4.10.6 Trees and Public Engagement
Dublin City Council has developed a number of measures to engage with the public on city trees over the years.
A series of nine tree trails has been established and developed, these are located at Tolka Valley Park, St Anne’s Park, Poppintree Park, Lansdowne Park, Markievicz Park, Johnstown Park, Bushy Park, Albert College Park and Herbert Park. Each park has a display map on site and a downloadable guide which provides details on the trail and individual trees that are native to Ireland.
This initiative is very much an educational tool, aimed at schools to provide information for students on nature and the environment.
Arboreta
Dublin City is fortunate in having a number of arboreta where space is given to the growth of numerous different species of trees for educational and research value. The National Botanic Gardens holds a substantial tree collection distributed throughout the property within plant family groupings. Trinity College Botanic Garden in Dartry is the current location of this university’s facility that originated in the college’s physic garden of the 1600s. The gardens include an arboretum and function to provide living plant material, controlled growth environments and experimental facilities for the college’s botanical teaching and research.
The Dublin City Council arboretum is located in St Anne’s Park. It was planted in collaboration with the Tree Council of Ireland in 1988 to celebrate Dublin’s millennium. The collection, features over 1,000 trees, which were sponsored by 1,000 people.
The City’s arboreta conserve tree species for research, education and cultural value. They indicate the many tree types that can grow within an urban environment given the right conditions, as well as growing and conserving tree species and varieties that may not be commercially available
National Tree Week
Dublin City Council along with the other Dublin Local Authorities, are active partners in the annual National Tree Week events, which take place in March and are coordinated and promoted by The Tree Council of Ireland. Events such as tree planting ceremonies, forest and woodland walks, nature trails, workshops, woodturning displays and talks are included.