NEW ZEALAND: Prime Kiwi Habitat to Be Destroyed by Coal Mine
ACTION ALERT
FORWARD WIDELY!
NEW ZEALAND: Prime Kiwi Habitat to Be Destroyed by Coal Mine
by Forests.org, a project of Ecological Internet, Inc.
http://forests.org/
June 30, 2005
TAKE ACTION
New Zealand Government Fails to Protect Endangered National Bird
http://forests.org/action/alert.asp?id=kiwi
New Zealand's (Aotearoa) national bird is the kiwi and the people call themselves kiwis – yet New Zealand’s state-owned coal mining company plans to destroy prime habitat of the endangered great spotted kiwi with a new open pit coal mine. Solid Energy Coals claims it can kill kiwi under the Coal Mines Act despite the species being "absolutely protected" under the Wildlife Act. As well as being prime habitat for the great spotted kiwi, the proposed coal field is home to a rare land snail, red tussock grasslands, wetlands, and beech forest derived from the ancient supercontinent Gondwana. Two open pit mines, disposal areas and roads and offices will scar some 250 hectares of this distinctive landscape, while fouling natural waterways.
Strangely, the New Zealand government is both funding kiwi restoration projects throughout the country to save them from extinction, while simultaneously promoting coal mining which is destroying prime kiwi habitat. A broad coalition of environmental groups is fighting the mine.
Earlier this year local NGOs and a Maori tribe took Solid Energy to court in order to stop the mine. Solid Energy won but is now suing two of the NGOs for costs totaling $US270,000.
Please take the time to demand that Nippon Steel and Mitsubishi Chemical - two prime customers for the high quality coal - not buy coal derived from the habitat of New Zealand's endangered national bird.
http://forests.org/action/alert.asp?id=kiwi
Networked by Forests.org, a project of Ecological Internet, Inc.
gbarry@forests.org
FORWARD WIDELY!
NEW ZEALAND: Prime Kiwi Habitat to Be Destroyed by Coal Mine
by Forests.org, a project of Ecological Internet, Inc.
http://forests.org/
June 30, 2005
TAKE ACTION
New Zealand Government Fails to Protect Endangered National Bird
http://forests.org/action/alert.asp?id=kiwi
New Zealand's (Aotearoa) national bird is the kiwi and the people call themselves kiwis – yet New Zealand’s state-owned coal mining company plans to destroy prime habitat of the endangered great spotted kiwi with a new open pit coal mine. Solid Energy Coals claims it can kill kiwi under the Coal Mines Act despite the species being "absolutely protected" under the Wildlife Act. As well as being prime habitat for the great spotted kiwi, the proposed coal field is home to a rare land snail, red tussock grasslands, wetlands, and beech forest derived from the ancient supercontinent Gondwana. Two open pit mines, disposal areas and roads and offices will scar some 250 hectares of this distinctive landscape, while fouling natural waterways.
Strangely, the New Zealand government is both funding kiwi restoration projects throughout the country to save them from extinction, while simultaneously promoting coal mining which is destroying prime kiwi habitat. A broad coalition of environmental groups is fighting the mine.
Earlier this year local NGOs and a Maori tribe took Solid Energy to court in order to stop the mine. Solid Energy won but is now suing two of the NGOs for costs totaling $US270,000.
Please take the time to demand that Nippon Steel and Mitsubishi Chemical - two prime customers for the high quality coal - not buy coal derived from the habitat of New Zealand's endangered national bird.
http://forests.org/action/alert.asp?id=kiwi
Networked by Forests.org, a project of Ecological Internet, Inc.
gbarry@forests.org
Starmail - 30. Jun, 14:20
