Last updated: November 2024
The likely impacts of climate change in South Dublin County include an increased risk of flooding, more frequent summer droughts, deteriorating air and water quality, and biodiversity loss (1). To address these climate challenges, the county developed the County Development Plan 2016-2022 as part of the South Dublin Climate Action Plan, aiming to establish a comprehensive legislative and policy framework for green infrastructure (GI) planning (1). The plan outlines various objectives, including creating a coherent, integrated, and adaptable GI network across South Dublin County. One key initiative is the establishment of native mini woodlands throughout the city, designed to form strategic links and integrate the GI Strategy’s objectives into all relevant land-use plans and development across the county (1). The purpose of these mini woodlands is to connect green spaces across the city (minimum size of 100 sq m), sequester carbon, and promote biodiversity in suitable locations, such as built-up areas, low-grade parkland, and other zoned areas deemed appropriate (1). Given the long time required for tree growth, the project employs the Miyawaki method, planting a high density of diverse native species to create mature forests up to ten times faster than traditional plantations (2). These forests are estimated to host 20 to 100 times more biodiversity and absorb carbon up to 40 times more effectively, without the use of chemicals or fertilizers; key factors include ground preparation, planting density, and species diversity (2). In 2022, the project held a planting day for the mini woodlands initiative on Mill Lane, where 1,200 native trees and shrubs were planted with the help of volunteers from local schools, the community, a corporate group, and the Mayor of South Dublin, Councillor Emma Murphy (2).
1,200 native trees and shrubs were planted by the volunteers.
Dublin City Council.
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Grey infrastructure featuring greens
- Alley or street trees and other street vegetation
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change mitigation
- Environmental quality
- Air quality improvement
- Noise reduction
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Habitat and biodiversity restoration
- Habitat and biodiversity conservation
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Social justice and equity
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Environmental Degradation
- Biodiversity loss
- Deforestation and forest degradation
- Soil degradation and loss
Key priorities
Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation), Biodiversity (conservation and/or restoration)
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Creation of green corridors (including connectivity between urban and rural ecosystems), Maintenance and management of urban nature, Urban reforestation, restoration of street trees, Protection of natural ecosystems, Habitat restoration, Habitat conservation, Strategy, plan or policy development, Creation of city-wide or neighborhood climate adaptation or mitigation strategies/programs, Creation of city-wide or neighborhood green and blue infrastrcuture protection or enhancement strategies/plans
Project objectives
The goals of the mini woodlands project on Mill Lane as part of the larger county Green Infrastructure Plan were to:
1. To establish a coherent, integrated and evolving GI Network across South Dublin County with mini woodlands to form strategic links and to integrate and incorporate the objectives of the GI Strategy throughout all relevant land use plans and development in the County (1).
2. To develop linked corridors of small urban ‘Miyawaki’ native mini-woodlands, a minimum of 100 sq m in size, to capture carbon and encourage biodiversity (1).
3. To protect and enhance the biodiversity and ecological value of the existing GI network by protecting where feasible (and mitigating where removal is unavoidable) including woodlands (1).
4. Combat air and noise pollution, soaks up rainwater that may otherwise create flooding, creates a habitat for local wildlife, and to lift morale in the people who see it, calming traffic and lessen urban crime (1).
Implementation activities
To realize the goals of the mini-woodlands on Mill Ln, the planting project involved a variety of activities including:
1. Setting GI targets in the South Dublin Climate Action Plan that involved incorporating woodlands into Council’s Tree Management Strategy (1).
2. Selected the project area consisting of 160 m2 and prepared soil to implement tree plantings at a density of around 5 plants per meter squared to promote growth and biodiversity (2).
3. Hosted a planting day for the implementation of 1,200 native trees and shrubs closely together to promote an underground root network and build a urban forest canopy (2).
Climate-focused activities
Climate change mitigation:
- Increase the availability of green urban space for carbon storage (street tree cover)
Biodiversity conservation or restoration-focused activities
Biodiversity conservation:
- Protect and enhance urban habitats
- Preserve and strengthen existing habitats and ecosystems
- Create new habitats
- Preserve and strengthen habitat connectivity
- Reduce negative impacts and avoid the alteration/damage of ecosystem
- Protect species
- Undertake specific measures to protect native species
- Means for conservation governance
- Biodiversity offsets
Biodiversity restoration:
- Restore native species
- Restore ecological connectivity
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Government-led
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Joint implementation (e.g. tree planting)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
-The project is run by South Dublin County Council's Public Realm department which organizes, funds and leads planting projects across the city (1-2).
-80 Volunteers were involved in the tree planting project including 21 schoolchildren and their teachers from St Lorcan’s Primary School, 20 staff from Ernst & Young a private business, Palmerstown Tidy Towns, a local community group, Dodder Valley Action and Stewarts Care took part (2).
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Yes
(The project was influenced by Ireland's climate action plan (1). )
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(The project is part of South Dublins Climate Action Plan (1). )
Type of enablers
Funds, subsidies or investment for GI/NBS in the city (available for the city or provided by the city)
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
Non-financial contribution
Type of non-financial contribution
- Provision of land
- Provision of labour
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
- Public authorities (e.g. land, utility services)
- Citizens (e.g. volunteering)
- Private sector (businesses, financial institution)
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Enhanced carbon sequestration
- Expected enhanced carbon sequestration
- Environmental quality
- Improved air quality
- Expected improved air quality
- Reduced noise exposure
- Expected reduced noise exposure
- Improved soil quality
- Expected improved soil quality
- Water management and blue areas
- Increased protection against flooding
- Expected increased protection against flooding
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Achieved increased green space area
- Increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales
- Expected increased ecological connectivity across regeneration sites and scales
- Reduced biodiversity loss
- Expected reduced biodiversity loss
- Increased number of species present
- Achieved increased number of species present
- Enhanced support of pollination
- Expected enhanced support of pollination
Economic impacts
- Generation of other type of work opportunities (e.g. voluntary, work for rehabilitation)
- Achieved generation of other type of work opportunities (e.g. voluntary, work for rehabilitation)
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
- Achieved increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Unknown
References
1.
South Dublin City Council (2022). The South Dublin Development Plan . [Source link];
2.
City of South Dublin (n.d.). Mini Woodlands in South Dublin. [Source link];
3.
South Dublin City Council (n.d.). Mini Woodlands. [Source link];
4.
Central Statistics Office (n.d.). Press Statement Census 2022 Results Profile 5 - Diversity, Migration, Ethnicity, Irish Travellers & Religion Dublin. [Source link];
On 23rd November 2022, South Dublin Public Realm staff were joined by volunteers from local schools, community volunteers, a corporate group and Mayor of South Dublin Councillor Emma Murphy to plant rapidly growing mini woodlands at Mill Lane in Palmersto
City Council of South Dublin.
Mini Woodland
https://www.sdcc.ie/en/services/sport-and-recreation/mini-woodlands/
Mini Woodland
https://www.sdcc.ie/en/services/sport-and-recreation/mini-woodlands/
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.