Trees may not offset rally damage
THOUSANDS of trees offsetting the carbon emissions of last year’s World Rally Championships may never be planted locally because no-one wants to do it, or the right people haven’t been asked.
Organisers of the Repco Rally Australia reportedly offered funds to local groups to plant the trees in the wake of protests about the environmental impact of the rally last September.
Now Tweed Mayor Warren Polglase has ordered Council officers to find out if the funds for the tree planting are still available.
The move follows a claim by Murwillumbah-based ecologist Dr Stephen Phillips earlier this week that groups had turned down the funding.
Cr Polglase said councillors did not know local green groups had snubbed the offer of funds until Dr Phillips spoke to them.
Tweed Landcare chairwoman Claire Masters said yesterday her group had not been contacted about planting trees, although one of its smaller locality groups may have been.
Attempts to seek comment from rally organisers were unsuccessful.
