This Saturday will see Islander gather for a peaceful protest march to raise awareness of the damage that Glyphosate weed killer is causing to wild bee colonies has been organised for Saturday 23rd July 2022.
Change of start time
Starting at St James’s Square in Newport at 11am (not noon as originally reported) and ending outside County Hall those taking part are encouraged to wear black and yellow (get as wildly creative as you can), take along dead flowers and a kazoo if you have them.
Organisers are reminding those taking part to be aware of road safety during the event.
They say,
“We all look out for one another, whilst collecting signatures to hand in and request that Island Roads stop the use of Glyphosate as they have previously done before.”
All ages very welcome to the march, say organisers,
“The more the merrier.
“So many people care about protecting wildlife, our pollinators are under enormous threat and we need to protect them now urgently.”
Return to the use of Glyphosate
As reported by News OnTheWight in February, Island Roads announced they would be returning to the use of Glyphosate weed killer on roads and pavements.
The company claimed it was too difficult keeping on top of removing the weeds with hand tools and that they’d received a rise in complaints about weeds on roads and pavements.
Local bans
With the conservation of Ventnor wall lizard in mind, Ventnor Town Council has approved a new ‘safer alternative’, but at a cost and not for the entire town.
Meanwhile, the Cabinet member responsible, said that banning the use of Glyphosate on the Island was ‘not a binary issue’.
Protecting the Island’s wildlife
A petition, which has received more than 5,000 signatures, was launched calling on Island Roads to reverse their decision in order to protect the Island’s wildlife, such as pollinators as well as Ventnor’s wall lizard, colonies of which have spread further across the town in recent years.
Where and when
If you want to take part head to St James’s Square, Newport on Saturday 23rd July from 11am.
Image: dmitry grigoriev under CC BY 2.0
