Category Archives: Biodiversity

13 Apr 2020

Eastery Updates

Hope you all had a nice weekend, as nice as possible anyway. Chocolate always makes things better we find, so hopefully you all got an egg or two to munch on.

Local Books
One of our members has let us know that he is very happy to loan and deliver books to anyone who is cocooned and short of reading material. Email us and we will put you in touch. He has thousands of books (Enid Blyton’s Famous Five to James Joyce’s Finnegans Wake) and will probably be able to find something of interest for you. In good weather he will leave a box of books at his gate from which people can borrow. We’d like to thank him for this very generous offer. A great service.

Easter Decoration Competition – Photos
We had a great response to our Easter Decoration competition, and the bunny judges were out on Saturday delivering the Easter egg prizes. We’ve put some photos of the beautifully decorated houses up on the website.

Other Photos
We’ve also put some other recent random photos from around the area up on the website too. Sure why not.

Banking Freephone Numbers
Banking freephone numbers have been set up for people cocooning. (Information taken from this Irish Times article.)
AIB: 1800 207 232
Bank of Ireland: 1800 946 146
KBC Bank: 1800 804 472
Permanent TSB: 1800 218 000
Ulster Bank Ireland: 1800 656 00

Planning
There is no sign of the IGB secondary school planning application drawings/details up on the DLR Planning website yet. According to the DLR website, the external scanning company they use is closed. The new emergency legislation means that the clock has been effectively stopped on the time period available to lodge an observation until April 21st. So that means there should be just under 5 weeks from that date to make an observation if you wish. Well unless things change again. More information regarding the changes to planning etc. can be found here.

DLR Biodiversity
DLRCoCo posted some biodiversity ideas and activities to do at home or in self isolation. The bird guide could be useful, and the mammal tunnel is an interesting idea. Although be prepared for what you might discover…
More here.

DLR Community Call Freephone Number
The DLR Community Call helpline now has a freephone number. 1800 804 535 or 01 271 3199. Both lines open from 8am – 8pm You can also email covidsupport@dlrcoco.ie
Please note: These numbers/email is not for ordinary Council services.

New Trees
You may have noticed some new trees in verges around the area. It looks like PJ from the Council was busy a few weeks ago putting in some new trees for us. (PJ sometimes works in mysterious ways, but we won’t hear a word against him.) If these new trees are outside your house (or the house of neighbours who might be cocooning), can you ensure they get regularly watered over the coming few months? If there’s a dry patch, they won’t survive.

07 Nov 2019

Spring Bulbs

You may have noticed the Tidy Districts’ Team out planting bulbs over the last few weeks. These amazing ladies are planting over 50kg (i.e. a serious amount of bulbs) around our area. There is going to be a riot of colour here come the Spring time. Daffodils, tulips, crocuses, snowdrops etc. etc.

12 Sep 2019

Runners Up – Tidy Districts Competition 2019

We were awarded Runners Up in this year’s Tidy Districts Competition! Well done to our fantastic Tidy Districts’ Team, and to everyone who came out and helped during the year. We’ve won a prize for 3 out of the last 4 years. Not bad, not bad at all.

Winners and Runners Up 2019

You can read more about it on the DLR website. While the competition is primarily an anti-litter and anti-graffiti competition, it has evolved over the years and now considers biodiversity, ecological projects and community engagement. This year, a new climate change category was added. This category seeks to encourage and reward positive climate action. So if anyone has any ideas please let us know.

12 Mar 2019

Slow to Mow

The more observant of you would have noticed the “Nature Wildlife Area, Do Not Cut or Spray” notices that were put up on the grassed area on Goatstown Road, opposite Trimbleston, last year. Well the Council’s plan is to reduce grass cutting in this area (and other areas in DLR County) to just twice per year. To allow wild plants and flowers to grow, which should optimise conditions for pollinators.

Well it seems a mistake was made and the grass was just recently cut! Despite them not supposed to be cutting it until June!

The Council recently sent some further information about this initiative. You can read their leaflet here. You can also find more information on the DLRCoCo website:
www.dlrcoco.ie/en/heritage/biodiversity/nature-wildlife-areas

11 Mar 2019

Want to be a Master Composter?

Do any of these match your ambitions?

< Make a difference in your community
< Help your Tidy Town’s programme
< Protect our environment
< Meet like-minded people
< Save money and have fun

If so, you’re in luck! DLRCoCo are running a Master Composter course. It is free, and will answer any questions you ever had about composting but were afraid to ask.

You can find out all you need to know here, in this leaflet. Please let us know if you decide to go by emailing us at roebuckresidents@gmail.com.

04 Feb 2019

Daffs and New Trees

You may have noticed the little signs around the area asking people not to cut the grass because daffodils have been planted. The Tidy Districts Team planted hundreds of bulbs around the area before Christmas. We’re hoping for a glorious display over the coming weeks. Thanks again to this very small group for the amazing work they do in our area. If anyone would like to help them out by offering a bit of time every now and then, they’d be delighted. A nice area benefits us all afterall.

You may have also noticed the Council has been active recently removing some of the less attractive trees from the verges. Trees that are well past their prime. We have been in discussions for a while now with the Parks Department regarding improving the amount, and the condition, of the trees in the area. More trees have been planted this season, and will continue to be planted over the coming few years.

18 Nov 2018

Winter Planting

The Tidy Districts’ Team has been hard at work around the area. Some lovely plants for the winter months and also plenty of bulbs for a beautiful Spring display. Bee-friendly lavender planted at the Larchfield Road/Goatstown Road junction, with some grasses to follow. Winter bedding on the Green, and 200 daffodils will be ‘fluttering and dancing in the breeze’ in a surprise location within a few short months.

26 Jul 2018

Nature Wildlife Area – Goatstown Road

The eagle-eyed among you may have spotted this sign on the grassed area on Goatstown Road, beside the turn onto Larchfield Road. Opposite Trimbleston. DLRCoCo are trialing “Nature Wildlife Areas” around the area. You can read more about it here: www.dlrcoco.ie/en/heritage/biodiversity/Nature-Wildlife-areas

This means they will be cutting the grass approximately twice a year in order to encourage pollinators. This initiative goes along with their recent decision to stop using pesticides  in order to create a more nature-friendly environment in our county.
www.dlrcoco.ie/en/news/general-news-public-notices/development-integrated-weed-control-plan-may-2018

05 Jul 2018

Tidy Districts Judgement Day + Weeds Info from DLR

Tidy Districts Judgement Day
The judging period for Tidy Districts has just begun. Will we make it three years in a row? The stress of it all. All residents are asked to put in a special effort, please tidy up your verges, and your neighbour’s if they’re not able to/away/too lazy!

18 bags of weeds and edgings were collected at our last tidy-up evening. The (very small) Tidy Districts team is putting in superhuman effort to get our area into shape. All help is much appreciated.

And please don’t forget the poor trees! The new ones, from this year and last year, will be really suffering in this heat. The odd bucket of water would be much appreciated. Washing up water etc. is perfectly fine.

Weeds Info from DLR
We got some information regarding weeds from the Environmental Awareness section of DLRCoCo.

“Grass won’t grow significantly under extreme drought conditions. If you’re going to cut your grass it’s recommended you cut it on the highest possible setting.

The Council is no longer spraying weeds, see here. If weeds are an issue in your area you can report them to info@dlrcoco.ie Please take a picture of the weeds, if they meet certain predefined criteria a crew will be sent to physically weed the area. This is an extremely positive step for our wildlife and is fully endorsed by the Environment Awareness Section.”