Massive clearing of forested areas, impacting bird life, native habitats, waterways, bushfire risk, and greenhouse gas emissions will be the result of the council's "develop at any cost" attitude. 

The council’s plans ignore warnings in the expert reports it itself commissioned.

The NSW Office of Environment and Heritage, NSW RFS, and Local Land Services have lodged objections to the council's proposal. 

We all love the beauty, natural values and stunning landscape of the South Coast.

To preserve this, we should write to the council objecting to this proposed rezoning.

Already, hundreds of submissions have been received.

Only a massive public outcry will make this council listen to reason. 

What’s fishing got to do with forestry?

The logging of Corunna Forest is not just about trees removed for timber and woodchips exported to Japanese paper mills.

Scientific studies including the Eurobodalla Shire Council Coastal Lakes Enquiry, the Healthy Rivers Commission by the NSW Government, and PhD research by Daniel Spooner indicate restrictions on Forestry won’t protect the fragile ecosystems in Corunna and Tilba lakes. 

A quote from Daniel Spooner: “Coastal lakes are considered one of the most highly productive systems on earth, and both Corunna and Nangudga Lake have relatively high TN and TP concentrations that are commonly associated with relatively high phytoplankton biomasses.

During summer 2002,Tilba Lake (10 km from Corunna Lake) experienced fish kills that were attributed to a three-month long algal bloom that consisted of blue green algae (Anabena sp.) and unidentified green algae.

More recently, (autumn 2003) various agencies have revealed the algal species Prorocentrum cordatum (potentially toxic to shellfish and the species has been linked to human symptoms such as gastrointestinal disorders, headache, feebleness and dizziness) and Hetenosigma akashiwo (potentially toxic to fish causing gills clogging and damage) were present in Wallaga Lake.”

The reasons not to log Corunna Forest outweigh the reasons to log.

Can we afford to allow this habitat to be logged when we are experiencing climate change and losing our bio-diversity at a rate greater than most countries?

Water, water everywhere … somewhere … anywhere?

You'd have to agree with John Ramsay's conclusions that fishing does have a lot to do with forestry and vice versa.

Indeed our lives and health depend on water - without water, we simply will not survive. Let's be sure that among its many other important matters, our council is doing its utmost to ensure the long-term security of our shire's water supply and, importantly, that residents are kept aware of what's happening.

Towards the end of the previous drought, it was suggested each issue of the shire papers should contain a report on the amount of water in Deep Creek dam.

As we are approaching similar weather and climate conditions, should we be asking for this to be established on a continuing basis along with details of flows in feeder waterways, progress with the new southern dam and other related matters simply to keep these matters on the top of our priority lists?

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw an advertisement about FOGO (a kerbside Food Organics Garden Organics bin collection service, converting scraps to compost).

I was just watching War on Waste and thought this was such a great idea, so I jumped for joy as the advertisement said FOGO was coming to town from October 29^th.

But I then sat down very quickly, as it was just for the Bega Valley.

I think Eurobodalla Shire Council should be in on it as well.

Let’s get this rolling immediately, Eurobodalla Shire.

The majority of Australians are touched by the impact of mental health in some way.

Many live with the daily burden of anxiety or depression, or care for a loved one. Devastatingly, thousands of Australians die by suicide each year and many more make an attempt. It is the leading cause of death for Australians between 15 and 44 years of age, but it can be prevented.

There are thousands of people working tirelessly to make a difference in this field and their efforts could not be more urgent. Anyone who knows of such a person would no doubt appreciate their achievements, but I would encourage them to take it one step further and nominate them for the Australian Mental Health Prize.

Acknowledging those who work or volunteer in the industry is an important part of the process to destigmatising mental illness.

More information and nomination forms can be obtained from www.australianmentalhealthprize.org.au  

Entries close on 7 September.