Blog
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Hancock Aerial Spraying Stopped at Bellingen, NSW
Here is an inspiring example of what community action was able to achieve on related forestry issues in Northern NSW.
This article also names the chemicals used in forestry operations.
No Spray, No Way community fights chemical weed spraying in Gladstone state forest
March 16, 2015 in Media
It has been described as a laid-back, tree-fringed town with a community that prides itself on making a living out of organic farming and healthy lifestyles.
So when residents around Bellingen in the state’s north were told that the nearby Gladstone State forest was about to be aerially sprayed by the Forestry Corporation with a cocktail of chemical weed killers they reacted angrily and immediately mounted a campaign to stop it.
“We set up camps in the forest, on the helipad site and the entrance to the forest to run around-the-clock on-ground vigilance at all times,” said resident and No Spray No Way campaigner Susan Weil.
“Forestry Corporation was not allowed to conduct any aerial spraying while there were community members in the forest and we took full advantage of this protocol,” Ms Weil told Fairfax Media.
Trouble started with the announcement from the Forestry Corporation that an area that had become overrun with weeds after it was logged for hardwood was going to be sprayed from a helicopter to kill the weeds before a new plantation of timber was planted. Forestry Corporation said it was planning to mix four chemcials and herbicides: Glyphosate, Metsulfurin Methyl, Fluroxypyr and Simazine and the adjuvants Liaise and Pulse, to do the job.
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The Kuranda Region's Vanishing Biodiversity
Friends of the Earth Kuranda has deep concerns about the latest draft plan for this region.
Noting the Mareeba Shire Council seems intent in having its new Shire plan finalised in the near future, we urge anyone who shares our concerns to take action NOW.
There are a few things you can do..
- Write now to the State Government asking that this unsatisfactory plan is not approved. It's best to write to the deputy premier who is responsible for considering approval [email protected] and cc to Craig Crawford our [email protected]
- Protest to Mareeba Shire Council
- Come to the public consultation meeting run by Council in Kuranda on Monday November 2nd
- Come to the public meeting organised by Friends of the Earth Kuranda on Tuesday 10th November.
- Talk about the issues with family and friends and encourage more people to get active
Here's some details about our concerns -and also to show the difference between the old, amalgamated Tablelands Regional Council Draft Plan 2012 and the latest Mareeba Shire Draft Plan 2015:
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Legal Personality for the Reef Kuranda Paper Feb 2015
A innovative new way to protect and preserve the environment is to bestow legal personality to significant ecosystems.
Legal personality means that a person or entity has rights and duties in law. These rights commonly include the right to be free from unlawful interference, and the rights to exist, persist and reproduce. Where the rights of a legal person or entity are breached, they have the right to seek enforcement and a remedy through the legal system.
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Kuranda Water Forum
Friends of the Earth Kuranda organized a forum on 26th May 2014. The Forum focused on the Kuranda town water, which is supplied from the Barron River.
The forum was attended by the Mareeba Shire Mayor Tom Gilmore, Deputy Mayor Jenny Jensen and a senior council staff member, plus a wide cross-section of people from the local area.
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No Fracking Way in FNQ!
As environmentalists in Far North Queensland gear up for a campaign to stop this very special part of the world being assaulted by the coal seam gas (CSG) industry, here are two items of good cheer.
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Media Release: Forum on Barron River Water Quality
Media Release – 15th May 2014
What is the current state of the water in the Barron river catchment and our drinking water? How does the water quality change with rainfall and drier times? What sort of tests are done for what sort of chemicals and pollutants?