by Michelle Hamrosi
Joined by Glossy Black-Cockatoos chorusing from nearby trees, a group of Broulee residents came together on Friday night. As the sun set over the Bangalay Sand Forest, the group lit candles and gathered in a circle to mark the loss of the remnant stand of forest along Broulee Road.
Organiser Dr Geoff Berry said: “It is important to mark the loss of our community forest. Our community has been ignored by Council decision-makers, who will not engage with the people they supposedly serve. Just ask the residents on Clarke Street, who first learnt about the plans, when the bulldozers started their engines.”(For further details, please read the letter from Andrew Bain, Acting President of BMPCA at https://www.beagleweekly.com.au/post/on-open-letter-to-dr-catherine-dale-from-broulee)
Vigil organisers recognise the Council is not in breach of any legislation or regulation. But the law does not exist in a moral vacuum. A local Council needs to recognise that its success depends upon representation of, and engagement with, the community. “There is a growing sense of frustration and anger at the fortress mentality that pervades the current Council and the administration that is supposed to serve them.” Geoff Berry added: “There are real questions around how this situation arose, which will be contested.”
Geoff led the vigil in a song, which expressed the feeling of being a tree in kinship with the country and also feeling connected to the earth. “Because when you feel connected to the earth, you can get a feeling of empowerment back and a feeling you belong somewhere, somewhere you want to take care of,” he said.
The words of the song reached the remaining trees and creatures:
“Put your roots down, put your feet on the ground you can hear what she says if you’re listening.
Put your roots down, get your feet on the ground, you can hear what she says if you’re listening.
It’s the sweet sound of the river as it flows across the stones
It’s the same sound as the blood in your body as it moves across your bones
If you’re listening
If you’re listening.”
As the light faded, the Glossy Black-Cockatoos spread their wings and went to find hollows in old eucalyptus trees for the night. Their squawks sounded disgruntled, like they too were unhappy about their homes being destroyed. The Biodiversity Conservation Act protects birds such as the Glossy Black-Cockatoo, but weak land clearing laws are failing to protect the habitat on which their survival depends. If the broad-scale clearing seen at Broulee is acceptable and legal, then the laws need to be strengthened.
Just this week, a report found that in 2019, every two days, NSW lost the equivalent of Sydney’s CBD to clearing for farming, forestry and development. We are seeing laws that allow the acceleration of deforestation. This cannot be wise or acceptable in 2021, with everything we know about ecosystem breakdown and the increasing climate crisis.
Local resident and mother of three, Michelle Hamrosi, attended Friday’s vigil with her family. Saddened by the events, Michelle said: “Over the last week, all eyes were on the Broulee development, many were moist with fresh tears, including my own. Tears that came from a place of deep shock at the violence perpetrated against an iconic and treasured forest. This forest was listed as an endangered ecological community that no amount of offset can replace. It came through the fires unscathed, unlike much of our coast. A lot of people are deeply hurting and want to hold those responsible accountable, whilst they care for each other through these difficult times.” During the vigil, Michelle’s son, Hugo, aged 7, then read out his poem in the candlelight.
“The trees are our brothers and sisters.
The trees breathe in what we breathe out.
And we breathe in what trees breathe out.
If we hurt the earth, we hurt ourselves.
If we are gentle and kind to the earth,
Then the earth is gentle and kind to us.
We should all love the earth and not harm her anymore.”
Many children attended the vigil with their parents. Attending local resident and mother of two, Erin Patrick said: “The children are listening, they are seeing, and they are scared by what adults are doing to the world they will inherit. They understand and feel sad at the loss of the forests. They understand the importance of trees for all of life on earth, including our own.” Erin went on to play a moving song, Ashoken Farewell, on her violin as the group listened in quiet reflection.
The vigil closed with the Reverend Linda Chapman’s thoughts, imparted with love and warmth to those present. “We are not allowing this devastation to go unwitnessed. We are not standing by to allow this to happen. Around the world people are waking up to the urgent need to care for the earth and are taking action. In small ways, such as this vigil, in actions to address climate change, in deep concern for animals and their destroyed habitat, we are seeing a social tipping point where people are not prepared to stand by and allow this to happen.”
