Rena Oil Spill cleanup and learning

We celebrate those Iwi and communities in the Bay of Plenty who immediately took action to minimise the probability of this effecting their precious food source, local place, livelihoods and the environment they pass on to their mokopuna.

Our network along with many others draws attention to the use of Fungi and other natural processes to help restore environmental health.

Beach cleanup is now inevitable, but with the high risk of this becoming a much bigger spill crisis, can Stamet style mycoboom technology be adapted immediately as a protection barrier to help block oil on incoming tides from entering river, estuary and inland wetland areas. If it can be made to work, this will greatly reduce the need for future cleanup requirements and the liability for long term community and envirionmental health due to toxic effects.

Some sources and ideas that can help communities do this are shared by fungi guru Paul Stamet in the US; This is based on their oil spill experience, http://www.fungi.com/mycotech/petroleum_problem.html

Maritime NZ and associated authorities need to respond to iwi asserting their responsibilities as kaitiaki of the seabed and foreshore, working as partners to move fast: "A fence at the top of the cliff is far more valuable that an ambulance at the bottom"

With all the equipment supposedly available to respond to oil spills, it is surprising that on our televisions we see little effort to capture some of this pollution at sea close to the spill point and so to prevent much of it reaching our beaches. http://www.maritimenz.govt.nz/Environmental/Responding-to-spills-and-pollution/Spill-response-equipment.asp

See also other work already being done in other parts of the Kaitiakitanga network

Joe Harawira in Whakatane re Toxic Sawmill site Bioremediation.

Hokianga Harbourcare re mycorestoration technology project

Whirinaki - Old forestry / sawmill site decontamination

Biomimicry Public Youth Forum 8th Dec - includes Fungi www.biomimicry.org.nz

Whirinaki Kura - Planning a research project on native fungi for 2012 as part of a larger Rainforest Ecosystem Services Value research program

Info on DIY booms for protection from oil spill shared by Jan Riley, Tauranga

Here are some of the links I have found for groups who might feel the need to protect sensitive areas of our beautiful coastline.

Hair & pantyhose used to create an oil boom

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/07/AR2010050704893.html

and mentioned on ABC news video:http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=2Q0cL4GsSqw

Video demo of home made hair & stocking boom soaking up light oil: http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&v=2Q0cL4GsSqw

Comparison of hair vs synthetic boom: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W68L53WkIAw&feature=related

Gulf spill hair boom photos: http://www.matteroftrust.org/programs/hairmatsPhotos.htm

EVENT LOG:

Date	Details of event, report or action	By
14/10/11	Called by Jan Riley a scientist living in Tauranga, about use of fungi in Bioremediation
14/10/11	Linked in with other Kaitiakitanga members including Joe Harawira in Whakatane
15/10/11	Phoned Fungi Perfecti for information and advice. Circulated network members with this information including Maori and Green parties.
17/10/11	Joe Harawira to circulate to his science network for more input and will connect with other coastal iwi and communities. He has contacts for Jan Riley in Tauranga and Earl Rewi in DOC Murupara (who is also a resident of Matata).
18/10/11	Added links on use of hair booms from Jan Riley
20 10/11	Joe Harawira has had responses from scientists on his toxic site remediation network and has put them in contact with Beverley Hughes, Ngati Awa Environmantal Manager and others to consisder more proactive ways to help immediately reduce the risk of the spill effecting our food water and environment.

NOTICES AND ACHIEVEMENTS:

Our gift to you - download Free Whirinaki Matariki Wall Calendar

What Andree a sustainability writer discovered about Kaitiakitanga

Coming Easter 2010 Biomimicry Exploration - Norbert Hoeller, Auckland
David Bellamy - Moa's Ark revisited tour Whirinaki 25 4-10 Oct 09
The Maori Youth Hikoi to Bioneers Conference, San Francisco 16 Oct 08
VIDEO "Redesigning our Future" - Youth Forum with Michael Braungart

Papakainga Development - Matekuare Whanau Project underway
Minginui Community Gardening - underway thanks to Community Max
Whirinaki Ecological Technology (We-tech) Our pest control innovation

Check out our school's Energy Monitoring / Weatherstation project
Our drama production, kapakaka and other creative initiatives

Ngati Whare Iwi Treaty Settlement signed , incl partnership with DOC
WEMZ - The Whirinaki Ecological Restoration Zone - a project with DOC
DOC partnerships information kiosk, Mangamate, Sanctuary(proposed)
Take a photo tour through our valley see restoration work needed
Ready to start - our Whirinaki Centre, Nursery and Recycling Projects
Our project to upgrade our water supply in Minginui Mar 07
Thanks TPK for facilitating Govt support for Minginui initiatives
Our network's submission to govt on Rural Community Opportunities

Toxin Bioremediation Project started in Whakatane May 09
Celebrate what our friends at Hokianga Harbourcare are doing
Our Network's Mycorestoration Research Project - Fungi and mushroom
Our Lopez friends help Raglan with an affordable housing project

Thanks MfE for a big toxin cleanup on our millsites - July 07
Blocked - our Community Digital Strategy - Whirinaki Interactive 12/06
Prince Andrew adopts our Kiwi, Princess Beatrice on Mokoia Is Mar 07
Our network on the Kiwi Youth Voice learning journey to US. Mar 07
Our network at Youth Voice Digital Earth Summit on Sustainbility Aug 06
We welcomed Hunter Lovins 7-9 July 06, VIDEO view NZ tour resources
Thanks Waikato University for help with broadband 05
Thanks Housing Corp, house painting and marae restoration teams
Go Tramping in Whirinaki. See Kaka, Kiwi, Weka, Robin, Blueduck
Report Living Organisation workshops. Tipu Ake presented worldwide 05
Report Hikoi to Indigenous Knowledges Conf , Well, NZ. June 05
Thanks to UNITEC Architecture Students for help with town plans 04
Report on Sustainable Resources Conf, Colorado 04
Report on PMI Global Forum, Los Angeles Tipu Ake paper 04
Report on Sharing Indigenous Wisdom Conf, Wisconsin, June 04
Int and local visitors attend Tipu Ake Retreat March 04 See report
MPs Horomia and Mallard open our new merged area school Jan 04
Trip to Whaingaroa Env Gp Raglan, Jan04 learnings, VIDEO view

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