Gemma Tillack, The Wilderness Society, Press Release
A technical report prepared by the Cooperative Research Centre for Sustainable Production Forestry and the Zoology Department at the University of Tasmania provides supportive evidence that vertebrate browsing damage can be reduced using non-lethal techniques.
Media Release
Friday, 7th July 2006LANDMARK DAY FOR RESEARCH INTO 1080 ALTERNATIVES
The Wilderness Society today called for an end to 1080 poisoning on private land and for the implementation of non-lethal methods to minimise the damage done to crops by browsing wildlife.
Today was the deadline for submissions on how $4 million of taxpayers’ funds will be allocated to prioritise research into the alternatives to 1080.
Ms Gemma Tillack, a campaigner from The Wilderness Society, said that “the Government should use the $4 million dollars to fulfil Prime Minister John Howard’s promise to end 1080 poisoning in Tasmania”.
Unacceptable alternatives to 1080 being discussed included poisoning browsing native wildlife with toxins such as cyanide, shooting, and live and ‘kill’ trapping. Non-lethal alternatives include the use of ecologically-based wildlife management, chemical repellents and deterrents, fencing, tree guards, and amending farm and forestry practices.
A technical report prepared by the Cooperative Research Centre for Sustainable Production Forestry and the Zoology Department at the University of Tasmania provides supportive evidence that vertebrate browsing damage can be reduced using non-lethal techniques.
Ms Tillack concluded “the solutions are on the table. Now all we need is the political will to end the use of 1080, and to implement non-lethal techniques to reduce browsing damage to tree farms and pastures”.
