An important letter for Nelson Tax Payers.....

Justine from The Brook

Dear Nelson TAX PAYER,
I just attended a town meetings about the plan to continue funding the
private Brook Sanctuary who leases OUR land. They want money for fencing repair and to air drop Brodifacoum all over the Brook waterways in the facade of killing just possums and rats thus keeping it predator free.
The Brodifacoum guidelines state it is not water soluble and should not be used near water. DOC's own scientific review states it is not a good choice for pest control as the secondary poisoning (effecting all of the food chain) is detrimental to more than the targeted pest. This poison doesn't break down quickly and any larger critters ingesting it dies a really torturous slow death up to two weeks. We are talking this poison effecting ants, worms, All birds, especially hawks and owls, pigs, elk, unsuspecting horses, dogs, and cats! Also water life such as eels! It is not recommended for aerial drop and bait stations are highly suggested with the guidelines to burn or bury carcasses to stop on going poisoning. This poison makes 1080 look like sugar water.
The initial consent applied for and given to the Brook Sanctuary was for a fence and no mention of using Brodifacoum. To make it more insane and underhanded, the resource doesn't require public notification and there will be no required public announcement of the aerial drop . This shotgunapproach will potentially see Brodifacoum spewed all over. Aerial drops are notorious for inaccuracies.
Adding insult to injury, this private trust has already received over a million tax payer dollars and received on May 23 another 100k now and 150k later once a new business plan is submitted. There is no mention this money will not be used for Brodifacoum which many
of us of Nelson oppose!
Many additional issues of great concern have been highlighted by Nelson residents and were brought forward by Councillor Tim Skinner such as the fence is flawed from the beginning and continues to be breeched by landslides. Wildlands Constultants who did the Assessment of Environmental Effects and found “less than minor” effects on the environment so was granted no need to notify the public. It was shown this company had an extreme conflict of interest as they OWN the fence company! In addition, the financial viability of the Brook Sanctuary has been kept secret from the public and it is questionable.

Very disturbing was the lack of transparency and community involvement experienced at this meeting and others as the debate to award them moneyknowing these issues were done in “closed” session as we in the public gallery were ushered out. We were “ allowed” to observe councillors excusing themselves and the hands going up for the vote. Councillor Tim Skinner who had done his homework and presented facts during this closed debate was the only one present who was knowledgeable about Brodifacoum and reported first hand knowledge of the fence being of poor design that would never work for that type of terrain and undermined by constant slips. He raised all issues and it was sickening how it obviously fell on ignorant, deaf ears. He and two other Councillors, Dahlberg and Walker who had been a board member of SPCA, removed themselves from voting as somehow their knowledge and publicly voiced concerns of lack of confidence in the Sanctuary mean they are bias by the guidelines given by the CEO.
Interesting how other councillors who had a vested interest in the sanctuary stayed present. It was disturbing how the Green representatives Matt Lawrey and Kate Fulton showed no scientific knowledge of Brodifacoum and grouped it into the likes of 1080 and obviously didn't do any research to show the properties much more toxic and severe to the environment. The other councillors were just as ignorant and didn't seem to care.
If the Brook Sanctuary with the blessing of “Our” city council get away with this, the unprotected waterways and private property in and along the waterways will be greatly effected and put in harms way. It will effect the tributaries and wildlife down into the sea. It is all connected! I am not fear mongering. This is fact. Forget about having your dogs playing and scavenging around these areas as the so called “Sanctuary” is not and never will be secure and is planning to practice a level of inhumanity to wildlife that words cannot describe. I'm so in shock that this is being allowed to happen because the “right” boxes got ticked by council!

Carleen Reich
22 Springlea Heights
Atawhai, Nelson