Oh, and I'd also assume that this is possibly in train already? - if I may be so bold as to suggest what F&B might produce...Like's been said above, there's already been lots of information produced from F&B for members et al to use about other campaigns; there's no reason not to consider this'll be any different for this issue, especially now that questions and comments have been raised on this thread about what it all means and what we should be saying and to whom..
Forest & Bird » Climate Change
Planting native trees on conservation land - where is the public process?
(34 posts)-
Posted 2 years ago #
-
ETS taking of DOC land for private purposes and its impact also on wild rivers.
Linkage. We have to do to better understand carbon issues and how wild lands and wild rivers are linked by carbon offset plans and are triggered by rampant dairying expansion.
Last week, the Government passed the Emissions Trading Scheme. It sanctions the taking of up to 40,000 hectares -and probably more - of public conservation land, so that this can be planted in native and exotic trees. There are statements that these new plantations will be allowed to be harvested.
This "tree planting" is to offset the clearfelling by 5 major iwi of pine plantations they received in Treaty settlements and the conversion of these areas probably to dairy farms. If the DOC land was not earmarked for them for the planting of native tress, the iwi or the goverment would face a liability of up to $20,000 per hectare for clerfelling the carbon sink that the pine plantations represent.
Ngai Tahu have received Balmoral Forest in North Canterbury next to the Hurunui river. They plan to cleafell this so that it can be converted to dairying. This dairy farming will require large quantities of water for irrigation from the Hurunui River thereby jeopardising the protection of this wild river for which a Conservation Order is being sought.
In summary then the ETS and the huge pressure for dairy development, not only mean that existing pine plantations are hastily being cleared. It also means that a large area of public conservation land, set aside for its natural heritage values, is to be planted as a new plantation of native and probably also exotic trees. It also means that a magnificent wild river is to be destroyed or damaged by large quantities of water being taken from it!
What a crock that this can occur in this land labelled 100% Pure New Zealand under the guise of New Zealand making a serious effort to reduce our carbon emissions in the lead up to the Copenhagen conference.
No wonder Prime Minister John Key doesn't want to go to Copenhagen. World leaders might ask him what is going on in this country that for so long was a shining beacon of environmental leadership.
Posted 2 years ago # -
What I would like to know is, is this just a few of us flapping our lips or does what are saying on this thread represent mainstream membership thinking?
What is your opinion? Do you care?
Posted 2 years ago # -
According to data, there's quite a few people read these comments - for whatever reason (and I think there's probably many reasons) they don't necessarily wish to write in.
Posted 2 years ago #
Reply
You must log in to post.