Bellingen Environment Centre offers particular appreciation to all the creative people who contributed to the" Festival of Ideas about Water Land Wildlife and Forests held on Saturday at the Memorial Hall Bellingen." This was and afternoon of discussion and music and song looking at very real threats to the land and our laws and also looking at our achievments. The Festival commenced with with a ”Welcome To Country” with Susy Russel Chairperson of the North Coast Environment Council opening discussions and giving an overview of the increasingly meaningless state of our laws and the failure of both State and Federal governments to regulate them. She also spoke about how we as individuals or communities working together, can make a difference as witnessed recently in Bulga NSW. Keynote speaker Michelle Maloney from the Australian Earth Laws Alliance (AELA) spoke about the Medieval origins of our current laws and how other people around the world are working with their local governments for new laws which ensure the rights of nature to be protected from development and for communities to have the right to clean water, and healthy biodiversity, and clean water and a helathy life. Local speaker Jacqui Williams Dorrigo Environment Watch gave an overview on the current tracking of Mining Exploration and the announcement of Goldmining Licenese for both sides of the Blicks River. Meredith Stanton Forest and Mining Activist spoke about growing up near Cloud Creek Forest and watching the outcome for this Native Forest as its beautiful fauna and flora are diminished by repeated, unmonitored and unregulated breaches of harvest plans and the threat to the water supply all the way to Clarence from goldmining in the head waters of the Blicks. Pia Dollman gave an informative talk about the effect of logging practices on waterways and forests and her perespective as a resident and landcare worker about the declining population of Koalas at Pine Creek State Forest where a Community tour of inspection is happening at prime Koala habitat this morning. Candidates ALP Candidate for Cowper Afredo Navarro and Greens Candidate for Cowper Carole Vernon answered questions about their position regarding Environmental Protection. Sitting member Luke Hartsukyer did not send apologies for his non attendance. Ashley Love launched the exciting "Guy Fawkes to Solitary Biodiversity Link" This project has strong potential for World Heritage Status and has eucalypts that are found nowhere else in the world and mainly in the Coffs Clarence Shire where our large and valuable Koala colony live. Mark Graham finalised the afternoon’s talks by speaking about the “Importance of ecology” looking at all aspects of life in the forest and the need for Compartment 26-27 Prime Koala habitat at Pine Creek State forest adjoining the National Park at Bongil Bongil to be retained for our Koalas. Bellingen community fought to save these compartments 20 years ago. The afternoon closed with a wonderful performance by "Lucas Rollinson and his Band Bunya and the band played a new song for the occasion "When a Tree Falls, Did you hear it?" This was a day of learning and sharing and it was both humbling and pleasing to work with such a talented and dedicated group of people who support the work of the Bellingen Environment Centre and our mission to support our community to Protect the Water Land Wildlife and Forests. Apologies for the big post but it was a big day.
Posted on: Sun, 04 Aug 2013 02:10:12 +0000
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