The second Kooma Green School will be held at Murra Murra on the traditional lands of the Kooma people.  Dates are 5--7 September with the option to stay for the rest of the week if you can.  Organised by the Kooma Traditional Owners Association and the Green Institute, this Green School will focus on defining what an Indigenous ‘green new deal’ might look like.  All welcome!

What natural ecosystems do best is store carbon—as well as looking after wildlife and watersheds and simply being beautiful.  Protecting and enhancing biodiversity is a critical part of responding to the climate crisis because there simply is not enough land or water or time to replace carbon lost through clearing or native forest logging.  In Australia, native forest clearing and logging are 20% of the emissions problem and need a proportionate amount of resources, money and policy attention.

Forests adjacent to Ben Lomond National Park - storing carbon but zoned for logging.  Photos Rob Blakers

Wielangta Forest, on the east coast of Tasmania near Maria Island, was the centre of an epic court case, two years in the making and three years in the courts.  Senator Bob Brown contended that Forestry Tasmania’s logging practices were driving the endangered Swift Parrot, Tasmanian Wedge-tailed Eagle and Wielangta Stag Beetle closer to extinction.  After a marathon 33 days in court, the trial judge, Justice Marshall agreed and ruled that logging Wielangta was illegal.  Then the Tasmanian Premier and then Prime Minister Howard changed the rules—overnight.  Instead of the Regional Forest Agreement requiring endangered species to be protected, it now says that they already are protected—even though the court found the opposite!

Wielangta picnic, July 2008

Australia will have an emissions trading scheme in two years.  So far there has been very little discussion about how or whether green carbon (from living systems) should be incorporated in the scheme.  Is it feasible to eliminate the substantial emissions from land clearing, native forest logging, and agriculture through trading?  How can we best encourage the enormous opportunities for biosequestration in native vegetation from forests to savannas and the vast tracts of degraded pastoral land? 

This special Green School was jointly organised by the Kooma Traditional Owners Association and the Green Institute.  And it was wonderful!

Are you interested in learning campaign skills?  Here’s your chance!