Waterford and Kilkenny have never saved the timber when clashing on the hurling field and their respective City and County Councils have long been at loggerheads over the issue of a city boundary extension. But they have now set tradition aside to embark together on a tree protection programme in Ferrybank.
The cooperation was welcomed by City Council members as they agreed on Monday night last to make a Tree Preservation Order covering an area at Christendom.
John Andrews, the Council’s Planning, Culture and Human Resources Director, told the meeting that notice of intention to make the order was published last January. Kilkenny was proposing to make a similar order for adjoining woodlands and the matter was due before their meeting next Monday.
He said the purpose of a TPO, for which local residents had indicated support, was to protect trees of special amenity value and to prohibit their destruction except with the consent of the planning authority. The Council is now to agree a detailed management scheme for the woodland in question. Cllr. John Halligan queried whether existing sanctions were sufficient to deter breaches of such orders. He submitted that current legislation was inadequate for the purpose.
Cllr. Davy Walsh welcomed Kilkenny’s cooperation in the matter while Cllr. Mary Roche mentioned that it was the first such order in the city and felt it might be appropriate to introduce others to protect trees in the grounds of Waterford Regional Hospital and at Goff’s Wood off Maypark Lane.
