Tree Planting & Greening

Cork City Council is planting 1300 trees in parks and communities across the city throughout 2021.

Lime, oak, ash, beech, birch, rowan, holly, cherry, liquid amber are amongst the species of tree planted.

All-Ireland Pollinator Plan

 In 2019 Cork City Council agreed to :

• support the ethos of the All Ireland Pollinator Plan;
• to consider the plan in policies, plans, and management decisions where possible,
• and to carry out pollinator-friendly actions as outlined in the plan.

 Since then Cork City Council’s Operations (Parks) crews have:

• Planted over 500 native Irish trees in parks and public open spaces in the city. Varieties include Birch, Oak, Holly, Hazel, Bird Cherry, and Maple. At Ballincollig Regional Park, about 200 trees and ornamental shrubs were planted while native Irish trees were planted in Sunvalley Drive-by HSE Health Action Zone and Youth Work Ireland, supported by Cork City Council. Another eight native trees were planted at Glasheen River / School Boys Walk with the support of the local residents association. At this mature one-hectare site, a suburban riverside haven, many of the actions recommended by the National Biodiversity Data Centre are being implemented.
• In 2021, pollinator-friendly plants make up 70% of Cork City Council’s approximate 120,000 summer bedding plants compared to 30% last year. Varieties planted this year include Salvia, Zinnia, Dahlia, Rudbeckia, and Cosmos
• Placed about 100 tiered planters containing pollinator-friendly flowers ( Bidens, Verbena and Calibrachoa) across the city.
• Parks crews manage wildflower meadows at Curraheen Walk, Lee Fields, Gerry O’Sullivan Park in Gurranabraher, Glen River Park, Clashduv Park in Togher and School Boys Walk-in Glasheen and Beaumont Park in Blackrock.
• This year, an additional 4,500 perennial plants are being planted at new locations such as Victoria Road Roundabout, Shalom Park, Kennedy Park, Grattan Street, Patrick’s Quay, Mardyke Walk and Mahon Golfcourse.
• In 2020, Cork City Council's Parks Department planted herbaceous perennial schemes at Well Road Roundabout, Tramore Valley Park, Landsdowne Court, Old Youghal Road and Mick Barry Road / South Link Road.
• Up to 2,000 Seed Bombs have been distributed by Cork City Council following requests from schools and local residents groups like Mount Mercy College , Community Garden Shalom Park, St Columbas NS Douglas, Magazine Road Residents Association, Deer Park Residents Association and Palmbury Orchards Residents Association. Seed bombs were also planted at Fitzgerald’s Park in the city centre.
• Shalom Park Bug Hotel was funded by Gas Works Ireland and installed in 2018. Fitzgerald’s Park has natural log bug hotels installed within the woodland behind the bandstand. Cork City Council is working with Bishoptown Tidy Towns to install a bug hotel and also at Pophams Road with Cllr Kenneth Collins.

Planting pollinators (salvia) in Tramore Valley Park