This news at first seems satisfactory, but it has turned on all the red lights. In fact, the following text is included in the news article: “Azkarate has explained that there are few treatments being done with cuprous oxide, as the number of authorized hectares and the conditions of application of the treatment are limited – to 100 meters from the earth and from the population nuclei and from the water channels – and it is necessary to take into account the time, “because the treatment must be done when it does not rain and blowing little, so that the oxide does not carry the water”. So far the story is known, but the news mentions several sentences later: “In addition to the cuprose, forestalists are experimenting with other antifungal products such as essential oils, plant extracts and fertilizers for tree revitalization.” This is new, because so far neither the sector nor the administration have made a single mention of the use of any other product, in addition to skimming, in this public money payment strategy.
The plots to be used for experimental tests are under the eyes of Neiker and we hope to know what and how they have done it. It will be interesting to know what the real impact of oxide cuprous has been with this type of mixtures. But what about privately owned land? Who is controlling all of this?
In fact, few companies have the technical and material means to carry out this type of treatment in our environment, and we have learned that these companies are using generic and systemic fungicides (e.g. methyl-thiopanate) to combat fungal pests, much more harmful to the environment than cuprous oxide and, therefore, to our health.
Hence our concern: Has it been these companies that have informed the pinar owners that they are fumigating? Are the quantities of the products being used and their doses included in these fumigation permits? Who controls the work of these companies? Are we not dealing with another scam?
This last chapter of the film “The Basque Coniferous Forest Recovery Strategy” shows again and again the improvisation and ignorance that our public administrations and the Baskegur association itself represent the sector. Well, we're eager to hear the answers, it's our right.
The dust has lifted the actions of a group of strangers against a Kutxabank monoculture in the Urola valley. In this regard, ENBE, ENBA and GBE (Gipuzkoako Basozale Elkartea) offered a press conference. They condemned the fact and called for the perpetrators to punish it.
After... [+]
