Latest news with #EnvironmentDepartment
CTV News
a day ago
- Health
- CTV News
Winnipeg mayor disappointed in Manitoba's decision to deny ground squirrel control plan
Winnipeg's mayor said he's disappointed in the Manitoba government's decision to deny the city's plan to use a sulfur gas pesticide to control ground squirrel populations. 'I think this delays our efforts and the need to control the population so we can fix our fields,' he said on Monday. The city has been planning to eradicate ground squirrels from athletic fields using a pesticide method known as the 'Giant Destroyer.' The program was supposed to begin last month. However, it was put on pause while the province made a decision on Winnipeg's pesticide-use permit, which it has since rejected. Following this decision, Gillingham said the city is continuing to look at options to solve the issue of ground squirrels damaging athletic fields. 'We have to make sure that our soccer, baseball, football fields and diamonds are in good shape for public use,' he said. 'These are city assets for the public.' Gillingham added that ground squirrels are making it dangerous for people to use these facilities, and he doesn't want the condition of the city's fields to cause any injuries. In a statement, Environment Minister Mike Moyes said the province's decision was informed by consultations with health, environment and wildlife experts. He added the Department of Environment and Climate Change received nearly 6,300 submissions expressing concern about the plan. 'The province is open to considering alternative control methods that demonstrate a balanced approach—addressing both operational needs and the environmental values expressed by the public,' the statement said. 'Approval will be based on proposals that reflect this balance and show a commitment to responsible pest management.' Animal advocates pleased with decision Kaitlyn Mitchell, director of legal advocacy with Animal Justice, said the province's decision is a big win for animals. 'Not only did they do the right thing here and they've prevented really unnecessary suffering, but they also looked at the law and they looked at the science and saw that there actually are more humane alternatives that can be used here,' she said. Mitchell described the Giant Destroyer as 'gas bombs,' explaining it causes animals to suffer slow deaths that can take up to an hour. She suggests that instead of the Giant Destroyer, Winnipeg should look at habitat measures or live trapping and removing the animals. 'Ultimately what it comes down to is the city should be consulting with experts on this topic and making a science-based plan,' she said. 'The plan that they had put forward was not science-based at all.'
ABC News
3 days ago
- General
- ABC News
Queensland snake catcher warns public that killing snakes risks huge fines
Readers are advised this story contains an image that some people may find distressing. A Sunshine Coast-based snake catcher was called for assistance to relocate a red-bellied black snake on a resident's property. By the time the crew arrived, the snake was dead. They say it had been chopped in half. The incident has been reported to the Queensland Environment Department, which confirmed to the ABC it is investigating, and wasn't able to provide further comment. It's prompted a warning from Stuart McKenzie from Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers, who described the killing of any snake as unnecessary. "Snakes don't need to be killed, and there's always an alternative," Mr McKenzie said. A post on social media about the incident prompted a massive response and divided opinions. A spokesperson for the Environment Department said it would be "inappropriate" to make any further comment on this specific matter. But under state law, it's an offence to kill a snake, and doing so can attract a fine of more than $16,000. According to the department, Queensland is home to about 120 species of snakes, with about 65 per cent of these being venomous. It advises against killing a snake not only because it's illegal to do so, but because it "places you at a higher risk of being bitten if you force the snake to defend itself". Its official advice is: If you encounter a snake, don't panic. Back away to a safe distance and allow the snake to move away. Snakes often want to escape when disturbed. When left alone, snakes present little or no danger to people. Mr McKenzie said people placed themselves in more danger of being bitten if they tried to kill a snake. "People think that … you know, chopping the snake in half is protecting everybody," he said. He advises keeping a safe distance and letting it move on, or, calling for help if needed. Commercial snake catchers are licensed to remove and relocate snakes that are found on people's properties. As urban sprawl continues, Mr McKenzie said interactions between snakes and humans were becoming increasingly common in south-east Queensland. His main piece of advice was for people to stay as calm as possible and try not to interact with the snake. If it's in the house, Mr McKenzie advised getting everyone out of the house until someone could get there to help. "In the time it takes you to run outside to the shed, find a shovel, run back in and try and chase after the snake, you could have got all your family and pets outside in that time," he said. "[That way] you're not putting yourself in danger. You're not putting your kids in danger." And if it's outside, he advises going inside and shutting the door as well as keeping pets in. "It's honestly that simple," he said. Queensland's Health Department advises that in the event of a snake bite, people should call triple-0, and the person who has been bitten should lie down while awaiting an ambulance. The department says all snake bites should be treated as dangerous.
New Indian Express
4 days ago
- Business
- New Indian Express
Liberian ship wreckage: Kerala government to discuss financial package with shipping company
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A day after declaring the wreckage of MSC ELSA 3 off the Kerala coast a state disaster, the state government has taken steps to negotiate a financial package with the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC), the owner of the sunken vessel. The government is seeking financial support for risk and damage assessments, management strategies, and remedial actions, including compensation. A seven-member committee has been formed, headed by the Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) of the Finance Department, to negotiate with MSC. Other members include the ACS of the Local Self Government Department (LSGD), Principal Secretaries from the Revenue and Disaster Management, Industries, and Agriculture Departments, as well as the Secretary of the Environment Department. The Member Secretary of the Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) will act as the convenor and main point of contact with the shipping company. The committee will also oversee a two-tier mechanism at the state and district levels to address and suggest measures for mitigating the impact of potential coastal pollution. The state-level committee, chaired by the Secretary of the Science and Technology Department, consists of eight members. It will guide pollution control activities at the district level through policy directives, advisories, resource mobilisation, and support the Environment Department in conducting assessment studies for restoration and remediation.
South Wales Guardian
5 days ago
- Business
- South Wales Guardian
Cutting nature-friendly farming budget would be ‘devastating', Government warned
Environmentalists warned that cutting the spend on the post-Brexit farming schemes, which pay farmers and landowners to deliver public goods such as hedgerows, wildflower habitat and clean water, would 'remove all hope' of the Government meeting targets to reverse nature's declines. And farmers, who have already been hit by changes to inheritance tax and the abrupt closure of this year's sustainable farming incentive (SFI), the biggest strand of the environmental land management scheme (Elms), said cuts would be 'disastrous'. The warnings come in the face of reports that the Environment Department (Defra's) nature-friendly farming budget, which has replaced EU agricultural subsidies based mostly on the amount of land farmed, will be cut in the forthcoming spending review. The Government announced a 'record' £5 billion spending over two years on sustainable farming, but the long term future of the funding looks threatened by looming departmental cuts, while there are concerns cash could be targeted at small farms or in certain areas rather than across the countryside. Environmentalists warned that the nature-friendly farming budget was the UK's biggest spend on nature and, with 70% of land used for farming, key to meeting the Government's manifesto pledge to achieve targets to halt declines in nature by 2030. Barnaby Coupe, senior land use policy manager at The Wildlife Trusts, says: 'Rumours of further cuts to the farming budget are deeply concerning and, if true, would cripple funding for restoring nature and remove all hope of reaching the Government's targets for wildlife recovery.' He warned the £2.5 billion a year in the current farming budget 'already falls short' of what was needed, adding: 'Whittling this down further will see progress stall and reverse.' 'If the cuts go ahead, the Government's promise to bring back wildlife will be in tatters – and farmers will be left unsupported to adapt to extreme climate change and exposed to the whims of market forces demanding unsustainable and intensified food production.' Richard Benwell, chief of Wildlife and Countryside Link, said: 'Cutting the nature-friendly farming budget would be devastating for nature, farmers and rural communities.' He said that a transition to nature-friendly farming could help reverse declines in rivers, woodland, wildflowers and wildlife, at the same time as reducing air, soil and water pollution, and supporting a thriving profitable farming sector and rural communities. 'But without a decent budget to pay farmers for the environmental benefits they provide, the future of entire ecosystems will be in doubt.' Martin Lines, chief executive of the Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN), said: 'These cuts would be disastrous if implemented, with the negative impact felt far beyond farming and reaching the wider public. 'Investing in nature-friendly farming helps protect communities from the devastation of flooding. 'It reduces the impact of climate change by protecting and restoring carbon-storing habitats such as peatland. 'It also supports the delivery of affordable, renewable energy.' He said that if the Government was serious about sustainable growth and long-term food production, it needed to invest in England's landscapes, adding: 'Farmers are ready to play their part, but they are being let down by ministers turning off the funding tap. 'The simplest, most cost-effective solution to the problems we face is to invest now. 'If we fail to act, and wait until the impacts of climate change worsen, the cost will be far higher,' he warned. National Farmers' Union president Tom Bradshaw said: 'Alongside numerous rural, environmental and nature groups, including the RSPB and National Trust, we have repeatedly called for government to honour its commitments, with budget and partnership, to protect nature and restore habitats through agriculture. 'But without funding, this will be government giving up on its own environmental targets – targets which it relied on farmers to deliver.' He warned that farmers would be left 'prioritising economic returns and balancing tough choices between farming the land as hard as they can just to make a living and continuing to focus on environmental works they have been proud to deliver'. And he said farms of all sizes had a key role in helping deliver for food, nature and climate. Defra said it would not comment on speculation.
South Wales Argus
6 days ago
- Business
- South Wales Argus
Cutting nature-friendly farming budget would be ‘devastating', Government warned
Environmentalists warned that cutting the spend on the post-Brexit farming schemes, which pay farmers and landowners to deliver public goods such as hedgerows, wildflower habitat and clean water, would 'remove all hope' of the Government meeting targets to reverse nature's declines. And farmers, who have already been hit by changes to inheritance tax and the abrupt closure of this year's sustainable farming incentive (SFI), the biggest strand of the environmental land management scheme (Elms), said cuts would be 'disastrous'. The warnings come in the face of reports that the Environment Department (Defra's) nature-friendly farming budget, which has replaced EU agricultural subsidies based mostly on the amount of land farmed, will be cut in the forthcoming spending review. Nature-friendly farming schemes pay for measures such as cover crops to support healthy soils and wildlife and reduce flood risk (Emily Beament/PA) The Government announced a 'record' £5 billion spending over two years on sustainable farming, but the long term future of the funding looks threatened by looming departmental cuts, while there are concerns cash could be targeted at small farms or in certain areas rather than across the countryside. Environmentalists warned that the nature-friendly farming budget was the UK's biggest spend on nature and, with 70% of land used for farming, key to meeting the Government's manifesto pledge to achieve targets to halt declines in nature by 2030. Barnaby Coupe, senior land use policy manager at The Wildlife Trusts, says: 'Rumours of further cuts to the farming budget are deeply concerning and, if true, would cripple funding for restoring nature and remove all hope of reaching the Government's targets for wildlife recovery.' He warned the £2.5 billion a year in the current farming budget 'already falls short' of what was needed, adding: 'Whittling this down further will see progress stall and reverse.' 'If the cuts go ahead, the Government's promise to bring back wildlife will be in tatters – and farmers will be left unsupported to adapt to extreme climate change and exposed to the whims of market forces demanding unsustainable and intensified food production.' Richard Benwell, chief of Wildlife and Countryside Link, said: 'Cutting the nature-friendly farming budget would be devastating for nature, farmers and rural communities.' He said that a transition to nature-friendly farming could help reverse declines in rivers, woodland, wildflowers and wildlife, at the same time as reducing air, soil and water pollution, and supporting a thriving profitable farming sector and rural communities. 'But without a decent budget to pay farmers for the environmental benefits they provide, the future of entire ecosystems will be in doubt.' Martin Lines, chief executive of the Nature Friendly Farming Network (NFFN), said: 'These cuts would be disastrous if implemented, with the negative impact felt far beyond farming and reaching the wider public. 'Investing in nature-friendly farming helps protect communities from the devastation of flooding. 'It reduces the impact of climate change by protecting and restoring carbon-storing habitats such as peatland. 'It also supports the delivery of affordable, renewable energy.' He said that if the Government was serious about sustainable growth and long-term food production, it needed to invest in England's landscapes, adding: 'Farmers are ready to play their part, but they are being let down by ministers turning off the funding tap. 'The simplest, most cost-effective solution to the problems we face is to invest now. 'If we fail to act, and wait until the impacts of climate change worsen, the cost will be far higher,' he warned. National Farmers' Union president Tom Bradshaw said: 'Alongside numerous rural, environmental and nature groups, including the RSPB and National Trust, we have repeatedly called for government to honour its commitments, with budget and partnership, to protect nature and restore habitats through agriculture. 'But without funding, this will be government giving up on its own environmental targets – targets which it relied on farmers to deliver.' He warned that farmers would be left 'prioritising economic returns and balancing tough choices between farming the land as hard as they can just to make a living and continuing to focus on environmental works they have been proud to deliver'. And he said farms of all sizes had a key role in helping deliver for food, nature and climate. Defra said it would not comment on speculation.
