permaculture

[rick valley <bamboogrove@cmug.com>]

I've been busy implementing- but read in an earlier posting:
>In summary, the best approach to natives/exotics is not to see it as 
>either/or, but to apply that good sustainability rule of thumb, the 
>precautionary principle.

I like to keep in mind Michael Crowfoot's idea- "not only are ecologies more
complex than we imagine, they are more complex than we CAN imagine" (my
emphasis)

All the talk on weeds centers on plants, occasionally involving macrofauna
like horses; dunno about y'all, but here in Oregon, I have never seen a
native earthworm, and damn few native spiders, and the non-native terrestrial
gastropods are chasing the natives out into the sun to dessicate. I've heard
that bio-imperialistic running bug, the honeybee, is now unmasked in OZ, but
as yet it's sinister nature is specialized knowlege in N. Am. I now "own"
some land that ought to be forest, but it has patches that have  been stable
pastureland w/o domestic stock for at least 30 years, dominated by eurasian
grasses and herbs. I'd like to learn more about that!

I don't imagine I can do anything, (thankyou, Fukuoka sensei!) but I hope to
have fun for the rest of my life purposefully introducing exotics like tea
and bamboo, and managing invasives like broom (Cytisus) and apple and pear
and plum (the place is lousy with seedlings!) I plan to introduce some nearly
natives- useful species that are not locally present. How much will I be
introducing unawares?
-Rick 

Rick Valley Northern Groves 
PO Box 1236, Philomath, OR 97370 
Mobile-(541)602-1315, hm.& msg. (541)456-4364  Bamboo catalog $3 or at 
<http://www.teleport.com/~dbrooks/bamboo.html>
"Useful Bamboos and other plants‹ Permaculture education‹ Ecological design &
consultation centering on water,landform and horticultural systems"