Hi people. Seems I have loyal following, not nearly as many as when I was in council but never mind. I guess I lost many with the nonsense that went on earlier in the yr.
I have had a bit of a laugh at Regional Council expense a while ago. A Regional Council hopeful, one John Chapman is writing the odd article in the Local papers, complaining about poor water quality, and water abstraction rates.
Well our council promptly published its Across the Region publication, stating that all was honky dory, and what a wonderful job council was doing post the 2015 Floods. Our council rep has a little message saying that councils policies are stricter than the National Policy Statement Fresh Water. I am not sure if that can be as I sure that the environmental bible, the RMA states that council rules and regulations cannot be stricter than National Policy Statements? But of course the NPSFW does state that councils must maintain or enhance. Pretty open ended . Subjective is more the word and believe me every thing to do with the environment is subjective. Of course by the regulatory body involved.
No not me, but then I see every thing in black and white, which the above like to smudge a lot. Blur may be.
A good example of this is can again be found in previous Ruapehu Press or Bulletin publications, and there is Mike Gibbs getting media space complaining about all the farms going to tree’d cover of one description or another. His last press release showed trees by the score (pine) blocking a water way, and in which he complains about the effect on water quality tree cover has. Not only water quality but the economic impact forestry has on our communities.
Well blow me down subsequent to that this last week here we have “Trees okay in State of the Environment Report”. See NZ Farmers Weekly July 4th pg 11. The Environment Commissioner Jan Wright says Trees all good for the environment. Water quality grt under them, and we still have many eroding hills that need trees. The right kind of trees, Pines will not do many instances? but Kauri, Totara, Redwood, Douglas Fir and other timbers will be fine. Is this woman for real.
The Feds environment spokesman got it right when he said, in the same article that accurate facts had not always been available , and are needed, then cocked up by stating that natural Indigenous forested areas had the best water quality. Horizons own report, written by NIWA scientist Graeme Smart refutes this with regard to the Whanganui Catchment when in it he states the water quality upstream of the gorge section of the river is good but deteriorates from the gorge section down. What is significant about that is the gorge section encompasses the National Park. To prove my and Mr Smarts opinion is simple. Canoe it. The Gorge section is choc’a with trees. lying in the bed of the river and just look up the side channels and there they are ,all criss crossed and tangled. They “All” have their root structures in place.
I thought about this and having missed placed a science paper that I had on this issue, decided to look up the Ministry for the Environment web sight and see what they had. There is a lot of science there for reference but one piece caught my eye. Titled Fine Sediment Effects on Freshwaters and the Relationship of Environmental State to Sediment Load. A NIWA Paper prepared for the MfE June 2015.
It is 104 pgs but the guts of the story is that there is not discernible difference between the 2. Forested v pasture. So where is Jan Wright getting her science from? or is she biased in and expressing her own personal “Green View” opinion. Should she be the Commissioner for the Environment? or is she being fed dodgy science by ministry officials, perhaps even the Minister himself.
Lasts months Country Wide Mag has a good article by Keri Johnston, a Environmental Consultant and yes a farmer too. Water quality and swimmable rivers. Page 64.
How do you define swimmable. During a flood? or down stream from a sewage and waste water plant. What about refuse dumps? What about rivers and lakes with large bird populations? She sums it up by saying she does not want her grand kids to inherit a stinky mess ,but she does not want her grandkids to be jobless, or birds such as the black stilt to be wiped out just to satisfy the demands of the looney greeny. My words.
Same Mag page 77 there is a book review some of you may be interested in. Scientist Dr Gerrit J van der Lingens has written a book on the last 15 years of climate debate in NZ and the world. He is a sceptic, claiming climate change is normal and the recent warming is not out of the ordinary.. The Earth is likely going into a cooling period and there are frightening consequences to global warming based policies. Although the author arguments are from a scientists perspective, the reader is left with doubts about the role of science. This books looks at the clash between the rigors of empirical science and the politics of fear.The Farmers Weekly June 06th has a photo on the front page titled. Why won’t scientists speak up. Why won’t they?
On pg 18, headed. Snubbed scientist undaunted. Scientist Nathan Balasingham a bio chemist describes his battle with the establishment getting his product, Biozest approved by AgResearch, and the pastoral Greenhouse Gas Consortium. neither are interested.
The product claims to protect, repairs and grows the plants immunity to improve its health, and aids in the animals digestive system.
Sprayed on pasture, trials have shown a productivity improvement of 30%, reduced urea excretion (N) of 20-48% as well as less methane production. The product is under going final trials, the science behind the product widely published, and the product peer reviewed by the World Technology Network and 60 scientists. Requests to collaborate with our Crown Research Institutes has been rebuffed. One must ask why. Has he single handedly found the answer that $40 million of funding to the Pastoral Green House Consortium has not been able to do. Or is there something else .
On pg 26 same Mag The NZ Farmers Weekly June 6th is the article headed on the Front page. Why are scientists so silent??????
Are scientists misunderstood? or do commercial and political imperatives prevent them speaking out. “Quiet” Proffessor Shaun Hendy says scientists are unwilling or perhaps more to the point, Unable to contribute to the public debate on issues . He says that there has been a real shift over the years on the focus of work and some scientists are alarmed by it, but cannot speak out about it. it is their lively hood at stake. Does not stop Mike Killjoy, Massy Uni from having his say.
My view is that this contestable funding for Crown research institutes is to blame. Scientists have become mercenaries writing anything the employer dictates, to achieve the out comes sort. This is one of the few good things Federated farmers allures to. Accurate facts are not always available .
I have been subjected to the same /similar scenario in the late 1990’s. At Ballentray Research Station Woodville. I and others took part in a bull finishing trial. We bought in 300kg liveweight animals March ,killed them 12mths later at 270kg cold weight. Took 3 yrs to do it, and on step hill country. Last day of the trial the Agrisearch scientist overseeing the trial announced, “this is unsustainable”. He had a sediment trap down in the creek measuring the sediment run off. The whole purpose of the trial was to prove that. Interesting though, was the 2 trial plots/farms, one was resident pasture ,the other Wana Cocks Foot. The resident pasture farm was hit hard in the 2004 storm,whilist the Wana farm came through virtually unscathed. I do not believe you can buy Wana Cocks Foot now.
Conclusion. You have read it. There is the evidence. It seems to me that the powers that be are lining up a few billion people for starvation and death in decades to come. All this Global Warming and Water Quality stuff is leading to the outcome described. carbon and Nitrogen along with water are 2 of the most important elements in sustaining life in all its forms as we no it. Pretty shocking is it not, but what other conclusion can you come too..