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    NGOs welcome Liberian President's commitment to stop British palm oil company "taking" community land - March 11, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

    Global Witness and Save My Future Foundation (SAMFU) today welcome the commitment by the Liberian President, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, to make any expansion by the British palm oil company Equatorial Palm Oil (EPO) onto Jogbahn Clan land dependent on the approval of the communities affected.(1)

    EPO has been accused by the communities of taking their land and clearing it without their consent.(2) In September 2013, community members were apparently beaten and detained by EPO security staff and the Liberian police on their way to lodge a complaint about the expansion to the authorities.(3) The company denied that it acted without community consultation or outside Liberian law.(4) The commitment by the President marks a significant victory in the battle for customary land rights to be respected.

    While Liberia desperately needs investment it cannot afford to do business with companies which trample over vulnerable people. By this decision, the President has shown that she intends to put her people first. says Natalie Ashworth, Global Witness. The commitment by President Sirleaf to protect some of Liberias poorest people is laudable.

    British company, EPO, has two palm oil concessions in Liberia covering a total of 89,000 hectares. The company, which is listed on the Alternative Investment Market (AIM) of the London Stock Exchange, took steps in late 2012 and throughout 2013 to expand its operations in Grand Bassa County onto land customarily held by the Jogbahn community. The expansion of the companys operations would have destroyed the forests, farms and wetlands upon which the Jogbahn people rely for their livelihoods and food. In a response to a letter by Global Witness the company stated that it respects the Liberian community rights and land. [sic] (4)

    Communities reported to Global Witness that over the course of 2013 they were subjected to increasingly severe intimidation by EPO security staff. The intimidation escalated in September 2013 when 17 community members were reportedly beaten and arrested by EPO security staff and officers from the elite Liberian Police Support Unit (PSU). (5) In a letter to Global Witness the company stated that they were not involved in the incident, had been falsely accused and they never instructed or directed any of its staff or PSU officer to intimidate Jogbahn community members at any time.(4) The governments County Attorney confirmed that there was evidence that people had been accosted, however the Grand Bassa police commander denied that his forces had beaten any Jogbahn community people. (6) The Liberian Government has yet to make a public statement about the findings of any investigation it has made into the allegations of abuse by PSU officers.

    Customary land rights are yet to be fully recognized and protected by the Liberian government. Land remains an explosive issue in Liberia, said Andrew Tokpa of SAMFU. Any taking of peoples land by EPO or intimidation of community members by EPO staff could have led to conflict without this bold intervention by the President. Hopefully this signals a move by the Liberian government for greater respect of communities land rights. /ENDS

    For more information contact:

    Notes to editors:

    (1) The President held a meeting with communities from the Jogbahn Clan on the 5 March 2014 where she committed to supporting communities in protecting their land from further expansion by the company.

    (2) Communities submitted a complaint to the Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil (RSPO) on the 18 September 2013 which alleged that the company had already cleared some of their customary land and planted oil palm on the cleared land without their consent.

    Excerpt from:
    NGOs welcome Liberian President's commitment to stop British palm oil company "taking" community land

    Senate Estimates: Larissa Waters: Queensland land clearing and emissions – Video - March 9, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder


    Senate Estimates: Larissa Waters: Queensland land clearing and emissions
    As you may be aware, the Queensland government has recently watered down those vegetation management laws, taken away regrowth protection, weakened riparian ...

    By: The Australian Greens

    Original post:
    Senate Estimates: Larissa Waters: Queensland land clearing and emissions - Video

    Forestry dept attempts to save Kuala Gula wetland - March 8, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

    08 March 2014| last updated at 09:50PM

    The New Straits Times recently reported that a portion of the forest, which forms part of a local community mangrove replanting programme, was being cleared for a freshwater prawn aquaculture project by a private company from Penang.

    State Forestry Department director Datuk Roslan Ariffin said the department would be submitting a proposal to the state government to protect the Kuala Gula mangrove forest from further deforestation.

    However, he stressed that the forest was, presently, not in imminent danger.

    "According to the latest reports from our team in the (Kuala Gula) area, land clearing has stopped for the moment," he said.

    Roslan said no action will be taken against the company clearing the land as it had been acquired legally.

    The Kampung Teluk Rubiah mangrove forest is the site of a massive mangrove replanting project involving the local community, Sahabat Hutan Bakau Kuala Gula, corporations, non-governmental organisations, academic institutions.

    Over 200,000 saplings have been planted in the area over the past seven years.

    The NST had reported that over RM500,000 had been spent by the federal and state authorities towards the replanting effort.

    Roslan said that it was crucial to protect the state's mangrove forests as they play a vital role in maintaining the wetland's ecology.

    See the original post here:
    Forestry dept attempts to save Kuala Gula wetland

    China Is Deploying Smog-Busting Drones So Its Airports Can Stay Open - March 6, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

    With smog in Beijing so bad it's forced pilots to land blind and officials to shut down the airport, China has unveiled a new plan to test drones that spray smog-clearing chemicals around airports. How will it work?

    Trials for these new parafoil dronesessentially a drones with parachuteswill begin later this month at airports around China, according to the South China Morning Post. A drone like this can carry some 1,500 pounds of smog-clearing chemicals to clear a 3 mile radius around the airports. And it's easy enough to control and land, which is important given all the air traffic.

    Parafoil soft-wing drones have some considerable advantages over planes or fixed-wing drones. For one, they're heck of a lot cheaper, with operating costs at just 1/10 of those for fixed-wing drones. They can also carry three times as much weight, which means more smog-busting chemicals per drone.

    The new drone plan doesn't specify what chemicals will be used, but in the past, China has sprayed silver iodide to seed clouds during drought, and they've proposed the same for smog. In theory, falling rain or snow would bring the pollution down to earth. There's another, more nascent proposal to freeze pollutants solid in the air with liquid nitrogen.

    The obvious problem with both, however, is that the toxic pollutants in the air simply end up on the ground, where they are still toxic pollutants. China does seem to be getting serious about combatting pollution, but these smog-clearing strategies fight the symptom rather than the root cause of pollution. But sometimes you just have to do what you can. [South China Morning Post]

    Top image: Smog in Beijing in February 2014. AP Photo/Ng Han Guan

    Read more:
    China Is Deploying Smog-Busting Drones So Its Airports Can Stay Open

    Land Clearing mulcher – Video - March 3, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder


    Land Clearing mulcher
    Land Clearing mulcher.

    By: martins Neretnieks

    Here is the original post:
    Land Clearing mulcher - Video

    Haze Shrouds Riau Province While Police Arrest Arsonist Suspects – Video - March 3, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder


    Haze Shrouds Riau Province While Police Arrest Arsonist Suspects
    Choking haze blankets Riau province as police say they have arrested 26 people suspected of starting the land clearing fires. Full Story: Thick haze continue...

    By: NTDTV

    See the original post:
    Haze Shrouds Riau Province While Police Arrest Arsonist Suspects - Video

    Singapore calls for evidence of companies here involved in illegal land clearing - March 2, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

    Published on Mar 01, 2014 10:15 PM

    A resident sprays water on a peatland fire in Pekanbaru district in Riau province on Indonesia's Sumatra island on Feb 16, 2014. Singapore has asked Indonesia to share evidence of any involvement by Singapore-linked companies or Singaporeans in illegal land clearing practices, in reply to comments by Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Agung Laksono alleging their role in the ongoing haze over Sumatra.-- PHOTO: AFP

    By Zakir Hussain, Indonesia Bureau Chief In Jakarta

    SINGAPORE has asked Indonesia to share evidence of any involvement by Singapore-linked companies or Singaporeans in illegal land clearing practices, in reply to comments by Indonesia's Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Agung Laksono alleging their role in the ongoing haze over Sumatra.

    "The Government of Singapore takes a serious view of these allegations," a spokesman for Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in response to media queries on Mr Agung's remarks.

    "If there is credible evidence that Singapore-linked companies or Singaporeans were involved, the Government of Singapore intends to take further steps against these errant companies and individuals," the spokesman added.

    Ongoing forest and peatland fires in Riau saw the province declare an emergency till March 12 and reactivate a disaster command post.

    More:
    Singapore calls for evidence of companies here involved in illegal land clearing

    Haze: S'pore urges Indonesia to share evidence on errant firms - March 2, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

    SINGAPORE:Singapore has reiterated its call to the Indonesian government to share evidence relating to any involvement by Singapore-linked companies or Singaporeans in illegal land clearing practices in Indonesia.

    The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said this on Saturday in response to media queries on comments by Indonesian Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Agung Laksono.

    Mr Agung had said publicly that since 2013, the Indonesian police have launched 41 investigations against errant companies and individuals that may be involved in illegal land clearing practices in Indonesia.

    Mr Agung said some of these cases involved Singapore-linked companies or Singaporeans.

    MFA said that the Singapore government takes a serious view of these allegations.

    It added that if there is credible evidence that Singapore-linked companies or Singaporeans were involved, the Singapore government intends to take further steps against these errant companies and individuals.

    The ministry also urged the Indonesian government to take the necessary legal and enforcement action against errant companies or individuals, regardless of their nationality.

    It said the primary responsibility for legal and enforcement action lies with Indonesia, where these companies and individuals were allegedly conducting such illegal activities.

    MFA noted that a state of emergency has been declared in Riau province due to the severe haze arising from the ongoing forest and peatland fires there as well as fires elsewhere in Sumatra.

    Singapore hopes that the fires will be quickly dealt with to prevent a recurrence of transboundary haze.

    More here:
    Haze: S'pore urges Indonesia to share evidence on errant firms

    Indonesia mulls criminal & civil charges against firms over illegal burning - February 27, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

    SINGAPORE: The Indonesian government is looking into pressing criminal and civil charges against corporations responsible for illegal land clearing.

    This is seen as a significant move, and could make companies think twice before they resort to burning as a form of land clearing.

    Indonesian Coordinating Minister for People's Welfare Agung Laksono, who is taking a lead in the government's response to this year's haze, said President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono wants the emergency response team to better enforce the law, in addition to increasing public awareness of the dangers of illegal land clearing.

    He said: "We want to create a deterrent effect especially towards corporations, not just ordinary civilians. That includes those who are responsible, the owners which in some companies may be foreign nationals. Some of them own shares in plantation companies operating in our country, whether it be in Sumatra or Kalimantan."

    In the 2013 fires, eight companies were allegedly involved in burning land in Riau. . The environment ministry is following up on seven of those cases.

    One involves a Malaysian company - PT Adei Plantation & Industry - and its case is being tried at Pelalawan District Court.

    The other cases have not yet been handed over to the courts as the Riau High Prosecutor's Office considers the investigation dossiers still incomplete.

    Since 2013, there have been 41 cases of individuals suspected of illegally clearing land.

    Civil charges have been brought against them for losses incurred and these individuals, if found guilty, could face anywhere between six months and eight years prison time.

    Currently, nine provinces are affected by the haze, including five in Sumatra and four provinces in Kalimantan.

    Read more:
    Indonesia mulls criminal & civil charges against firms over illegal burning

    East Sooke's fire hall speeding along - February 27, 2014 by Mr HomeBuilder

    Artist's rendering of the East Sooke Fire Hall

    image credit: Submitted

    If youve driven along East Sooke Road recently you might have seen some land clearing and a sign reading: Site of the new East Sooke Fire Hall. A new fire hall is getting underway, and targeted operational date is in early 2015. The new re hall will be located on East Sooke Road, east of Raglan Place.

    This fire hall has been long in the making. There have been ongoing efforts from successive fire commissioners to replace the existing fire hall, but the necessary conditions came together in 2013 to make the dream a reality. Some of these conditions included the sale of land, which Brian White of the East Sooke Fire Commission said came at a very satisfactory price. An anonymous $40,000 donation moved things along nicely as well. White said many in the community also stepped up, reflecting a real community effort. Former Juan de Fuca area director Brian Henson contributed land clearing and Ramsay Milne helped with the burning of the brush and shrub. The CRD has also provided significant support.

    According to White, the impetus behind this fast action came last spring, when an inspector from the Fire Underwriters Survey (FUS) came to the East Sooke Fire Hall and asked why they still operate from a fire hall that was inadequate way back in1994.

    A CRD document dated February 2013 (Proposed East Sooke Fire Hall) addresses the need for a new fire hall, as the existing one was significantly below standards. It was deemed antiquated and undersized, and did not meet current building code requirements. Its proximity to a community park also posed safety concerns for children playing in the area. Further, it lacked drill and training areas, it could not serve as a post-disaster facility, and expansion or reconfiguring the existing structure was not possible.

    After a successful referendum last summer, at which time East Sooke residents voted 339 to 138 in favour of the new fire hall, the focus has been on the planning and design of the hall. A detailed Request for Proposals had nine firms respond.

    David Nairne and Associates were the winning architects, and the decision was made to proceed with an all steel fireproof interior and exterior, because of the enhanced survivability of the building after a major earthquake or forest interface fire. Construction is slated to start in late June. The target date for a fully operational East Sooke fire hall is early 2015.

    Dr. George May, the Chair of the East Sooke Fire Commission, said, the fire hall design achieves the tests of affordability, long life, and capacity to survive a major fire and earthquake. We expect this design to meet the needs of East Sooke for a long time to come.

    Besides the obvious benefits of providing a go-to place in case of tsunami or forest fire, said Brian White, the new fire hall will include a built-in water tank loading station for residents of East Sooke. The existing waterline will also be extended, to just before Anderson Cove.

    See the original post here:
    East Sooke's fire hall speeding along

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