Forum discuss pesticide reduction on public land The free community forum on “Reducing Pesticide Use On Public Land” held at Brunswick Community Centre last Sunday was a success. The forum explored ways the Shire could reduce its use and reliance on pesticides, with a focus on the imminent aerial spraying of Bitou Bush along the coast with the herbicide metsulfuron methyl. Justin McDonald, Byron Council’s biodiversity officer, opened the event to an audience of around thirty-five people. National Parks and Wildlife Service were invited, but they didn’t attend. Jo Immig, from the National Toxic Network, and Nadia de Souza Pietramale, from Byron Shire Chemical Free Landcare, gave a presentation outlining the environmental and health problems associated with aerial spraying of herbicides in natural areas and the repetitive use of pesticide around drains, road verges, sign posts, fences, children play ground and sports fields. They outlined their plan for ecological restoration of natural areas and a need for public authorities to develop an integrated approach to weed management in the shire, featuring low-impact, non-chemical approaches to minimize the use of chemical pesticides. Cr. Rose Wanchap spoke about her goal of reducing chemical usage in public spaces and an end to aerial spraying of Bitou Bush in Byron Shire. She’s working to ensure committees like Council’s Biodiversity and Sustainability Committee, with its renewed expert community representation, to help Council develop plans to move towards reducing pesticides. She told the audience she plans to visit other councils already using non-chemical methods to manage public spaces. Don Drinkwater, a resident of Huonbrook who has successfully restored his property from degraded cattle land to thriving rainforest without a drop of herbicide, spoke about the need to embrace the non-chemical approach to land restoration and for young people to get involved in the work. Mr Drinkwater also raised concerns about the landslip erosion problem at Wilson’s Creek, which occurred during last summer’s massive rainfalls. He believes herbicide spraying on the banks to remove vegetation without any follow up replanting may have contributed to the collapse. Organic farmer and TAFE teacher, Dave Forrest, spoke about the need for education, which he believes will ultimately be driven by consumer demand for organic produce. He said the squeezing of the education sector is having an impact on the opportunities to get the messages to farmers. Another local organic farmer and horticulturist, Robin Wolf, told the audience he believed farmers were a trusting mob and if someone tells them a pesticide is safe, they’ll believe it. He used to apply toxic pesticides to his land, but only out of ignorance. Once he understood what it was doing to his soil he became an organic farmer. After the presentation, the group went on a guided walk through the ecological restoration site at Brunswick Heads Crown Land Reserve. The Bitou Bush on this 4.5 hectare site has being removed using the crowning technique developed by botanist Ellen White. From primary work to follow up, this methodology will eradicate Bitou Bush in 3 years, living a clean environmental footprint, with zero pesticide residues in the soil. Byron Shire Chemical Free Landcare started work on the site in winter 2010 and is hoping to finish this year. The next working bee will be on Saturday, the 27th of July, from 9 am, on Brunswick Heads Crown Land Reserve, meeting at 9 am at the fire track gate, on the end of South Head Road. For further information: byronshirechemicalfreelandcare.org.
Posted on: Mon, 15 Jul 2013 09:23:13 +0000
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