Grand old lady Gulaga

Where birthing spirits dwell

Rages like a furnace

In environmental hell

Fire roaring up to glory

Blocks out springtime sun

Mismanagement of forests

Is how it had begun

Birds and wildlife scatter

Nature’s species die

Flames engulf the ridges

Earth’s sweet spirits cry

Darkest day for Gulaga

In its eternal life

The carelessness of foresters

Cut through it like a knife

Peace and all its beauty

Lies blackened smouldering charred

Spirits are offended

Native legends scarred

A wanton act of terror

Less thought or common sense

Such offence of nature

Shall deliver consequence

Bronte Somerset

Quaama

Fire highlighted

Bronte Somersets’ poem (above) highlighted yet another preventable tragedy inflicted on our native flora and fauna.

Which leads me into my reason for writing: thank goodness for electronic mail.

I wonder if that armchair activist, Dianne Gillies uses it.

Although I didn’t read her previous letter, I am familiar with her thoughts, and totally agree with her sentiments/concerns.

Having been out in many coops and witnessed the mismanagement perpetrated by the Forestry Departments of NSW and Victoria, I believe I have authority to give an opinion, have you Mr Rutherford?

When I see the many trucks travelling along my road, my heart is filled with not only anger but more so with sadness, as we know that our planets’ ecosystems are in trouble, and people like Mr Rutherford are too ignorant and arrogant to see.

Nine out of 10 trucks worth of potential timber for value products are headed for the chipmill, no longer deemed waste, but operating to keep up the mountain that never seems to shrink.

Yeah, about consumption.

Look at the oversized dwellings built to accommodate our small families and retired couples.

Look at the wanton destruction of coastal strips, to accommodate the seachangers so they can have an ocean view.

I regard my footprint as fairly light.

But hey, if laws allow, it is not completely the developers fault or the people who drive the trucks but the legislators, pen pushers and supervisers.

Our forests not only play a critical role in cooling the planet, but are vital for water, acting as conduits/living water tanks and protecting our waterways.

Not to mention the plethora of other benefits in which we are still learning about.

What is left of dwindling forest systems needs to be protected and well managed.

We are a nation of intelligent participants, yet we are pretty dumb when it comes to protecting this land, which was quite productive before European occupation, and although we cannot change the past, we can certainly learn from past mistakes and do it better.

And who said we have to take imported timber from dubious means, isn’t it a matter of certification?

What about hemp for fibre/paper production.

Last point: the number of outbreaks of fires due to carelessness, needs to be addressed.

I call on the relevant departments, (RFS, National Parks, State Forest, and the BVSC) to hold a public meeting in which the citizens can question the present fire regime, communications, who is accountable, (private landholders are liable), and maybe make suggestions, (the CFUs seem like a reassuring addition) and overall, to be fully informed.

Very last comment: that picture of the polar bear on that lone block of ice says it all.

I hope those young budding marine biologists will pursue such a great career, good on you girls.

Here’s to our wonderful world and all its beautiful treasures.

D Eaton

Lochiel

A wonderful blessing

I witnessed the Tilba fire of 1952 and it is indelibly imprinted in my brain.

I watched in awe the spectacular conflagration as the house and surrounding trees on the property I now own were reduced to cinders.

With the recent dry conditions and the forecast return of El Nino I was fearful this summer would again be catastrophic for Tilba.

Gulaga (Mt Dromedary) has needed to be burned for decades.

These days there is so much resistance by people I consider misguided that the amount of fuel reduction burning seems grossly inadequate, especially on Gulaga.

Every year the risk for Tilba has become higher.

Then, last week’s fire occurred and what a blessing it has been at last. Sure, there were periods of danger and times when many of us thought our houses could be under immediate threat.

But, for heaven’s sake, let us recognise that if this same fire had started next January or February without intervening significant rain, then 20 to 40 homes in the Tilba district could easily have been lost. The amount of warning at that time could be just a very few hours.

It is disappointing to the point of making me angry to read and hear the negativity and desire for a witch hunt by some.

I have yet to meet anyone who lives in close proximity to the mountain who is unhappy about this burn.

If it was an accident or mistake, then I say the person responsible deserves a medal rather than criticism.

Moreover, we all make mistakes at times.

The only person who never makes a mistake is one who never does anything.

It should be clear to anyone that the mountain has been subject to fires for thousands of years.

This “cold, slow” burn will not have done irreparable damage.

A hot burn at the end of summer was inevitable soon if this burn had not taken place and that would do far more damage to the ecosystem.

I ask those who criticise to try to gain a more balanced perspective.

I wish also to take the opportunity to very strongly thank the various authorities for their wonderful efforts in bringing the fire under control, especially the RFS volunteers.

You have helped make Tilba safer for some time.

Thank you all and well done.

Harry Bate

Tilba Tilba

Economic thoughts

It is a misnomer for the Rudd government to continue referring to the economic downturn as a global recession.

Mr Swan claimed Australia was facing the worst recession since the great depression, of course this was just complete codswallop and part of the Rudd government’s scare campaign, designed to con the public into accepting their massive Socialist spending spree.

Australia is not, and never looked like, going into recession anything like that of 70 years ago.

China, one of the world’s largest economies and one of Australia’s most important trading nations, like Australia is not in recession.

The Treasurer is crowing and takes all credit for Australia’s relatively good economic growth position.

He puts this down solely to the Rudd government’s stimulus packages.

He makes much of the fact that we are better placed than all other developed countries.

However he fails to point out the following facts:

(1) The Howard government left Australia better placed to face an economic down turn than any other comparable country. I remind readers of Mr Swan’s words during the 2007 election campaign when Mr Costello warned of tough times ahead: “We are well placed to ride out any turbulence happening in America”.

(2) Most of the stimulus money has not yet been spent. This blatant pork barreling was designed to largely take place just prior to the next election.

(3) During the period of economic downturn Australia has enjoyed continuing growth in commodity exports, particularly to China.

(4) The so-called global recession was largely brought about by inadequate regulations germane to the US banking system. Australia did not experience these same problems thanks to measures put in place by the Hawke, Keating and Howard governments.

(5) The never ending hard work put in by private enterprise to fight for their fair share of access to world markets.

Currently Mr Swan is strutting the world stage trumpeting the fact the G20 countries argue the stimulus packages should not be wound back. However he conveniently forgets to mention that most of these countries are in the grip of severe recession while Australia just registered a .06 per cent growth rate.

Perhaps Mr Swan would like to explain this: If the stimulus packages are working so well in Australia, why aren’t they having the same effect in the rest of the world? The Treasurer is comparing pineapples with peanuts.

Tom Griffin

Pambula

Qantas advert

Does anybody out there feel the same as me?

The new Qantas Ad goes against the grain.

As an English/Aussie I am proud to embrace this country and its way of life.

I take exception to the way Qantas is selling out an Aussie Anthem into a language that the majority of the population have no idea what is being sung.

Surely Qantas is Australian and the language spoken should be English.

Philip Roberts

Pambula Beach