Call to Action for grass-roots idependent assesment of biodiversity of Hambacher Forest.
RWE’s decission not to cut the Millenarian Hambacher Forest resulted in preventing the case from going to arbitration and having the forest be considered to be an area of exceptional biodiversity and protection under Natura2000 which would prevent it legally from being cut at all. The present outcome only “saves” the forest for next 9 month giving time for “political” solution which in the presently changing to the right political climate(largely as the only oportunistic response to social and ecological degradation) could signify large scale repressive actions before the next cutting season to remove the forest occupations and the Meadow Camp which for over the last 5 years have been resisting the ecological and climate destruction taking place in Hambi making the resumption of cutting next year easier for RWE.
The last remaining portion of Hamacher Forest remains in the meantime and for still limited and uncertain time one of the last continously surviving for the last 12000 years forests in europe harboring a truly unique biodiversity. The next 9 months could be the last chance to document the disapearing uniqueness of insect,plant and animal life inhabiting the forest. No scientific or professional certification but only interest, energy and action is necessary. To take part all you need to do is select and study a book listing the species you are interested in from lichens and mushrooms to birds, etc in gather the necessary tools such as binoculars or magnifying lenses and log your finds in a notebook including location, time, specie involved and include photos with in case of plant and insects with a phone or gps receiver shown in the photo displaying the coordinates of the find. All the collected material especially endangered organisms on the red list are very important parts of the struggle to preserve and defend the forest through direct-action(in this case getting closer and getting to know and documenting what we are defending) and through legal-wrenching methods deployed by the BUND-NRW.
This sunday we will look at the ornithological biodiversity of the forest so bring a pair of binoculars. Please soncintact Hambi email hambacherforst at riseup.net with the subject Hambi Naturalists if you are interested and also spread the word of the projects to amateur and semi-profesional groups with focus on biodiversity as well as biology departments at universities. If you try unis in the region prepare to be disapointed as many have been coopted by RWE into silence and inaction on the subject through RWE doations and “green-washing” project ultimately reminding and mobilizing those among us who know that corporate and government conservation equals acceptance of bulldozers and chainsaws as instruments of “bio-preservation”
We do not need to be saved from ourselves by future waves of repression the same way last natural outposts of exceptional biodiversity like Hambacher Forest do no need saving for 9 months so chainsaws can start as soon as some “political”/corporate solution/loophole is found. The decision for action and to experience and learn, share and documet this biodiversity could be the last and it is once again up to all of us.
Hambi Naturalists
hambacherforst at riseup.net
RWE and Vatenfall continue to receive their Colombian Blood-Coal Imports from 2 companies operating their mines in Cesar region bordering Venezuela. Both of these companies: Drummond and Prodeco have been using right-wing paramilitaries as their private security force which has committed over 3,000 killings, over 59,000 forced removals and the disappearance of at least 240 people all in the region affected by coal mining. Nine different independent sources have confirmed that Drummond AUC made substantial financial contributions to the main right wing group in the region, Juan Andrés Alvares front. The payment methods ranged from direct cash payments to covert transfers via service providers and transfers of f set percentage yields of the mine operators. Drummond also ordered it official private security company AUC to remove “suspicious persons” from its premises. Telephone orders to do so resulted in the killing of these persons.