'It's not an isolated incident, just the worst of a range of incidents': Barnaby Joyce on Mr Turner's death. Photo: Marina Neil

The family of an NSW environment compliance officer killed in the line of duty, Glen Turner, has decried potential changes to land clearing laws and says itis "appalled" by a push to reduce penalties for impeding the work of those enforcing them.

In an emotional submission to an independent review of land clearing laws ordered by the state government, the Turner family also criticises the responses of senior Nationals MPs to Mr Turner's death in July after he was allegedly shot by Moree farmer Ian Turnbull, who has been charged with murder.

Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner said the laws "have been a sore point in farming communities", while federal Agriculture Minister Barnaby Joyce said the shooting "is not an isolated incident, this is just the worst of a range of incidents".

Deputy Premier Andrew Stoner. Photo: James Brickwood

Coffs Harbour MP Andrew Fraser said the "tragic" death was "brought about by bad legislation".

Advertisement

The Turners say the comments "exhibited a degree of vitriol and contempt for existing law, that has no place in a tolerant democratic society".

"Given that this review into the vegetation laws was already under way and taking submissions, their comments were highly inappropriate, inexcusable and the source of great hurt to Glen's immediate and extended family, friends and associates," they say.

Shot dead: Glen Turner. Photo: Supplied

See original here:
Family of Glen Turner appalled at proposed changes to land clearing laws

Released: 3-Sep-2014 10:00 AM EDT Embargo expired: 10-Sep-2014 8:00 PM EDT Source Newsroom: Forest Trends Contact Information

Available for logged-in reporters only

Editors Note: The full report as well as supplementary materials are available at http://www.forest-trends.org/illegal-deforestation.php; username: embargoed, password: deforestation

Newswise WASHINGTON, DC (11 September 2014)A comprehensive new analysis released today says that nearly half (49%) of all recent tropical deforestation is the result of illegal clearing for commercial agriculture. The study also finds that the majority of this illegal destruction was driven by overseas demand for agricultural commodities including palm oil, beef, soy, and wood products. In addition to devastating impacts on forest-dependent people and biodiversity, the illegal conversion of tropical forests for commercial agriculture is estimated to produce 1.47 gigatonnes of carbon each yearequivalent to 25% of the EUs annual fossil fuel-based emissions.

Weve known that the production of agricultural commodities is a principal driving force behind deforestation, but this is the first report to show the outsize role that illegal activities play in the production of hundreds of food and household products consumed worldwide, said Michael Jenkins, President and CEO of Forest Trends, a Washington-based NGO that published the report.

"Increased agricultural production will be necessary for food security and to meet the demand of the emerging global middle class. However, the world must also wake up to the scale of how much of this agricultural production is taking place on land that has been illegally cleared. Urgent action is needed to help countries where these agricultural products are being grown, both for governments to enforce their own laws and regulations, and for businesses aiming to produce commodities legally and sustainably."

According to the study, Consumer Goods and Deforestation: An Analysis of the Extent and Nature of Illegality in Forest Conversion for Agriculture, 90% of the deforestation in Brazil from 2000 to 2012 was illegal, primarily due to the failure to conserve a percentage of natural forests in large-scale cattle and soy plantations, as required by Brazilian law. (Much of this occurred prior to 2004, when the Brazilian government took steps to successfully reduce deforestation.) And in the forests of Indonesia, 80% of deforestation was illegalmostly for large-scale plantations producing palm oil and timber, 75% of which is exported. While other countries also experience high levels of illegal deforestation, Brazil and Indonesia produce the highest level of agricultural commodities destined for global markets, many of which wind up in cosmetics or household goods (palm oil), animal feed (soy), and packaging (wood products).

Illegal deforestation is also rampant in most other countries across Asia, Latin America, and Africa losing large areas of tropical forest. Examples include the following:

In Papua New Guinea, millions of hectares of forest have been illegally licensed for deforestation in recent years; a recent Parliamentary inquiry in the country found that 90% of these licenses were issued by corrupt or fraudulent means. In Tanzania, forests have been illegally razed to make way for jatropha, a plant commonly used to produce biofuels. Cambodia, along with neighboring Laos, is experiencing unprecedented growth in commercial agriculture. By the end of 2012, the government handed 2.6 million hectares of land, much of it forested, to large-scale agriculture producers. In Bolivia, soy75% of which is exportedis the main engine behind illegal deforestation in the countrys stretch of Amazon.

In most cases, the companies that illegally razed forests to grow these crops had some form of government permit in hand. However, the report finds that it was also often the case that these permits were corruptly issued or fraudulently obtained; that these companies were missing additional required permits and licenses; or that these companies violated laws when clearing and planting, causing significant negative impacts on the environment and the rights of local people who have lived in these forests for generations and who depend on them for their food and incomes.

Link:
New Report: Illegal Land Clearing for Commercial Agriculture Responsible for Half of Tropical Deforestation

9 hours ago

A comprehensive new analysis released today says that nearly half (49%) of all recent tropical deforestation is the result of illegal clearing for commercial agriculture. The study also finds that the majority of this illegal destruction was driven by overseas demand for agricultural commodities including palm oil, beef, soy, and wood products. In addition to devastating impacts on forest-dependent people and biodiversity, the illegal conversion of tropical forests for commercial agriculture is estimated to produce 1.47 gigatonnes of carbon each yearequivalent to 25% of the EU's annual fossil fuel-based emissions.

"We've known that the production of agricultural commodities is a principal driving force behind deforestation, but this is the first report to show the outsize role that illegal activities play in the production of hundreds of food and household products consumed worldwide," said Michael Jenkins, President and CEO of Forest Trends, a Washington-based NGO that published the report.

"Increased agricultural production will be necessary for food security and to meet the demand of the emerging global middle class. However, the world must also wake up to the scale of how much of this agricultural production is taking place on land that has been illegally cleared. Urgent action is needed to help countries where these agricultural products are being grown, both for governments to enforce their own laws and regulations, and for businesses aiming to produce commodities legally and sustainably."

According to the study, Consumer Goods and Deforestation: An Analysis of the Extent and Nature of Illegality in Forest Conversion for Agriculture, 90% of the deforestation in Brazil from 2000 to 2012 was illegal, primarily due to the failure to conserve a percentage of natural forests in large-scale cattle and soy plantations, as required by Brazilian law. (Much of this occurred prior to 2004, when the Brazilian government took steps to successfully reduce deforestation.) And in the forests of Indonesia, 80% of deforestation was illegalmostly for large-scale plantations producing palm oil and timber, 75% of which is exported. While other countries also experience high levels of illegal deforestation, Brazil and Indonesia produce the highest level of agricultural commodities destined for global markets, many of which wind up in cosmetics or household goods (palm oil), animal feed (soy), and packaging (wood products).

Illegal deforestation is also rampant in most other countries across Asia, Latin America, and Africa losing large areas of tropical forest. Examples include the following:

In most cases, the companies that illegally razed forests to grow these crops had some form of government permit in hand. However, the report finds that it was also often the case that these permits were corruptly issued or fraudulently obtained; that these companies were missing additional required permits and licenses; or that these companies violated laws when clearing and planting, causing significant negative impacts on the environment and the rights of local people who have lived in these forests for generations and who depend on them for their food and incomes.

"All over the tropics, companies are bribing officials to obtain permits, trampling the legal or customary rights of Indigenous Peoples and other forest-dwelling communities, clearing more forest than they are allowed, and causing pollution and environmental devastation by flouting the law," said Sam Lawson, the report author.

Export Agriculture a Key Driver of Illegal Deforestation

According to the report, the international trade in agricultural commodities (beef, leather, soy, palm oil, and wood products, including paper) produced on land illegally converted from tropical forest is worth an estimated US$61 billion per year. The EU, China, India, Russia, and the US are among the largest buyers of these commodities.

Read the original post:
Illegal land clearing for commercial agriculture responsible for half of tropical deforestation

press release

Washington, DC A comprehensive new analysis released today says that nearly half (49%) of all recent tropical deforestation is the result of illegal clearing for commercial agriculture.

The study also finds that around half of this illegal destruction was driven by overseas demand for agricultural commodities including palm oil, beef, soy, and wood products.

In addition to devastating impacts on forest-dependent people and biodiversity, the illegal conversion of tropical forests for commercial agriculture is estimated to produce 1.47 gigatonnes of carbon each year-- equivalent to 25% of the EU's annual fossil fuel-based emissions.

"We've known that the production of agricultural commodities is a principal driving force behind deforestation, but this is the first report to show the outsize role that illegal activities play in the production of hundreds of food and household products consumed worldwide," said Michael Jenkins, President and CEO of Forest Trends, a Washington-based NGO that published the report.

"Increased agricultural production will be necessary for food security and to meet the demand of the emerging global middle class. However, the world must also wake up to the scale of how much of this agricultural production is taking place on land that has been illegally cleared. Urgent action is needed to help countries where these agricultural products are being grown, both for governments to enforce their own laws and regulations, and for businesses aiming to produce commodities legally and sustainably."

According to the study, Consumer Goods and Deforestation: An Analysis of the Extent and Nature of Illegality in Forest Conversion for Agriculture, 90% of the deforestation in Brazil from 2000 to 2012 was illegal, primarily due to the failure to conserve a percentage of natural forests in large-scale cattle and soy plantations, as required by Brazilian law. (Much of this occurred prior to 2004, when the Brazilian government took steps to successfully reduce deforestation.)

And in the forests of Indonesia, 80% of deforestation was illegal--mostly for large-scale plantations producing palm oil and timber, 75% of which is exported. While other countries also experience high levels of illegal deforestation, Brazil and Indonesia produce the highest level of agricultural commodities destined for global markets, many of which wind up in cosmetics or household goods (palm oil), animal feed (soy), and packaging (wood products).

Illegal deforestation is also rampant in most other countries across Asia, Latin America, and Africa losing large areas of tropical forest. Examples include the following:

In most cases, the companies that illegally razed forests to grow these crops had some form of government permit in hand. However, the report finds that it was also often the case that these permits were corruptly issued or fraudulently obtained; that these companies were missing additional required permits and licenses; or that these companies violated laws when clearing and planting, causing significant negative impacts on the environment and the rights of local people who have lived in these forests for generations and who depend on them for their food and incomes.

More:
Africa: Illegal Land Clearing for Commercial Agriculture Responsible for Half of Tropical Deforestation

Need Some Land Clearing in Houston? Call Land Clearing in Texas!
http://www.landclearingoftexas.com Land Clearing of Texas offers Land Clearing, Excavation, Hydro Ax Mulching, Bull Dozing, Site Preparation, Demolition and ...

By: Hannah Thames

See the original post:
Need Some Land Clearing in Houston? Call Land Clearing in Texas! - Video

Clearing controversy: A leaflet that dropped around the Beecroft area to take advantage of the new laws.

Tree lopping companies have been pamphlet dropping and offering discounts for entire streets on the back of new bushfire laws that allow land-clearing in urban areas, as councils plead with the Rural Fire Service to intervene.

Mosman Council has reported that 14 trees on private property had been removed last week for improved views and another five are expected to be chopped down this week when the residents are able to engage busy contractors.

Eight trees had been removed for development applications and the council received 25 calls from the public about removing trees for development under the 10/50 laws, whichallow peoplewho are living within 350 metres of designated bushfire prone areas to clear trees on their property within 10 metres of a home and shrubs within 50 metres, without seeking approval. It makes no distinction between bushland and urban areas.

Mosman deputy mayor Roy Bendall said the council had presented evidence of the tree lopping to the RFS last week and they had been promised a "workshop".

Advertisement

Mr Bendall said hefeared it was all "window dressing, trying to placate us and not face the fact that, while this policy has merit in rural and heavily vegetated areas, the sheer scale of the clearing zones is ridiculous in highly urbanised areas".

"When you have Spit Road in the clearing zone, you have to wonder if enough thought has gone into this?" Mr Bendallsaid.

Mosman Council has moved to make urgent representations to the Premier, the Minister for the Environment and the Minister for Emergency Services about the excessive clearing and the impact it is having on the character of the suburb.

Greens MP David Shoebridge said local neighbourhoods are banding together to fight the laws in a campaign "to give 10/50 the chop".

Continued here:
Tree loppers touting for business under new bushfire laws

Former Israeli President Shimon Peres said the governments appropriation of West Bank land for settlement is damaging talks for a lasting diplomatic accord with the Palestinians.

We have to agree not to continue the building of new settlements while we are negotiating, Peres said in a Bloomberg Television interview in Cernobbio, Italy. You cannot quarrel and negotiate at the same time. So we have to agree on a quid-pro-quo situation.

Israel last week announced it was declaring about 1,000 acres of territory south of Bethlehem as state property, clearing the way for eventual construction of new settlements there. The seizure was condemned by the Palestinians, the U.S. and the United Nations as detrimental to the peace process.

Peress comments reflect the division in Israel over new settlements and peace talks with the Palestinians. Israeli Economy Minister Naftali Bennett last week defended the moves, adding that a Palestinian state was not working. Finance Minister Yair Lapid said the appropriation in the Gush Etzion region was taken without cabinet approval and causes damage to Israel.

The U.S. called on Israel to reverse the land seizures, and expressed concern about reports of settlement plans in east Jerusalem. Such measures are contrary to Israels stated goal of negotiating a permanent status agreement with the Palestinians, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Jen Psaki said in an e-mailed statement.

Palestinians say Israeli construction in the West Bank and east Jerusalem is a war crime that violates the Fourth Geneva Convention. Israel says the settlements dont fall under the convention because the territory wasnt recognized as belonging to anyone before the 1967 war, in which Israel prevailed, and therefore isnt occupied.

To contact the reporters on this story: David Wainer in Tel Aviv at dwainer3@bloomberg.net; Flavia Rotondi in Rome at rotondi@bloomberg.net

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Dick Schumacher at dschumacher@bloomberg.net Stephen Kirkland, Vernon Wessels

Press spacebar to pause and continue. Press esc to stop.

Link:
Israels Peres Says West Bank Land Appropriation Damages Talks

New Road in Madaka, land clearing - Sierra Leone
SMHC - Saint Mary #39;s Home of Charity New road from Madaka to Songo.

By: SMHC - St. Mary #39;s Home of Charity - SIERRA LEONE

See original here:
New Road in Madaka, land clearing - Sierra Leone - Video

10/50 farce gives green light for clearing native vegetation
The 10/50 rule has created an atmosphere of unrestrained land clearing in Western Sydney.

By: Daniel Taylor

See the original post here:
10/50 farce gives green light for clearing native vegetation - Video

Busch Gardens Williamsburg Construction Update Labor Day Weekend 2015 Coaster
An update on the construction from Busch Gardens on Labor Day weekend. A new roller coaster is scheduled to be built next to Apollo #39;s Chariot in 2015, and so in this video, you #39;ll get a glimpse...

By: Coaster Studios

Read the original:
Busch Gardens Williamsburg Construction Update Labor Day Weekend 2015 Coaster - Video