Topics: bees, benita ironside, ipswich and west moreton beekeepers association

AN INCREASING number of Ipswich land owners are beginning to learn that bees are essential for more than just the production of the sweet, sticky, amber stuff you put on your toast.

The Ipswich and West Moreton Beekeepers Association is buzzing with 130 passionate honey-makers, but as the country's bee numbers decrease, environmental concerns are becoming more of a priority for the group each year.

President Benita Ironside said the club field day at Pine Mountain Hall would address the issue of declining bee populations and strategies to increase them again.

"When there are no bees around to pollinate, that means there's no food," Ms Ironside said.

"At the moment there aren't enough bees around so farmers are bringing beehives in especially to pollinate crops."

Pesticide spraying and land-clearing can also have a detrimental effect on populations of honey bees, as can the presence of a small hive beetle which has been responsible for destroying many hives across the Ipswich region in recent years.

On a local level, the recent dry weather has had a noticeable effect on honey production, with beekeepers unable to rob hives due to their bees not storing sufficient honey.

The news isn't all bad, however.

Long-time association member Noela Geeves said more young people who were buying larger properties were getting interested in owning their own beehives.

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Bee keepers have a field day, honey

Houston Land Clearing Expert
In 2000 the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) found that "the part of populace progress in a nearby setting may change from conclusive t...

By: Joe Tran

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Houston Land Clearing Expert - Video

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 Liberia's 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 company's 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)

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Liberia: NGOs Welcome President's Commitment to Stop British Palm Oil Company 'Taking' Community Land

KUCHING: The health and welfare of the people must never be compromised on the altar of industry and development, motor vehicles, large scale plantation land clearing or open burning and forest fires whether from internal or external sources.

Prominent social activist Dato Sri Ang Lai Soon, who said this, pointed out that financial considerations should not be allowed to take precedence over the well-being of the people.

That price is just too high, he added.

In a statement yesterday, Ang said it was rather alarming that in the year 2014, the public should still see a headline in a national newspaper on March 10, stating six areas in Malaysia record unhealthy air pollution index readings.

He said surely by now, positive action should have been taken by the authorities to bring this under control to fulfill their duty of caring for the health of the citizens.

Ang noted the Department of Environment had listed the main sources of air pollution in Malaysia as industries, development activities, motor vehicles, land clearing, open burning and forest fires.

He said since all could be controlled through legislation and enforcing strict adherence to that legislation, the quality of life of all citizens should, therefore, never be compromised in the interests of industry, development and other pollution-causing activities.

He believed a certain BMZ, a German concern, was commissioned to study Air pollution control for Malaysian cities: transport and industry from 2002 to 2006.

The context of this commission read Malaysias developments into a modern and sustainably managed industrial country requires a modern comprehensive environmental policy, including air pollution control.

However, he observed that with the recent headlines, it was patently obvious policy needed urgent bringing up to date with present day realities without prevarication.

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Ang calls for action against serious air pollution

The Indonesian National Police (POLRI), along with the Ministry of Environment, say they are continuing a crackdown on plantation companies that burn forests and cause serious smog.

National Police Chief General Sutarman asserted Wednesday that the police took action against three companies accused of burning the forests in their land clearing efforts.

Whoever [is] doing the forest fires that causes air pollution will be arrested. There are elements of deliberate intent by the offenders," he said. "So far we have found that offenders have come from both the plantation companies and the communities.

He added that 25 people are being investigated. He also stressed the Indonesian police are committed to ensuring enforcement for all involved.

Earlier, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono criticized the handling of the haze as not being fully resolved. The president said authorities must deal firmly with anyone found negligent in contributing to the disaster.

"Actually, the government, both the central and local authorities, has worked to overcome the problems, but not all have been fully resolved," said the president. "Frankly, I would say that the situation is still not good."

The National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) says starting fires to clear land is still common on the island of Sumatra.

The agencys Head of Data Information and Public Relations, Sutopo Purwo Nugroho, said in a press release Wednesday that satellite observations show 145 hotspots in Riau Province.

Dense smoke from the forest fires has reduced visibility to only 200 meters in some places. The smoke is also causing air quality problems in neighboring Malaysia and Singapore.

Air quality problems in previous years have drawn complaints from Indonesia's neighbors.

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Indonesia Intensifies Crackdown on Companies Starting Forest Fires

Indonesia Forest Fire Approaches Residential Area, Adds to Haze
Residents of Indonesia #39;s Riau Province evacuated as forest fire approaches, says Indonesian National Disaster Mitigation Agency. Full Story: A forest fire ha...

By: NTDTV

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Indonesia Forest Fire Approaches Residential Area, Adds to Haze - Video

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

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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
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

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

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.

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Forestry dept attempts to save Kuala Gula wetland

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

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