Tralee Municipal District has changed the way it manages parks and open spaces to be more environmentally sensitive.
It's altered a number of work practices, reducing dependence on herbicides, and have increased the amount of recycling of organic waste.
At the Tralee Municipal District meeting, Cllr Cathal Foley asked that the council explore new, more sensitive methods of grass and weed control, following the success of the MD’s effort to enhance biodiversity during lockdown.
He believes council staff that cut grass could do other jobs instead such as cleaning road verges which he says is being left up to volunteers.
Tralee Municipal District management says they’ve adapted a number of work practises, and have for some time been exploring alternative means of managing parks and open spaces in a more environmentally sensitive manner.
The council has invested in a grass edger machine which has proved very effective in maintaining weeds along walkways in urban areas, park and open spaces, and in doing so has reduced their dependence on herbicides.
When grass is being cut and it’s at a reasonable length, the cut grass isn’t collected and is instead mulched, thus nourishing the soil.
The council is experimenting with maintaining cut grass areas at a marginally longer length so as to retain some low level flowers after cutting, reducing the volume of grass to be removed, while low level pollinators are retained.
After trees are pruned, branches and/or leaves are mulched, and this is used on flower beds on Denny Street and in the Town Park.
Organic methods of weed control are also being implemented.
