defeated landscape
snatching defeat from the jaws of victory?
this landscape represents a virtual 100% defeat for the indigenous biological communities of south australia - but what have we (the victors) gained?
biodiversity has crashed from hundreds of plants and dozens of animals to half a dozen exotic weeds supporting a monoculture of sheep
the topsoil washed away decades ago, or blew across the tasman sea to stain the snowcaps of new zealand's alps pink (this actually happens!)
now as we experience the worst drought ever recorded in southern australia, we are faced not just with economic disaster, but with a landscape where the original vegetatation has been 95% removed, and so discover that we have no biological capital to fall back on! this landscape is not robust - as the state heats up and dries out, where will the few remaining original species go - how will they cross these vast, barren wastelands?
i am not blaming the pastoralists - almost all of the ones i've met have sincerely wanted to undo the damage done in earlier eras when it was assumed the europeanization of australia was not only inevitable, it was god ordained!
in fact, the entire australian community bears the responsibility for finding a new way of living with this most ancient of lands, rather than despite it...
ps - i haven't colour-treated this image, and no, it didn't rain...
defeated landscape
snatching defeat from the jaws of victory?
this landscape represents a virtual 100% defeat for the indigenous biological communities of south australia - but what have we (the victors) gained?
biodiversity has crashed from hundreds of plants and dozens of animals to half a dozen exotic weeds supporting a monoculture of sheep
the topsoil washed away decades ago, or blew across the tasman sea to stain the snowcaps of new zealand's alps pink (this actually happens!)
now as we experience the worst drought ever recorded in southern australia, we are faced not just with economic disaster, but with a landscape where the original vegetatation has been 95% removed, and so discover that we have no biological capital to fall back on! this landscape is not robust - as the state heats up and dries out, where will the few remaining original species go - how will they cross these vast, barren wastelands?
i am not blaming the pastoralists - almost all of the ones i've met have sincerely wanted to undo the damage done in earlier eras when it was assumed the europeanization of australia was not only inevitable, it was god ordained!
in fact, the entire australian community bears the responsibility for finding a new way of living with this most ancient of lands, rather than despite it...
ps - i haven't colour-treated this image, and no, it didn't rain...