The street where I have lived for [censored] years is afflicted with horrible trees;

http://www.ehow.com/facts_7497036_casuarina-trees.html

If it isn't the effing needles, it's the effing sharp seeds or the effing sap on parked cars.

The City won't take out "healthy" trees. Whoever was the "forester" that put them in, could be 100 years? (I wasn't there g) didn't know much about species.

(Ex: He put in a variety of Ficus that has GIANT above-ground roots that wreck sidewalks and trip people.

ID'd as Indian Laurel Fig, Ficus nitida
Scientific Name: Ficus retusa ssp. nitida (Th.) Miq.
Synonym: Ficus microcarpa var. nitida)

Back to subject: Those effing needles obscure plantings and clutter up my arrangements.
They do not compost well, or at all, so I gave up and just rake them out and put in
yard waste bin..

This is a huge PITA, so I wonder if I can just apply small nugget mulch right on top of needles. Would presence of needles under mulch interfere with function of mulch: to
help conserve water in our drought, as well as aesthetics.

Tree supposedly originated in OZ. Hope somebody has an educated opinion on whether it's safe to mulch over needles.

TIA

HB