Re: Life Duty Death & Denial
Marty G. Price (mprice@Ra.MsState.Edu)
Sat, 23 Sep 1995 14:52:00 -0500
On Sat, 23 Sep 1995, Warrl kyree Tale'sedrin wrote:
> I believe we have achieved 10,000 years worth of environmental change
> regarding the forest, in less than 500 years. That is, the forests
> receded dramatically and then came back dramatically.
>
> >Don't know what the answer, but it seems to me we better get off our butts
> >now and do what we can.
>
> How about if we arrange for *more* forestland in the US than was the
> case, say, 100 years ago.
>
> Oops, sorry, already done.
Good answer: under ideal conditions forests regenerate rapidly; under
adverse conditions, the Earth proves the tenacity of life---vegetation
will still reappear, sometimes slowly.
However, that doesn't answer the other questions: the sort of extensive
patterns of cutting and regrowth that have marked our little odyssey
across the North American continent have had a negative impact on
biodiversity such as "natural" (yes, we're part of nature too, but
exclude us here) cycles of destruction and regrowth appear not to have.
Our incursions into the Amazon basin are reducing the biodiversity of
that region and possibly causing permanent changes in the biological
map of the region.
Population pressures and bad farming practices are and have long been
creating very unpleasant patterns of erosion in India, Nepal, etc. as well
as contributing to the expansion of the Sahara.
We change that which we touch. If you tell me our changes are less
destructive than I imagine, I can only politely disagree. Yes, you are
right, the Earth will regenerate, and I as well as you have seen evidence
of its regenerative powers.
If, however, you tell me we have no need to concern ourselves with the
environment about us, I will say you are being very foolish, for you as
well as I have see the damages we can do to the world around us. One
generation of needless misery is too much. We are quite capable of
damaging the Earth for at least the "seven generations" that held magical
significance to certain groups of our ancestors.
Blessed Be,
Red Deer
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