in drafting development plan policies, can mean the difference between success and failure, particularly for those councils without parks/landscape superindendents with arboricultural training.  

2. Surveying.

Many councils in Ireland do not yet have tree management strategies, nor do they have data even on their own tree stock. We offer an estate/area survey service for council street trees. These are often instigated because of complaints from residents or local councillors regarding hazards or nuisance from street trees. In order to minimise the cost to public expenditure these are relatively quick surveys which catalogue the existing street population in an estate or area and record those trees requiring moderate or high priority (urgent) works, principally for public safety issues. We title them 'Street Tree Survey: Priority Works Report' as they are specifically aimed at providing the local authority with an independent expert report on the tree works that are genuinely and urgently needed (including removal and re-planting), whilst recognising that street trees are a public resource and cannot be (inappropriately) pruned or removed ad hoc because of minor nuisance to certain individual vocal residents or their representatives. 

3. Monetary Valuation of Trees

We offer specific expertise in valuation methods, including the Helliwell system and CAVAT, and in future will offer whole borough valuation using i-tree. More than ever it is crucial that local authorities know the real economic value of their tree resource in order to justify and budget for its informed management.

Published On: 15/06/2011