Reply Pieter de Groot Boersma regarding Yandina Wetlands

Hi people, This reply follows the thread regarding my tresspassing on the Yandina Creek Wetlands. I know what I did was wrong and I really regret the consequences. So I do feel sorry and sad about the situation. Wanting to see Lewin’s Rail really bad clouded my judgment. I understand people being angry, especially Greg Roberts.  Everything that follows is not a defence mechanism, just the story from my point of view. Do note that I care about nature in a great way. It hurts me to see all the destruction that is so rampant all around the world. I’ve seen and experienced it in Australia as well. I was the one finding the Scarlet-chested Parrot at Gluepot by chance this year. Decided not to post it but only tell people I trusted so not disturb the bird. I’m a biology teacher trying to upbring appreciation for the natural world. I just helped a Raven out of his misery because someone hit it with his car and just didn’t care. All irrelevant perhaps but this is my character. Nevertheless, this is how my mistake came to be: I was in the area and knew of this spot and the Lewin’s Rail. The map of the area was on the internet so I decided to give it a go. I knew it was private property.  On the go I made some false assumptions: – Greg Roberts was a guide and he took people in the area. – The owners of the property knew of Greg Roberts. – The owners knew of his guiding there. – The land was for sale. – Being nice to people was enough to be able to enter the area. I searched out people in the area and found local people. They said a lot of birders came to visit recently, a lot of individual birders as well. They pointed out the dirt road which leads to the wetlands. Talked about the guiding (false assumption) and they “acknowledged”. They didn’t knew of the area being for sale. They said the area was temporal because after the sluices being repaired it would dry out (don’t take this as a fact). I went walking on the dirt road. I bumped into a jeep with a guy. I asked him about lot number two. He pointed it out. He seemed relaxed, called someone (the owner) and he asked me what I was doing there. Lately there was some vandalism going on, letting the cattle on the road and some destruction of belongings of some sorts. Then I explained that I found it on the internet and what where the wrong assumptions without calling any names. They told me the land was not for sale and he didn’t know of any guiding on his land. He purchased the land 4 years ago and he was going to make it into a farm. The lot next to it was his nephew’s. Also wetland to be turned into a farm. Ok, no worries they said. Watch the dog traps and have fun!  Now it seems I thwarted some early negotiations. I was shocked and surprised. I walked in the wetlands thinking of the importance of the area, lots of wildlife. I want to talk to the owners explaining I was wrong on tresspassing and the false guiding assumptions. This is for other people to decide what to do with it. Any comments will be read by me personnaly. Best regards,  Pieter de Groot Boersma Verzonden vanaf Samsung-tablet

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