CLARENCE VALLEY CONSERVATION COALITION'S VOICES FOR THE EARTH "EARTH MATTERS" SESSIONS START AGAIN ON 18 MARCH 2024

 

Clarence Valley Independent, 6 March 2024:

VOICES FOR THE EARTH

EARTH MATTERS SESSIONS START IN MARCH

The Clarence Valley Conservation Coalition (CVCC) is restarting its Earth Matters environmental information sessions on March 18 after a break in 2020 following the advent of covid.

These public events, introduced in 2004, were held every two months between March and November and were conducted by a range of people from the community, or from government or local environment groups. Sometimes the goal was acquiring information about an issue while at other times it involved exploration of an idea, the seeking of a solution or celebrating the wonders of the natural world.

The range of subjects over the years has included sustainable farming, climate change, the impact of light at night, flying fox ecology, cane toads in the Clarence Valley, Grafton’s tree heritage, riparian vegetation on the floodplain, native bees, waste management and recycling, inspiration for your town garden, conservation in north-west Tasmania, national parks in India and Bhutan, and restoring rainforest.

Recently the CVCC decided to restart these public information sessions. The new venue is the Joan Muir Community Centre in Turf Street, Grafton. Sessions will be held between 6 and 8 pm on the third Monday of the month in March, May, July, September and November. The events will generally consist of a presentation by one or more speakers for an hour, followed by a short question and discussion session and light refreshments. Those attending will be asked to contribute a gold coin to assist with expenses.

The first two presentations have been arranged and the CVCC is looking forward to providing the community with information on a range of important environmental matters from March onwards.

Proposed Mineral Mining in the Clarence Catchment is the subject of the first Earth Matters session on March 18. Shae Fleming, Clarence Catchment Alliance Coordinator (CCA), will discuss the current situation on mining in the Clarence Catchment, CCA's role, the community campaign's aim and progress to date, the threat of mineral mining to our local water, species, environment, social, cultural and economic wellbeing and how you can help.

• Leonie Blain