A Local Government in Melbourne has taken steps to recycle trees damaged in February’s record breaking storms. City of Port Phillip Mayor, Councillor Darren Ray, said trees felled in the storm will be recycled as picnic tables, seats, fences and bollards – and maybe even art works.
“Over 200 trees in streets and parks were brought down by the storm,” he said. “It would be a terrible waste were we to simply dump them all into landfill. This way, we gain the raw materials to create picnic tables and benches, new seats in parks and along the foreshore, and more prosaic things such as fences and bollards.
“Artists – of whom we have many in Port Phillip – may also be inspired to use the wood. We’re doing the right thing by the environment as well as creating an enduring connection between this wild act of nature and our man made environment. All civilisations have always done this – used what remained from a calamitous event to build anew.”
Councillor Ray said that the number of trees down on private property was considerable but the exact number remained unknown.
“What we do know is that as of 4 February, we have had 263 requests to take care of trees or branches which had fallen or were about to, as a result of the storm,” he said.
