Last weekend I spent a cloudy and calm Saturday afternoon down at our local reserve pulling out weeds and planting trees. It’s just a tiny reserve in a spot that was originally used as a dumping site for dirt excavated during subdivision development in the 1960s. Today it’s a few hectares of restored wetland filled with frogs (and cane toads), acacia bushes (and weeds) and a quiet but busy community of snakes.
While planting those tiny baby trees we accidentally tipped over a wheelbarrow of mulch, unearthed an old retaining wall covered in Singapore Daisy weed and argued about the merits of the upcoming Barbie movie.
But what’s that got to do with climate change?
Well, trees are our silent warriors against climate change, absorbing carbon dioxide and releasing oxygen. They are nature's very own carbon sequestration devices. And in Queensland we need them more than ever.
In 2019-2020 Queensland cleared the equivalent of just under two Australian Capital Territories (around 418,000 hectares). The Wilderness Society has been trying to raise awareness of Queensland’s horrific rates of land clearing (deforestation) for years: their research showed that 147,575 hectares of that deforestation occurred in known or likely koala habitat.
While ‘only’ 147,575 hectares of deforestation is better than 2018-2019 (680,000 hectares of habitat destroyed), this decline is nothing to celebrate. Global Forest Watch - an organisation that maps deforestation around the globe - has shown that Queensland deforestation is persistent and consistent every year, while researchers at the University of Queensland have shown that party politics doesn’t affect the chopping.
Global Forest Watch calculates that the loss of 717,000 hectares of Queensland’s forest has generated 208Mt of CO₂e emissions. Fraser Coast lost the most (98,200 hectares), followed by Gympie (59,000 hectares), and Western Downs (51,7000 hectares).
Trees matter. 🌱🌱🌱
Not only for sucking carbon emissions out of the air, but also for providing habitat for Queensland’s rich and vibrant eco-systems. More than 1,800 Australian plants and animals are threatened with extinction: maybe one of them depends on a small slice of habitat found in our local reserve?
The thing about trees is that there are probably some near you. Enjoy the cool Queensland winter to join a landcare/bushcare/climate care group near you. And help others combating deforestation through our range of actions featured this newsletter.
Over to you! 💚🌱🌱👊
What can you do today?
🐝 If you have 5 minutes:
Deforestation is not just a problem in Queensland. Logging of native forests is still happening in Tasmania, despite decades of protest and the legacy of the Franklin campaign. The Bob Brown Foundation continues to call for an end to this logging: help out by signing the Native Forest Declaration.
Action: Add your name to the 50,737 people who have already signed the Native Forest Declaration calling for an end to native forest logging in Australia.
Queensland Conservation Council are also calling to end native forest logging in Queensland. Add you voice to their petition calling for the Queensland government to honor its commitment to double the footprint of protected areas in the state to 17%, and do its bit towards the national target of 30% by 2030.
Action: Sign the QCC petition to save Queensland’s native forests.
🐇 If you have 15 minutes:
I love a good survey. Not only does it give me the opportunity to share my thoughts, but it really helps groups and researchers learn more about creating effective climate action. Take the Greenpeace International survey about how you connect to nature and ways to protest and restore it.
Veterinarian Dr Colette Harmsen is spending 3 months in jail for protecting the ancient forests of takayna, Tasmania. One of Earth’s last great wild places, it deserves secure, permanent protection. Find out more and write to Collette in prison.
Action: Learn more about Dr Harmsen’s anti-logging protests and send her a message of support.
💃🏽 If you have 30 minutes or more:
The Australian Labor Party is hosting its highest-decision-making forum – the National Conference – in Queensland for the first time since the 1970s! Join the one-hour Australian Conservation Foundation webinar to find out how you can use this opportunity to ensure Labor politicians hear Queenslander’s environmental concerns.
Action: RSVP to the ACF webinar on July 25th, 5.30-6.30pm, to learn about National Conference, Queensland’s new climate action plan and have all your questions answered.
Love a good report? Check out the Wilderness Society’s 2-pager on Queensland deforestation. Email it or talk to your local Councillor or MP about it: most political parties say they want to protect our forests, but legislative loopholes and companies funding deforestation continue to have the upper hand.
Action: Read the Wilderness Society’s short deforestation report and email it to Queensland state politicians: find your local member on this searchable site.
Did you hear that Whitehaven Coal failed to renew its $1 billion debt facility, previously financed by NAB and other investors? Together thousands of people talked to NAB executives and staff in communities across the country for nine months: finally NAB listened.
What a win!
But its not over yet: NAB is still the most regressive Australian bank and a climate laggard, increasing its funding of the fossil fuel industry to the tune of $4.5bn. Let’s keep up the pressure and demand no new funding for climate-wrecking fossil fuel projects.
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There’s nothing as restorative (for me) like a lazy afternoon amongst the weeds with my friends in our little local urban bushland haven. Sometimes I even get my family to join me…
That’s all for today, folks 👋🏽 Thanks for taking action. See you in two weeks.
Robyn, Jan, Malcolm and Ron - The Climate Club Qld team
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We live, work and play on the lands of the Yuggara and Turrbal people in and around Meanjin - Brisbane. We pay respect to their Elders, past and present, and acknowledge that sovereignty was never ceded - always was, always will be Aboriginal land.
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