Re. Submission on the Draft Dublin City Biodiversity Action Plan

Dear Madam/Sir,

I welcome the opportunity to make my views known on the Draft Dublin City Biodiversity Action Plan. I request that you incorporate the following into your biodiversity strategy.

1. Reduce the use of pesticides and biocides in day-to-day operations of the Local Authority. Use vinegar, manual weed removal and heat to control weeds where needed.
2. Put in place new guidance for tree pits and move away from placing tarmacadam right up to the trunk, but instead put in place a decent-sized area of soil and native plants measuring around 4m by 1m. This would act absorb storm-water run-off and foster biodiversity.
3. Prioritise the planting of native trees and plants throughout the city rather than imported species. Perhaps naïve fruit and nut trees could replace palm and olive trees in high-profile planters in the centre city.
4. Significantly increase the amount of street trees in areas that are deficient in street planting. Streets such as King’s Inn Street, and East Road in East Wall come to mind.
5. Where there are large, paved areas in the public realm consider replacing 20%-40% of such spaces with mixed grasses and other planting, surrounded by wooden fencing where needed.  
6. In general, reduce the amount of grassland that is mown within an inch of its life by allowing for longer periods between mowing, and leaving sections of grass as wildflower meadow
7. Public realm safety measures in the public realm in response to the COVID pandemic have been characterised by significant use of plastic bollards. Consider replacing such bollards with attractive hedges that would support greater biodiversity.
8. Provide greater protection for older trees by instigating a program of new Tree Protection Orders. It seems almost none have been initiated by the Council in recent decades.
9. Provide for wilderness areas in parks to allow for greater biodiversity and introduce children to nature.
10. Provide more small pocket parks and parklets to increase biodiversity, and ensure no parent and child need to cross busy streets to find a patch of grass and a tree in the area near their home.

I wish you well in your work and look forward to the publication of the Dublin City Biodiversity Action Plan.

Sincerely,

Ciarán Cuffe

MEP for Dublin

A link to the submission can be found here.