Jan 1, 2008
Organic NZ magazine - January/February 2008 issue.Report by Steffan Browning, Soil & Health Spokesperson.
I recently revisited the Scion GE tree field test site to independently appraise how well Scion (previously CRI Forest Research) were meeting the containment requirements set by the Environmental Risk Management Authority (ERMA).
The Rotorua site is publicly visible through the security fence with many locals passing the site while walking, cycling or exercising dogs.
Having viewed the trees 3 times over the last 2 years, I have seen the original planting of 51 GE Pinus radiata grow from distorted specimens to more robust and typical looking trees, although some trees appear to have areas of dieback from insect damage. The 17 more recently planted GE trees look distinctly weird with clumps of needles only at the spindly branch tips.
According to Scion’s Annual Report to ERMA Date: 30/11/2006,
…plants in the field test are being used for gene expression experiments and as source material for environmental impact studies….
… All plants are healthy and their growth is normal. Total height of the plants is restricted to 5 meters above ground….
… Biannual audits conducted by MAF have not identified any problems with the trials….
…. Rabbits have again been an issue during the year, however, they have not interfered with the trial plants and have been destroyed by shooting or poisoning. At present there is no evidence for any more rabbits present on the site. Note that rabbits cannot leave the area because of the fence buried to a depth of 1.5 meters….
… There has been no human interference with the trial or any of the security equipment. The integrity of the fence is electronically monitored and any breach of the structure is logged and leads to an alarm reported to a security company online. Also, the integrity of the fence is verified by visual inspection on a weekly basis…
….Continued monitoring of growth, particularly bud-growth (focus on reproductive structures)….
….The trial site was monitored over the year in weekly intervals. An experienced staff member checked every tree for the appearance of vegetative or reproductive buds…
This is the third report to ERMA that I have read with all rabbits having been destroyed. How does Scion explain rabbits repeatedly getting in, when I again saw rabbits in November 07, yet theoretically they cannot come and go because of the deep buried fence?
There is continual evidence of rabbits inside and out, and I photographed an obvious hole in and under the fence, which had clearly been there for some time. This should have been remedied by the weekly fence inspection. Can ERMA not connect that repeated rabbit incursions suggest breaches to the integrity of the Scion trial’s containment.
One of Scion’s trees has not been topped at the 5 metre height, again calling into question the CRI’s ability to keep to protocols, and that of the trial’s monitoring agency, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry’s (MAF) capacity to really care.
ERMA has never declined an application for a GE field trial. The recent GE Brassica field trial approval showed bias towards genetic engineering, regardless of strong community opposition. With some ERMA decision makers employed by other GE experimenting CRI’s, there appears a top down arrogance that this technology is safe and caution need not be taken seriously?
Soil & Health will be discussing with other groups, potential further action against field trials, as it is patently clear that the public interest is not being well cared for. Crop & Food have also been cavalier in the only other current GE plant field trial, the onions at Lincoln.
The quote attributed to environmentalist David Suzuki may be appropriate, “The problem with the gene pool is, there is no lifeguard. Knowing is not enough, you must also act.” "If the people will lead, the leaders will follow."
Although the moratorium against GE release was lifted, the CRI’s inability to ensure integrity of their experiments may encourage the People’s Moratorium Enforcement Agency (PMEA) to reconvene.
