29 January 2020
By Mary Bermingham
mary@TheCork.ie
The Green Party in Cork has said the results of a survey of residents on the northside of the city show that people support biodiversity and trees in community.
Politics – News from the Green Party in Cork
In September, Cork City Council removed vegetation from the green area at Sarsfield’s Terrace, near Bells’ Field, with a view to replanting the area in Spring. Green Party candidate for Cork North Central, Councillor Oliver Moran, surveyed the terrace of 44 houses to ask residents how they would like the area replanted.
When asked what was most important for the new planted area, “biodiversity friendly” scored 30 among residents, compared to 24 for “neat and tidy” and 22 for “that residents can keep their own plants”. The top three things that residents asked to be planted in the area were trees, shrubbery, and flowers. Grass and open space scored lowest.
Cllr. Moran said the results showed demand for a trees and biodiversity-friendly policy in the city:
“The results were a surprise, even for me. It shows that communities will demand a biodiversity-friendly and tree-friendly city when asked. I’ve now forwarded the results of the survey to the Parks Department, who have said they will take it into consideration when replanting the area.
“There are also residents who have specific concerns over light and the maintenance of trees. These residents will need to be listened to, and I’ve included their comments in the report. But this is evidence that everyday people in Cork want high-quality nature and biodiversity where they live in the city centre.”
