New Top End tree plan Replicas are more sturdy
IN the wake of the devastation caused by Cyclone Marcus, Darwin council has unveiled a bold new plan to replace felled trees around the city.
The remaining African mahoganies will be replaced with concrete painted replicas, which will stand up to about 30m.
Council’s arboreal operations chief executive Teresa Green said the trees would be secured into the earth to prevent them falling over in future cyclones.
Ms Green said while only the notorious African mahoganies would be targeted in the first round of works, all trees would eventually be phased out in Darwin.
“Real trees pose an unacceptable health and safety risk,” she said.
“These new and improved replicas are safe and will provide shade. They will help us in our goal of making the Darwin CBD a vibrant and inviting place to be.
“Within three years, Darwin will be tree-free.”
Ms Green said the council had received several complaints from allergy sufferers about the presence of trees in Darwin.
The new concrete trees were hypo-allergenic, she said.
“We hope these new models will provide a more inclusive environment for people with allergies,” Ms Green said.
The trees will be painted blue and yellow to celebrate the NT’s partnership with the Parramatta Eels.
“We decided against painting them tree colours because we didn’t want birds getting confused,” Ms Green said.
Malak resident Leif Verdant’s home was damaged by a fallen African mahogany in Cyclone Marcus. He wel- comed the news that trees’ days were numbered in the Top End. “I hate trees,” he said. “Not just African mahoganies — though they’re the worst of the lot of the buggers — but I hate all trees. They’re awful.”
It’s understood Palmerston council has already engaged a contractor to begin work on a similar plan.
“We haven’t sorted out all the nitty gritty details, like where we’re going to get the money to pay for it or anything like that, but we figured it was best to just get cracking,” a council spokesman said.