SPECIAL PROJECTS INITIATIVE

Macedon Ranges Shire Council Storm Response Team

Storm Green Waste Processing Site

Standard practice across Victoria following storms, fires, or flood emergencies has been to burn or mulch green waste. Although beneficial in quickly removing debris, this approach ignores the potential productive uses of felled trees and green waste. Macedon Ranges Shire Council partnered with Bushfire Recovery Victoria (BRV) to establish a new precedent for how councils respond following a natural emergency.

This special initiative saw an innovative green waste processing site developed at Romsey following the devastation of the June 2021 storm, transforming the understanding of the value of storm-damaged vegetation as a reusable resource for assisting in the rebuilding of the economic, social, and natural environments in the wake of a natural emergency. The facility processed over 65,000 tonnes of tree and storm debris that was then returned to impacted communities as usable products free of charge, from timber and firewood to fencing and mulch.

The project was an impact investment benefitting storm-affected communities, reducing risk to life and livelihood by removing dangerous trees and providing a resilient emergency response to support recovery in future disasters. While the purpose-built facility cost approximately $13.5 million to create, it generated over $27.5 million in sellable products and found financial support from other levels of government, relieving some of the financial burden that follows a natural disaster while reinforcing a case for this process to become a standard emergency green waste processing model.

Rather than presenting green waste in emergency recovery as a problem of material disposal, the council took a novel approach: it transformed the perception of storm waste and introduced sustainability by reframing vegetation waste as a usable, durable, lasting timber product rather than a low-value mess to be eradicated. Thinking big and outside the box was key to the site’s success, leading to better outcomes for storm-affected communities. This sector-leading initiative used adaptive leadership techniques to create a viable flagship facility that other local governments can now use should an emergency of similar consequence occur.