SHV Invite Don Elder to Occupation Anniversary
Save Happy Valley Coalition : 13th January 2009
The Save Happy Valley Coalition invites Solid Energy CEO Don Elder to accompany them on the 3rd anniversary of their occupation of the planned site of Cypress Mine at Happy Valley (letter below).
Despite Solid Energy's plans to strip-mine this spectacular natural area, Happy Valley so far remains a prisitine alpine wetland providing habitat for the great spotted kiwi, and is a significant biodiversity hotspot that is part of New Zealand's natural heritage.
Supporters of the environmental group will tramp into the valley, north of Westport, on the weekend of the 24th and 25th of this month, to celebrate three years of keeping the fragile biodiversity of this wetland safe from Solid Energy's bulldozers.
Save Happy Valley Coalition spokesperson Graham Jury states, "Despite years of illegal surveillance, unlicensed spies and secretly funded "research" we wish to extend a warm welcome to Dr Elder to come and enjoy a scenic tramp in an area he has dismissed as being simply overburden to be strip-mined. Anybody can see that mining for coal in kiwi habitat is an exceptionally bad idea. We offer Elder a unique opportunity to see why."
Letter to Don Elder
Solid Energy New Zealand Ltd
PO Box 1303,
Christchurch, 8013
New Zealand
The Save Happy Valley Coalition
Christchurch
Monday the 12th of January 2009.
Dear Don,
Firstly thanks for the invite for Solid Energy’s AGM, we had a great time.
We are writing to return the goodwill by inviting you personally to the third year celebration of our occupation of Happy Valley in the area which you may know of as the Cypress Valley.
January 28, 2009 marks three years since we set up the occupation camp overlooking Happy Valley to watch over the area and protect it from being mined. Three years on the area is still un-mined!
To celebrate we will be tramping in with a group on Saturday the 24th for a celebration and we would be delighted with your presence. (We know that it isn’t quite the 3 year mark but being volunteers we thought it was easier to celebrate on a weekend.)
Because of our relationship over the years we would like to invite you to attend. Come tramp up the upper Waimangaroa Valley; have your picture taken by a hidden illegal camera whilst you admire the manuka in flower, the long red tussock valleys and the extensive coal plateaus. Fill your water bottle from one of the crystal clear streams (we’ll happily point out the ones that are unsafe to drink due to acid mine drainage). Duck as robins and tomtits dance around your head, watch your footsteps as we near the Valley – we prefer not to stand on any empty snail shells. Once at the camp we can guide you up the hill opposite (a short walk we promise) to a lookout point where you can juxtapose the beauty of Happy Valley with the destruction that the neighbors have caused to their plot. We’ll even reserve you a place in the yurt to sleep where you can listen out for kiwi and weka at night. We’ll spare the cream pies – vegan kai is preferred and we don’t want to leave a mess that would end up feeding the wekas.
Please let us know as soon as possible by emailing occupation@savehappyvalley.org.nz whether you are interested as we need to organise transport and kai. Security and a support crew will not be needed, we can assure you all our actions will be peaceful and there are guaranteed to be some big burly guards staying up late at the neighbors place.
Whilst we’re in communication we would also like to take the opportunity you offered us via the Listener recently to ask – when do you plan to mine Happy Valley? What are the six steps you mentioned? And what do you need to do for steps five and six?
Yours truly,
The Save Happy Valley Coalition
Media Contact
Graham Jury, SHVC spokesperson
Phone: 027 307 0448
