The truth — pine trees do NOT cause erosion.
Aside from natural erosion by quake, wind and water, human activity is the prime cause of damaging erosion in this district.
Those who are spreading misinformation about erosion and land use need to pull their heads in — it is blatantly obvious they are using the issue to push their own particular political barrows.
ALL those who occupy and use land are, and have been, responsible for the current state of the land.
The driving force for their short-sighted and selfish actions has been and still is, MONEY.
Long before pine trees came on the scene, the clearing and shaping of the landscape was done because people of all ethnicities wanted to have a better life.
The quickest way, even before the ancient Egyptians, has always been to plunder the land’s natural resources.
Papatuanuku/Mother Earth was safe — until technology gave humans the power to do what they want.
Everywhere humans have set foot — except for an isolated handful — the natural environment, everything on land, sea or air, has been devastated.
This power has freed humans from the necessity of living in balance with nature — and the human population has exploded, consuming and demanding evermore of the planet’s finite resources to meet our “wants”.
From the first arrival of humans in Aotearoa, the story has been one of take, take, take, with land and life being pillaged.
The “economy” (what an astoundingly misapplied word!) has seen village and city alike use, abuse and modify the surrounding areas.
When one activity fails, another takes its place — the relentless, uncaring onslaught continues.
Shore and sea life first, moa next, fire and clearance, new crops and animals such as sheep — roads, cars, factories, dairy farms and intensive agriculture, suburbs and forests — each one a step on the consumptive, destructive path.
I do not want to hear from people who try to point the finger of blame for political purposes — people who want inflict their own world view on the rest of us.
I do not want to hear from self-chosen, unofficial, unelected, mostly unidentified groups, pushing the afore-mentioned barrows.
Where we go as East Coasters, or global citizens, needs everyone on board.
We also need to accept that centuries of unwise behaviour will not be undone overnight, especially if we are to avoid colossal social upheaval.
We cannot simply move people, their jobs, homes and farms, somewhere else. Only a fool would think an easy answer is so-called “managed retreat”. Again, it would be foolish to believe changing land use — or more drastically, “retiring” land — is going to be anything other than tremendously difficult, and fraught with huge emotion and pain.
We need time — lots of it — and steady, constant co-operative effort. Even so, it is very likely we will have to give up much and change our way of living.
But first, stop the lies and manoeuvring for power — admit it is NOT the fault of pine trees!
