Dodder Park vandalism: mini woodland to be planted in south Dublin park to replace damaged trees

Outcry as cherry blossom trees chopped down in South Dublin park

Maeve McTaggart

A new “mini woodland” will be planted in Dodder Park in south Dublin where dozens of trees were cut down in an act of vandalism last month.

More than 20 cherry trees that were in full blossom were sawn through and pushed over at the end of April in what South Dublin County Council described as a “deliberate act of vandalism”.

Many beech and spruce saplings were snapped in two.

The park runs from Firhouse to Knocklyon. South Dublin County Council had said the total cost of the damage was around €33,000.

Cherry blossom trees that were vandalised in Dodder Valley Park in south Dublin last month. Photo: Mark Condren

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A number of community groups and the local council will now work to plant a mini woodland in the park that runs along the River Dodder.

“For every one tree vandalised in the recent attack in Dodder Valley Park, 40 mini trees will be planted as part of this mini woodland,” a spokesperson for South Dublin County Council said.

Both the local community and public representatives had condemned the incident at the beauty spot popular with walkers and young families.

Volunteers will come together later this month with Cllr Alan Edge, the mayor of South Dublin County Council, for the “first step” in the project.

Cardboard and mulch will first be added to the ground before over 3,000 mini woodland trees will be planted this autumn.

The area chosen is along the M50, with dense native woodland helping to “strengthen the ecological corridors present, but also greatly assist in combating climate change and dust particles from the motorway”, the council said.

"Mini woodlands are small, dense, rapid-growing plantations of entirely native species in an urban setting. They are sometimes referred to as Stepping Stone forests as they allow wildlife to move from one woodland to the next woodland encouraging genetic diversity as well as providing a natural refuge in urban and parkland areas.”

The event will take place from 10am until 1am on May 31 and June 1 and will be attended by The Stepping Stone Forest Group, Dodder Action, Cherryfield Dog Walkers, Dodder Valley Cycling, Tallaght Rugby Club, Tallaght Litter Mugs, Knocklyon Network and other groups and park users.

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