Hmmm.. How do I respond to this?
Firstly, I will state that I am the Nationwide Protest Coordinator for the upcoming rallies on November 15.
Now that we have that in the open, I would like to say these few things:
Firstly, my house is surrounded by bird houses and I love my new little neighbours.
I have not killed willingly for 9 years, not even an ant. I live a healthy and balanced life and feel I see the world with open eyes.
Up until I hit hard financial times, I was also a member of Forest and Bird (feel free to check my membership - Thomas Greve, Waiheke Island. As soon as I'm upright again, I shall rejoin.
We at Poison Free New Zealand KNOW that "pest" eradication IS REQUIRED to help protect our native species; however we feel that dropping 1080 and brodifacoum is not the answer.
While you read the rest of my post, think about this:
1080 was patented as a pesticide in 1927.
When such toxins are indiscriminately dropped from moving aircraft, the poison lands where gravity sends it. Being an insecticide, it leeches into the soils. The soils where all the little critters live that native birds like Kiwi eat.
Maybe one or two poisoned critters is OK for a kiwi, but aerial drops every few years can not be good.
DoC state that there is evidence that the reproductive organs are damaged of mildly poisoned birds. This hinders their ability to bounce back in terms of numbers.
We all know that some native animals are poisoned, but most people accept that this must happen for the greater good. What DoC and ERMA are NOT telling you is something that is very obvious when you stop and think about it for one minute....
We know that possums and rats breed like rabbits. In fact, they breed much faster than birds. They have young multiple times per year (and up to 8 at a time), where as most birds breed once a year (often only yielding one or two offspring)
Therefore it is logical that if you drop poison that kills birds and pest, the pests will bounce back MUCH FASTER than the ones we are trying to save.
Announcements have just been made that Lord Howe Island is going to experience the wonders of aerial drops. The powers that be have had the foresight to remove all the critters they wish to save (into a holding pen for 100 days). Sounds crazy? If you can catch all those critters, why not catch all the pests instead, rather than drop insecticide onto the ground, thus killing the bottom of the food chain and anything that eats those poor bugs and insects.
The whole point of our protests is to stop AERIAL drops. There are better ways. Ways that will a) reduce unemployment b) create new industries c) save money d) stop further damage to our soils e) not kill a single non-target species f) not poison our waterways (and the list goes on).
We know that something has to be done. We are NOT asking for a TOTAL BAN. We simply want aerial dropping to be stopped.
What is wrong with bait stations? There are even self-resetting ones that crush the skulls of their victims. Why not let hunters do the work for the rest of the tax payers instead of the tax payers paying for something that is harmful to forest, bird, environment and animal.
I highly recommend that you take the time to find the truth for yourself.
Now, I know.... you're thinking "hey, he hasn't killed anything in 9 years, but he is advocating skull-crashing-self-resetting bait stations".
Yes, you have a point. But I am realistic in my goals for the wildlife of this country (and any country for that matter)(see www.pele.vu - a non-profit organisation my wife and I set up to help the people, forests and critters in Vanuatu).
The people I am working with at Poison Free New Zealand (not a company - Just a group of people with the same goal) who all care. In fact, our downfall is that we care tooo much.
Ask yourself one more question, and ponder it a while. "What is wrong with letting the hunters, the unemployed and volunteers setting bait stations in an effort to make a difference?"
I think governments (and their agencies) have become so money hungry, lazy (and fat) that it is easier to spiel off some propaganda and then FLY helicopters to drop poisons than it is to think about the future and do something that seems logical and benefits everyone, INCLUDING those at Forest and Bird.
In closing, I ask that you a) ask yourself if you really believe everything DoC tells you b) think about what I have said - does it really sound that wacko? c) visit our website d) show up at one of the protest rallies and hear the other side of the debate. We won't bite you (unless you bite us first).
One goal that suits all ! Easy as that !
Thanks for reading.
Feel free to contact me: thomas at enuf is enuf dot co dot nz
