Facts, not spin at forum

Trees, plants and sustaining life’s necessities will be the focus of a community forum in Warragul on Sunday.

Drouin woman Leonie Blackwell has organised the forum to give a provide community members with facts, not spin on a range of topics.

Guest speakers will focus on the hemp industry, bamboo and the timber industry.

Ms Blackwell, who stood as a Freedom Party candidate at the recent state election, said during the election campaign she became aware of peoples’ desire to gain information on crucial topics.

In response, Ms Blackwell plans to host a series of community forums, with the first planned for this Sunday, May 21.

Ms Blackwell said the aim of the forum was to bring a diverse range of experts together to speak on the value, service and viability of their industry regarding trees, plants and the supply of everyday necessities.

Key aspects to be discussed include employment, housing, communiuty, the economy, environment, mental and physical health, transport and sustainability.

The panel of speakers includes Deborah Kerr (Victorian Forest Products Association), Lyn Stephenson (Regenerative Hemp Victoria), Andrew Meseha (Urban Green Farms), Munir Vahanvati (Giant Grass and Bamboo Society), Ray Akers (timber industry) and Darren Christie (iHemp).

Deb Kerr has extensive experience in the primary industries sector. She is excited about showcasing the vital role the forestry products sector plays as a sustainably operated employer and producer, providing the renewable products used by Australians every day in more ways than they probable realise.

Lyn Stephenson is founder and current president of Regenerative Hemp Victoria which is an advocacy group and representative body for the hemp industry in Victoria. She has a 32 hectare property with a permit to grow hemp.

Andrew Meseha has spent years working in Australia, USA, New Zealand and across Asia in the hydroponics and aquaponics industry. His desire to see a healthy and sustainable planet led to the inception of Urban Green Farms that aims to supplement conventional farming until it is permanently replaced with regenerative agricultural methods.

Munir Vahanvati is a designer with a keen interest in design, sustainability, and environment. He is co-founder and design director of the Melbourne based design and build studio Giant Grass and has more than 15 years experience working with bamboo in Australia.

Ray Akers has worked in transport, logging, and farming over his working life. He believes the timber industry isn’t just about logging trees, communities are built around the towns where the forests are.

Darren Christie is a pioneer and advocate of industrial hemp for the past 22 years, with a passion to bring industrial hemp into mainstream building products, value adding to other product chains on a bio mass and commercial scale growing and processing industrial hemp taking the pressure off the timber industry.

The forum will be held at the Warragul Goods Shed in the railway precinct on Sunday from 1pm to 4pm.