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Part of the line of poplar trees on the Dan Spring Road.
KERRY County Council are to fell a line of trees on the Dan Spring Road and replace them with a more suitable type.
The Council employed an arborist to assess the line of poplar trees along the side of the road by the Tralee Harriers grounds.
The trees have suffered damage in recent storms and there are health and safety concerns for pedestrians and road users.
The recommendation was that the trees had reached their ‘end of life’, were not a suitable type of tree for that location and it would be appropriate to fell them.
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The Council then sought a second opinion from another arborist who concurred with the recommendation that they had reached their end of useful life in an urban environment.
The plan now is to fell the trees and replace them with a type of tree which will have an imposing presence. The new trees will be five to seven metres in height when planted.
Cllr Sam Locke, who brought up health and safety issues about the trees last year, said the trees in their current state are a danger to road users and the new trees will enhance the area over the coming years. He said the decision was taken after taking advice from recognised experts.
Speaking on Monday, during the online meeting of Tralee Municipal District, Mayor of Tralee Terry O’Brien said it was important the the message went out that the Council is not chopping trees for the sake of it, but for health and safety reasons.
