permaculture

[lfl@intrex.net]

Kirby Fry wrote:

> I really enjoyed visualizing the scenes you set around ancient Rome.  North
> Africa was once the bread basket of the Roman Empire.  Now it is regarded as
> one of the fiercest deserts in the world.  I would rather see it revegetated
> with invasive exotic trees than remain as a desert.

I wonder how cedar and eleagnus would do there?
Putting forests where there was only desert or grassland before 
encourages more rainfall. Leaves and branches catch windborne seeds;
wildlife use this for habitat and bring yet more seeds. The microclimate 
generated by the forest and the cover and protection it provides 
stabilizes ecosystems on the ground as they develop. Reforest or 
otherwise cover with plants the deserts of the world this way.
There is a Sahara project that is doing something like this;
they're on the Web - I may have a link to it. A documentary on PBS TV,
maybe a Bill Moyers special, showed how a large lake in Africa was 
drying up due to lack of rainfall. The cause was massive deforestation 
nearby; clearcut logging.

> So what is your synthesis of all of this?  Do we try to derail modern ag,
> catch a ride or sit by on the sidelines cultivating our Pc gardens as it
> hurtles by?

Teach them to retool and bebuild their systems. Get them interested in
good science and not just quick fixes and windfall profits. A massively 
large farm can be reorganized to be as ecologically sound and diverse,
utilizing the best that Permaculture has to offer, to become as 
sustainable and permanent as the best of the smallest and best-managed
small farms. After all it is they who have the money, land and equipment
to use to make this happen. Once it is done markets for naturally grown 
products will most likely appear and remain stable for longer.


Lawrence
--
lfl@intrex.net
http://market-farming.com