Save The Trees in Eyre Square

national | miscellaneous | news report

Monday January 20, 2003 19:29

by Niall O Brolchain - Galway Environmental Alliance

niallob at esatclear dot ie

83 Ros Ard, Cappagh Road, Galway.

091 596680

Campaign to save 90 mature trees in Eyre Square Galway

On Tuesday 14th of January a campaign was officially launched to save 90 mature trees from being chopped down in Eyre Square in the centre of Galway City. Galway Environmental Alliance (GEA) has been waging an ongoing campaign since 1999 to save the 110 mature trees in Eyre Square from being chopped down and replaced by saplings. Only 20 are due to be retained.

On Tuesday 14th of January a campaign was officially launched to save 90 mature trees from being chopped down in Eyre Square in the centre of Galway City.
Galway Environmental Alliance (GEA) has been waging an ongoing campaign since 1999 to save the 110 mature trees in Eyre Square from being chopped down and replaced by saplings. Only 20 are due to be retained.
A number of the trees due to be chopped were planted by former mayors of Galway. The peace tree planted as a symbol of Galway City becoming a ‘nuclear free zone’ is one of the trees under threat.
Many of the existing trees were planted in honour of the late US president John F. Kennedy who gave a speech in Eyre Square in 1963, shortly before his untimely death.
Nearly 1,000 people sent written submissions to the City Council asking to incorporate the existing trees into the Eyre Square enhancement plan. These submissions have been ignored.
Hundreds of people have tied coloured ribbons around the trees in an effort to show their dissatisfaction with the plan.
There is little or no popular support in Galway for chopping down most of the remaining mature trees in the City Centre. In a survey of 500 people carried out by the GEA only 1% of people agreed with the plan to chop the trees down.
The plan was the brainchild of a former City manager and drawn up by a Dublin based consulting firm.
The campaign will continue until the Trees are Saved.

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Comments (8 of 8)

Is there really a need for four separate stories on the same issue?

by MG

Mon Jan 20, 2003 20:27

it took tressa tree and treehugger four posts to excite interest

by jedi sylvania arboreal

Mon Jan 20, 2003 21:41

in a campaign that worked last year.

The Spike may be nearing finishing but the heritage trees still stand on O´Connell street Dublin.

Attentive readers will recall that the trees were protected by an "an taisce" resolution of May bank holiday weekend.
Whilst the youngsters were out battling for freedom of speech and association and the beginning of the wedgey for the blueblock.

Save the TREES of Eyre Square!
if
it
works
do
it
again.

Are the trees doing anyone any harm?

by Yes, I have a name

Mon Jan 20, 2003 22:17

What does the council have against the trees?

all we are left with is a single question

by do you have a number or a few?

Mon Jan 20, 2003 22:48

at which tree do you stop?
tree: noun.
1. biological thing roots branches crown leaf twig.
2. information thing file kernal machine code folder password
3. genetic thing.

save the trees!

A question

by King Mob

Tue Jan 21, 2003 17:24

You haven't explained the councils logic and reasoning behind why they want the trees down....

I mean this isn't captain planet and the council aren't pure evil, what excuse/justification are they giving?

Answer to Question.

by Niall O Brolchain - GEA

Thu Jan 23, 2003 17:45

The purpose of chopping down 90 trees in Eyre Square is part of an overall plan to convert the square into a 'modern European plaza'. (In other words a low maintenance area.)

The consultants who designed the plan claimed that the existing trees are planted in a 'higgledy piggledy fashion'. This does not fit in with their overall design concept for the square.

We are asking the council to amend the design to incorporate the existing trees.

Niall.

Cant the trees be moved around?

by Simon

Sun Jan 26, 2003 14:18

Clare

Niall, If the trees are planted in a higgledy piggledy fashion then why cant they move them around instead of chopping them down ?

Answer.

by Niall O Brolchain

Fri Jan 31, 2003 18:24

Because they are not the right varieties of tree. What the City Council want is unifom trees in uniform lines.

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Save The Trees in Eyre Square

Comments (8 of 8)