Up to 2,000 people sign petition to save Clonmel town centre trees

Almost 2,000 people have signed a petition calling for Clonmel’s town centre trees to be saved.
Local authority plans to remove the trees and replace them with smaller, ornamental trees as part of a public realm enhancement project has met with fierce resistance.
The following is a statement issued by the environmental group SuirCan.
“Firstly a big ‘Thank You’ to all those people who have taken the trouble to support the campaign to save the trees. We have been overwhelmed by the size and strength of the public reaction to Tipperary County Council’s decision to cut down all the town centre trees and to replace them with smaller ornamental species as part of the new Urban Design Plan for Clonmel. The decision to remove the trees without an expert assessment of whether they can be saved is clearly mistaken. In the light of mounting evidence about catastrophic climate breakdown it is more important than ever to value our existing stock of trees particularly when they provide so many benefits to the people of the town - shade, shelter, water soakage, CO2 and pollutant removal and beauty. The online petition to save the trees is heading for two thousand signatures which is an amazing response. Many of you have also written to the Director of Services Sinead Carr requesting a rethink.
“Meanwhile, a dedicated committee, Crannach Clonmel has formed comprising members of the business community, SuirCan Environmental and others. The committee is seeking a meeting with Tipperary County Council in the near future and has the following requests:
“A review of the town centre trees to be carried out by an external tree expert to assess their health and their contribution to the town and how many of them can be successfully retained in the new Public Realm Plan.
“Tipperary County Council to adopt a Tree Strategy as laid out in our county’s own Climate Adaptation Strategy 2019-2024
“Tipperary County Council to employ a Biodiversity Officer to, amongst other things, help the council make planning decisions which conform to the challenges posed by catastrophic climate and biodiversity breakdown.
“Crannach Clonmel and SuirCan recognize the good work and good will of our county council officials and councillors who work so hard for the betterment of the town. We are now asking them to come on board with public opinion and with the stark new realities of climate and biodiversity breakdown which need to inform all future decisions, including the future of our precious town trees.
Petition address:
https://www.change.org/
p/tipperary-county-
council
-save-clonmel-s-trees-
c3fd852-28a2-45e5-9c19-
e0899bcdaf51
“Applefest Clonmel in association with SuirCan has invited Professor Gerald Mills from UCD to give a talk under the Main Guard on Friday, September 24 at 7pm on, “The benefits of urban trees”. Tickets will be available via Eventbrite and details will appear shortly on the Applefest Clonmel website.