“Apart from the human risk to life itself, livestock and wildlife are threatened by these fires which travel at a very fast rate with the wind. Our nesting birds will be severely disturbed and their nests destroyed, hill walkers put in danger, property at risk, and tourism generally left in very bad shape. This needs to be stopped as soon as possible. It will take the Mournes a long time to recover. Where heather burns out it is often replaced by grassy areas and we are losing part of the character and diversity of our lovely Mournes.”
Bonnie has described herself as a “voice for change”. She is dedicated to a social, economic and environmental agenda that will meet the 21st century challenges facing Newry and Mourne.
[caption id="attachment_23438" align="alignleft" width="400" caption="Green Party candidate Bonnie Anley standing fro Newry and Mourne Council (Cotgrieve) has expressed her sadness at the deliberate gorse fires."]
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She said, “I became aware of the beauty of the Mourne area, its uniqueness and its fragility from a young age. This spurred her on to environmental activism and to completing an MSc in 2008 at QUB in ‘Leadership for Sustainable Development’. ” For some years Bonnie has had close ties to Friends of the Earth both as a Local Group Co-ordinator and on a national level as the Northern Ireland elected Friends of the Earth (EWNI) Board Member.
The environment is no longer just a question of local campaigns to save the countryside for Bonnie. She said, ” I would contest that it never was. Global questions such as changing weather patterns, our addiction to oil, the cost of energy and the shortcomings of our traditional GDP economic system are big issues which, now, are taking on a very local context. As a Green Councillor, I would work towards a future plan for the area that would take account of; natural resources for energy production, energy conservation in housing, the eradication of fuel poverty, new employment, the development of the local supply chain (particularly with reference to local farming models) sustainable planning, eco-tourism and inward investment.”
She said,” I have lived in the Mourne area my whole life and have close ties with the Crotlieve area particularly through my role as a businesswoman, shipping agent and now Board Member at Warrenpoint Port.
“Community engagement is fundamental to how Bonnie sees the future. Not just the traditional cross-community engagement message of the past few decades, but also the moving of our culture back to the more open model of the past. We need to embrace our differences, celebrate our diversity and then get down to the business of building a community that communicates properly with itself. As a Green Councillor I will support and promote initiatives that bring people together and encourage interaction, the sharing of ideas, local trade and personal well-being.
“I am a candidate that stands for all of the community but offer my skills in support of the people of Crotlieve. The changing face of global climate, global resources and global economics are now having an increasing impact on important local issues. We need a joined up strategy that will provide us with employment, energy security and a vibrant, integrated and outward facing community. I can deliver real change for Crotlieve and ensure its needs are properly prioritised in Newry and Mourne.”
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