Perth Voice Interactive

PADDY CULLEN is a long-time environmental activist who’s doing some work with The Wilderness Society to save our northern jarrah forest.

THE northern jarrah forest is one of the world’s great natural wonders.

Encompassing over a third of the South West forests in WA, it is incredibly beautiful and diverse.

Tiny quokkas, woylies and numbats bounce and scurry under the ancient stringy-barked jarrah which shares its home with the spongy-barked marri (a Noongar medicine tree) and the bull banksia, a food source for a plethora of creatures from tiny honey possums to the magnificent black cockatoos.

In the east, jarrah mingles with wandoo woodlands and further south with giant karri and tingle. 

Thus Noongar people considered it the connector tree.

Noongar elder Noel Nannup says “Jarrah means to spread out. Above the ground and below the ground. Interconnecting with every species, letting us communicate throughout Noongar country.”

This includes over 8500 species that make the South West a global biodiversity hotspot. 

With almost half of which grow nowhere else on the planet, it is the prime place for unique species anywhere in Australia

We rightly celebrated when industrial logging stopped in WA but sadly the northern jarrah forest is still not safe from bauxite mining which has gone on for over 60 years unabated. 

United Nations scientists say this entire ecosystem is also under threat of collapse from climate change and as predicted thousands of hectares died off in the last year in unprecedented heat and drought.

Clearly, it is time to rethink mining and increase protection to provide resilience to this area which has been cared for by Noongar people in an incredible shape for tens of thousands of years.

Last week I visited a once-ancient jarrah forest with locals and colleagues from the Wilderness Society. 

There is just a thin thread of forest left on this hill (just above my head). But even this patch is not safe, with blasting currently underway, taking out one of the Earth’s great global biodiversity hotspots and spreading toxic dust around the community.

Endangered Ngolyenoks (Carnaby’s black cockatoos) are also flying into the area from the Wheatbelt woodlands due to a food shortage where the drought is taking a further deadly grip. 

However, when they arrive for respite, they are sorely disappointed at the Martian landscape that has replaced their forest. 

Wildlife carers report picking up more exhausted and emaciated birds than they have ever seen.

This is the work of South32 in Quindanning. 

Alcoa is also playing the same game in Jarrahdale, threatening ecosystems, wildlife, air quality and according to the Water Authority, 18 per cent of Perth’s drinking water is being put at risk.

While bauxite miners want to expand further into the forest, their tailings and dams have failed all recent safety audits. 

The situation is so bad the Environmental Protection Authority says a strategic assessment is necessary to ensure its ongoing survival. 

If we can get them to follow through with this, we can save the forest.

I am smiling in this picture because the evidence and community pressure are mounting, and together we have a chance to end forest mining just as we ended industrial forest logging.

Of course, this will only happen if people come out again and there are several ways you can get involved including forest tours  and craft evenings where we will work on heart-shaped art and petition projects.

We know from the past that individually we are strong, but together we are unstoppable.  Please get involved and help us save the Jarrah forever.

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THE Wilderness Society is helping the Jarrah Forest Protectors run a series of forest tours of the best and worst and learn to connect through craft and social media with key MPs and Ministers. The first will be run on Sunday October 6, leaving from Pioneer Park in Fremantle ($30 with morning tea). wilderness.nationbuilder.com/wa_jarrah_forest_tour24

WE are also running a series of free Jarrah Forest Hearts and Crafts workshops. The first workshop will be held at The Meeting Place in Fremantle on Friday October 11 from 3.30pm. wilderness.nationbuilder.com/jarrah_hearts_and…

THE day after this workshop is a major rally. On Saturday, October 12 from noon at the Quindanning Hotel, we will stand in solidarity with First Nations people and locals who are rallying to stop the destruction to the Jarrah Forest wrought by South32. It is a beautiful drive down and well worth the effort to support this campaign. http://www.facebook.com/events/1542730583301657/