Cork City Council says it lacks funds for ambitious tree planting scheme

Draft proposal to plant one million trees by 2028 — but city only has provision for 2,000 this year

Strong winds in Cork City over the past few years have led to fallen trees. Picture Dan Linehan

Cork City Council doesn't have the money to fund an ambitious proposal to plant one million trees citywide by 2028, councillors have been told.

However, a draft estimate has been set aside in the city’s parks budget to plant around 2,000 trees this year — a significant increase on the planting rate of recent years when just a few hundred trees were being planted annually.

Officials have also said the draft new city development plan will feature significant tree planting and "greening" projects, which will see more trees planted not just in city parks and green spaces, but also in suitable urban locations.

The news came following the most recent meeting of the city council where a motion was proposed calling on the city council to set an ambitious target to plant one million trees by 2028.

The motion was tabled by Cllrs Lorna Bogue, John Sheehan, Oliver Moran, Colette Finn, Dan Boyle.

Tree planting ceremony at the Nano Nagle Centre on Douglas Street last summer. Picture: Brian Lougheed

They said the one million trees target for Cork was inspired by Glasgow’s plan to plant 18m trees over the next decade arising out of its hosting of the Cop26 climate conference.

The number of trees being planted in Glasgow is equivalent to 10 trees per resident.

The urban forest, to be known as the Clyde Climate Forest, will be planted in and around Glasgow over the next decade to create a series of interconnected woodlands and will be part of the city region's commitment to reaching Net Zero.

It will increase woodland cover in the area from 17% to 20%.

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The motion tabled by the five Cork city councillors said setting such an ambitious target here would signal the city’s commitment to climate action.

But in a written response to the motion tabled last year and before council last week, David Joyce, the director of services in the council’s Roads and Environment Operations Directorate, said a one million tree planting target by 2028 would mean the planting of 125,000 trees every year from 2021 to 2028.

Planting one million trees over a period of eight years has major resource implications in terms of land availability, cost of trees, preparation and planting and maintenance of the street trees and woodlands into the future.

“The preparation of a ‘tree strategy’ for the city is currently under way, and it is hoped to have a draft ready at the end of quarter one, 2022 for consideration by members.

“The draft strategy will explore various options for street tree, parkland and woodland planting and the requirements in terms of suitable land, financial resources, and timescale to implement.” 

He did say that there is provision in the 2022 parks draft estimates to plant approximately 2,000 trees this year.

Cork Chamber has also sponsored the planting of 200 trees in various parks and open space areas each year for the next five years.