Blog Posts

August 22nd, 2022

8/22/2022

                                        FORESTRY AND FOREST ECOLOGY
GLOBAL LEADERS ARE FINALLY RECOGNIZING THE MOST CRITICAL ISSUE HUMANITY HAS EVER ENCOUNTERED, THE CARRYING-CAPACITY OF PLANET EARTH. UNFORTUNATELY, THEIR FOCUS IS PRIMARILY ON CLIMATE CHANGE, WHICH IS THE RESULT OF POPULATION EXPANSION AND DEFORESTATION. UNDERSTANDING THE COMPLEXITY OF THE ISSUE WILL BE NECESSARY, IF WE HOPE TO FIND THE SOLUTIONS THAT WILL TRULY PROVIDE FUTURE LIFE ON EARTH. I HAVE INVESTED MUCH OF MY RETIREMENT YEARS ATTEMPTING TO INFORM PEOPLE OF THE MAGNITUDE OF THE ISSUE AND THE LIMITED TIME LEFT TO CORRECT OUR PAST GREEDY MISTAKES. THERE ARE THOSE THAT DISAGREE THE ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS ARE HUMAN CAUSED, BECAUSE THE REQUIRED CHANGES WILL RESULT IN MAJOR CHANGES IN LIFE STYLES AND THE ECONOMY. SOME PREFER TO IGNORE THE PROBLEMS BASED ON MISINFORMATION, LACK OF UNDERSTANDING AND CHANGES HAVE NOT BEEN IDENTIFIED, THEREBY MAKING THE UNKNOWN A SCARY SITUATION. CHANGE MEANS NEW AND UNKNOWN EXPERIENCES THAT WILL UPSET CURRENT NORMS. THE CRITICAL ISSUE THAT WE FACE IS THE DESTINY OF OUR OWN SPECIES! CERTAINLY, THIS SHOULD ENERGIZE EACH ONE OF US TO ACTION!
MY MISSION IS TO HELP THE PUBLIC UNDERSTAND THE NEED FOR CHANGE, BY PRESENTING THE FACTS AND SUGGESTING SOLUTIONS TO PROLONG LIFE ON EARTH. IT HAS BEEN DIFFICULT TO REACH PEOPLE, SO SUCCESS HAS BEEN LIMITED. BEING A NATURAL RESOURCE SCIENTIST, AND NOT BEING A HIGH-PROFILE PERSON, HAS INCREASED THE PROBLEM OF CONVINCING THE PUBLIC OF HOW SERIOUS THE ISSUES ARE. I HAVE DONE CONSIDERABLE RESEARCH TO LEARN THE TRUTH ABOUT CURRENT CONDITIONS OF OUR NATURAL WORLD. THE MORE I LEARNED, THE SIMILARITIES BETWEEN FOREST ECOSYSTEMS AND HUMAN COMMUNITIES BECAME APPARENT. ECOSYSTEMS ARE TRULY COMMUNITIES, WITH A VARIETY OF LIFE SYSTEMS SUPPORTING EACH OTHER AND UNIQUE FROM SURROUNDING COMMUNITIES. THIS IS TRUE OF FOREST COMMUNITIES AND HUMAN COMMUNITIES. WHEN THE BALANCE OF THE ECOSYSTEM IS UPSET, THE COMMUNITY CAN HAVE DIFFICULTY SURVIVING.
IGNORING AND ATTEMPTING TO HID THE TRUTH, HAS INTENSIFIED THE ISSUES AND USED UP VALUABLE TIME NEEDED TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEMS. IT IS ALSO TRUE, THAT THE ISSUES ARE EXTREMELY COMPLEX DEMANDING INTENSE STUDY AND COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING OF HOW ECOSYSTEMS FUNCTION. FOCUSING ON CO2 LEVELS IN OUR ATMOSPHERE, CAUSED BY FOSSIL FUEL CONSUMPTION, DOES NOT PROVIDE THE RANGE OF UNDERSTANDING REQUIRED TO ADEQUATELY REVERSE OUR CLIMATE CHANGE PROBLEMS. THIS IS THE REASON I HAVE BEEN STRESSING THE NECESSITY OF EDUCATING OUR YOUTH IN ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES. WE NEED TO START AS EARLY AS ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEVELS. THIS IS ALSO, WHY I STRONGLY SUPPORT THE NEED FOR AN ECOLOGICAL FOUNDATION FOR MOST ADVANCED COLLEGE DEGREES. OUR DESTINY DEPENDS UPON OUR INDEPTH KNOWLEDGE OF THE NATURAL WORLD, UNDERSTANDING THE RELATIONSHIPS SUPPORTING LIFE SYSTEMS AND OUR WILLINGNESS TO BECOME ACTIVISTS IN PROLONGING LIFE FOR FUTURE GENERATIONS. THIS REQUIRES UNDERSTANDING HOW LIFE SYSTEMS FUNCTION AND DEPEND UPON A DIVERSITY OF SPECIES.
COMPARING FORESTRY TO FOREST ECOLOGY PROVIDES AN EXAMPLE WHICH DEMONSTRATES THE COMPLEXITY OF THE ISSUES WE ARE FACING, AND THE KIND OF KNOWLEDGE THAT WILL BE REQUIRED IF WE CARE ABOUT HUMANITY’S FUTURE. IT ILLUSTRATES THE NECESSITY OF APPLYING ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES TO FIND LOGICAL AND REALISTIC SOLUTIONS TO THIS HUMANITARIAN ISSUE.
THERE IS A SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE FORESTRY WORLDVIEW AND AN ECOLOGICAL PERSPECTIVE. THIS DIFFERENCE IS ACTUALLY APPLICABLE TO ALL EARTH SCIENCES. ASSUMING A FOREST SCIENTIST UNDERSTAND FUNCTIONING ECOSYSTEMS IS LIKE ASSUMING AN AUTO PARTS PATTERN MAKER HAS AN UNDERSTANDING OF THE FUNCTIONING OF AN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINE, JUST BECAUSE THEY MAKE PATTERNS FOR THE INDIVIDUAL PARTS.
TO ASSUME A FORESTER IS KNOWLEDGEABLE OF THE DETAIL OF ECOSYSTEMS IS INACCURATE, SINCE A DEGREE IN FORESTRY FOCUSES ON HOW TO PRODUCE WOOD FIBER FOR THE WOOD PRODUCTS INDUSTRY. THE FORESTER’S MANAGEMENT FOCUS IS ON WHAT THE FORESTS CAN PROVIDE IN USEFUL PRODUCTS RATHER THAN THE HEALTH AND BIO-DIVERSITY OF THE FOREST ECOSYSTEM. MOST FORESTRY CURRICULUM'S INCLUDE:
DENDROLOGY (TREE IDENTIFICATION)
FOREST MEASUREMENTS (SURVEYING, TREE VOLUME MEASUREMENTS AND TREE AND LUMBER GRADING)
AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY
FOREST HEALTH (INSECT AND DISEASE PROBLEMS)
HYDROLOGY
SOIL SCIENCE
SILVICULTURE (TIMBER HARVESTING SYSTEMS)
WILDLIFE AND RANGE MANAGEMENT.
MANY FORESTRY SCHOOLS NOW REQUIRE AN INTRODUCTORY COURSE OR TWO, IN FOREST ECOLOGY.
FORESTERS TEND TO VIEW ECOLOGICAL DISTURBANCES FROM DISEASE, WILDFIRE, INSECTS AND DROUGHT, AS SIGNS OF UNHEALTHY FORESTS, AND WORK TO SANITIZE THE FORESTS BY REMOVING DEAD AND DYING TREES AND REDUCING FUELS THROUGH KILLING OR THINNING UNWANTED VEGETATION. THINNING PROJECTS ARE ALSO SUPPOSED TO INCREASE THE GROWTH RATE OF THE REMAINING TREES AND REDUCED FIRE RISK.
IN COMPARISON, AN ECOLOGIST RECOGNIZES THE UNIQUENESS OF THE INDIVIDUAL ECOSYSTEMS OR FOREST COMMUNITIES. THE UNIQUENESS IS PRIMARILY DUE TO THE PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SITE ON WHICH THE VEGETATION IS GROWING. ECOLOGISTS ARE TRAINED TO UNDERSTAND THESE UNIQUE COMMUNITIES PROVIDE THE BIO-DIVERSITY WHICH ALLOWS THE ECOSYSTEM TO FUNCTION AND SUPPORT LIFE. RECOGNIZING THE INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITIES CONFIRMS THAT THE FORESTS ARE A MOSAIC OF THESE DIVERSE ECOSYSTEMS. THE DIVERSITY OF THESE INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITIES PROVIDES SOME DEGREE OF FOREST PROTECTION FROM LARGE CATASTROPHIC EVENTS.
ECOLOGISTS ARE AWARE OF THE COMPLEX LIFE SYSTEMS BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE GROUND. THIS IS WHERE MILLIONS OF MILES OF MYCORRHIZAL NETWORKS ARE ATTACHED TO THE TREE ROOTS, AND AID THE TREE IN ABSORBING MOISTURE AND NUTRIENTS FROM THE SOIL, AS WELL AS PROVIDING THE COMMUNICATION NETWORKS THAT CONNECT THE TREE TO NEIGHBOR TREES. THIS ALLOWS THE TREES TO SHARE NITROGEN, MOISTURE AND OTHER NUTRIENTS WITH EACH OTHER. ECOLOGISTS ARE KNOWLEDGEABLE OF THE MICROSCOPIC ORGANISMS THAT DIGEST THE ORGANIC MATERIAL CONVERTING IT TO NUTRIENTS TO FEED THE VARIOUS TREES AND SHRUBS. THEY REALIZE THE IMPORTANCE OF MAINTAINING INDIGENOUS SPECIES THAT MAKE UP THE ECOSYSTEM, AND THE ADVERSE EFFECTS OF REMOVING SPECIES FROM THE SYSTEM. UPSETTING THE BALANCE WITHIN A COMMUNITY CAN RESULT IN SERIOUS HARM AND EVEN DEATH TO SOME INDIGENOUS SPECIES. WHERE FORESTERS BELIEVE THEY ARE IMPROVING FOREST CONDITIONS THROUGH MANIPULATION, ECOLOGISTS SEE MANIPULATION AS DEGRADING THE ECOSYSTEM.
PLANET EARTH’S LAND BASE WAS ONCE SIXTY TO SEVENTY PERCENT COVERED WITH FORESTS. FORESTED LANDS ARE AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF THE NATURAL WORLD. WE DEFINE THE NATURAL WORLD AS THREE MAJOR COMPONENTS; FOREST COVERED LANDS, OCEANS AND SEAS AND THE ATMOSPHERE. TODAY, ONLY TWENTY-SIX PERCENT OF OUR LAND BASE REMAINS FOREST COVERED. OUR ATMOSPHERE CONTAINS 400 PPM OF CARBON DIOXIDE, THE HIGHEST LEVEL IN THE PAST EIGHT HUNDRED THOUSAND YEARS. THE OCEAN LEVELS HAVE RAISED ALMOST NINE INCHES SINCE 1880 DUE TO INCREASED WATER TEMPERATURES AND WORLDWIDE, WE CONTINUE DISPOSING ONE DUMP TRUCK OF WASTE, INCLUDING TOXIC WASTE, INTO THE OCEANS EVERY MINUTE.
THE FACTS ARE UNDISPUTABLE, AND CLEARLY DISCLOSE THAT HUMAN BEINGS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MAJORITY OF THE ADVERSE IMPACTS DESTROYING OUR NATURAL WORLD. IT IS OBVIOUS THAT THE LACK OF UNDERSTANDING OF THE COMPLEXITY OF LIFE FUNCTIONS IS RESULTING IN CONTINUED MANAGEMENT DECISIONS THAT ARE DESTROYING THE VERY ELEMENTS REQUIRED TO SUSTAIN LIFE.
IF OUR REMAINING FORESTED LANDS CONTINUE TO BE NOTHING BUT DOMESTICATED TREE FARMS AND THE WORLD POPULATION CONTINUES TO EXPAND, THERE IS LITTLE HOPE FOR THE FUTURE. OUR NARROW FOCUS ON GREEN ENERGY IS A POSITIVE STEP, BUT IT DISPLAYS THE OUR LIMITED KNOWLEDGE ABOUT ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES AND COMPLETE UNDERSTANDING OF THE THREE COMPONENTS OF OUR NATURAL WORLD. A THREE LEGGED STOOL CANNOT STAND WITH JUST ONE LEG! WE MUST RE-FOCUS OUR EFFORTS ON THE ENTIRE NATURAL WORLD IF WE HOPE TO PROLONG LIFE!
MANAGING OUR VALUABLE FORESTED LANDS WITH THE INDUSTRIAL FORESTRY PARADIGM IS NO LONGER AN ACCEPTABLE STRATEGY. IT MUST BE REPLACED WITH A FOREST ECOLOGICAL PARADIGM, WHICH RECOGNIZES THE COMMUNITY CONNECTIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE INDIGENOUS SPECIES WITHIN THE ECOSYSTEMS. TODAY, THERE ARE FAR TOO MANY ECOSYSTEMS THAT ARE DYING DUE TO HUMAN DISTURBANCE, ON LAND, SEAS AND IN OUR ATMOSPHERE. ANYTHING LESS THAN CARING FOR THE ENTIRE NATURAL WORLD IS INSUFFICIENT!
THE SIGNIFICANT DIFFERENCE BETWEEN FORESTRY AND FOREST ECOLOGY IS SIMPLY AN EXAMPLE WHICH IS APPLICABLE TO ALL EARTH SCIENCE PROFESSIONS. IT DEMONSTRATES THE IMPORTANCE OF THE “THINK SLOW” PROCESS, AND THE NECESSITY OF UNDERSTANDING THE ENTIRE COMPLEX ECOSYSTEM, BEFORE IMPLEMENTING MANAGEMENT ACTIONS. A DETAILED UNDERSTANDING OF HOW LIFE FUNCTIONS IS MANDATORY FOR THE FUTURE OF OUR SPECIES!
THIS IS THE RATIONALE THAT HAS CONVINCED ME OF THE IMPORTANCE OF INJECTING ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES INTO THE EDUCATION OF OUR STUDENTS. NOT ONLY AT THE COLLEGE LEVEL, BUT STARTING AT THE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LEVEL!

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August 09th, 2022

8/9/2022

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                                 RELIGION AND ENVIRONMENTALISM

I AM INTRIGUED WITH THE QUESTION OF HOW RELIGIOUS BELIEFS STARTED. HUMAN BEINGS HAVE CONSTANTLY SEARCHED FOR UNDERSTANDING OF THE MYSTERY OF LIFE. THE COMPLEXITY OF THE STORY OF CREATION AND THE MAGIC OF LIFE IS WELL BEYOND HUMAN COMPREHENSION. I BELIEVE AN EFFORT TO UNDERSTAND HUMAN LIFE, FORMED THE BASIS FOR DEVELOPING THE CONCEPT OF DIVINE PRESENCE TO UNDERSTANDING HOW THE UNIVERSAL COMMUNITY CAME INTO BEING. EARLY IN MANKIND’S DEVELOPMENT, THE MYSTERY OF LIFE GAVE RISE TO THESE SPIRITUAL BELIEFS, AND AMAZINGLY HAVE CONTINUED TO PREVAIL IN MODERN RELIGIOUS IDEALS.
EARLY ON, THE MANKIND BEGAN A SEARCH FOR EXPLANATIONS ABOUT CREATION AND LIFE, WHICH COULD ONLY BE FOUND IN SPIRITUAL IDEALS. THIS RESULTED IN A STRONG CONNECTION BETWEEN RELIGION AND ENVIRONMENTALISM, WHICH HAS LASTED TO MODERN TIMES. RECENTLY, WE HAVE SEEN THEOLOGIANS FROM A VARIETY OF RELIGIOUS TRADITIONS, DISCUSSING RELIGIOUS ATTITUDES TOWARD NATURE AND THE ENVIRONMENT. WE HAVE ALSO SEEN AN EXPLOSION OF RELIGIOUS CONCERNS TOWARD RELATIONSHIPS WITH NON-HUMAN SPECIES AND THE CONCEPT OF ECOSYSTEMS. THE HISTORICAL ACCEPTANCE OF DIVINE INTERVENTION, LED HUMANS TO RELY ON RELIGIOUS CONCEPTS TO UNDERSTAND THE COMPLEX AND MULTIFACETED BELIEFS, RITUALS AND TEACHINGS FOR THEIR KNOWLEDGE OF EVERYTHING ON EARTH.
TWO HUNDRED FIFTY YEARS AGO, THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION AND THE ADVANCEMENT OF SCIENCES, STARTED A NEW ERA THAT RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT CHANGES IN HUMANITY’S SPIRITUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE. A MASS MOVEMENT OF PEOPLE FROM RURAL LIFE TO URBAN CENTERS WAS INITIATED AS EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES WERE EXPANDING IN THE METROPOLITAN AREAS, WHILE OFFERING INCREASED FINANCIAL REWARDS. TODAY, 82% OF UNITED STATES CITIZENS ARE CLASSIFIED AS URBANITES. IT WAS NOT LONG BEFORE THE CHRISTIAN CHURCHES BECAME COMPLICIT BY SUPPORTING RAPID INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AND ADVANCEMENT OF TECHNOLOGY. THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT OUR NATION EXPERIENCED RAPID ECONOMIC GROW AND AFFLUENCE AS A RESULT OF URBANIZATION AND INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT. UNFORTUNATELY, THE VAST MAJORITY OF OUR MODERN SOCIETY HAVE BECOME FOCUSED ON GREED AND INDIVIDUALISM. WE HAVE ALIENATED OURSELVES FROM THE LAND AND NATURE, AND THE CHURCH TENDS TO FOCUS ON REDEMPTION OF THE INDIVIDUAL AT THE EXPENSE OF CREATION.
WORLD RELIGIONS STILL TEND TO BELIEVE WE MUST NEVER FORGET THAT NATURE WAS GOD’S CREATION AND NOT OF HUMAN CONCEPTION. THE FOLLOWING ARE A FEW QUOTES FROM DIFFERENT RELIGIONS ABOUT OUR CONNECTION TO NATURE:
     CHRISTIANITY; “WE MUST TREAT NATURE WITH THE SAME AWE AND WONDER THAT WE RESERVE FOR HUMAN BEINGS. WE DO NOT NEED THIS INSIGHT IN ORDER TO BELIEVE IN GOD OR TO PROVE HIS EXISTENCE. WE NEED IT TO BREATH; WE NEED IT FOR US TO SIMPLY BE.”
     BUDDHISM; “OUR ANCESTORS VIEWED EARTH AS RICH AND BOUNTIFUL, WHICH IT IS. MANY PEOPLE IN THE PAST ALSO SAW NATURE AS INEXHAUSTIBLY SUSTAINABLE, WHICH WE NOW KNOW IS THE CASE ONLY IF WE CARE FOR IT.”
     BAHA’L; “NATURE IS GODS WILL AND IS ITS EXPRESSION IN AND THROUGH THE CONTINGENT WORLD”.
     HINDUISM; “THERE IS AN INSEPARABLE BOND BETWEEN MAN AND NATURE. FOR MAN, THERE CANNOT BE AN EXISTENCE REMOVED FROM NATURE”.
    CONFUCIANISM; “SUSTAINABLE HARMONIOUS RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE HUMAN SPECIES AND NATURE IS NOT MERELY AN ABSTRACT IDEAL, BUT A CONCRETE GUIDE FOR PRACTICAL LIVING”.
   ISLAM; “DEVOTE THYSELF SINGLE-MINDEDLY TO THE FAITH, AND FOLLOW THE NATURE DESIGNED BY ALLAH, THE NATURE ACCORDING TO WHICH HE HAS FASHIONED MANKIND. THERE IS NO ALTERING THE CREATION OF ALLAH”.
JUDAISM; “AND GOD SAID: BEHOLD I HAVE GIVEN YOU EVERY HERB YIELDING SEED, WHICH IS UPON THE FACE OF ALL THE EARTH, AND EVERY TREE, WHICH IS THE FRUIT OF A TREE YIELDING SEED – TO YOU IT SHALL BE FOR FOOD”.
TAOISM; “THIS ORIGINAL NATURE IS THE ETERNAL LAW. TO KNOW THE NATURE’S LAW IS TO BE ENLIGHTENED. HE WHO IS IGNORANT OF THE NATURE’S LAW SHALL ACT RECKLESSLY, AND THUS WILL INVITE MISFORTUNE. TO KNOW THE CONSTANT LAW OF NATURE IS TO BE GENEROUS. BEING GENEROUS, ONE IS IMPARTIAL. BEING IMPARTIAL, ONE IS THE SOVEREIGN. SOVEREIGN IS THE NATURE ITSELF”.
IT IS OBVIOUS THAT WORLD RELIGIONS HAVE SHARED A CLOSE CONNECTION TO ENVIRONMENTALISM THROUGHOUT HISTORY. WESTERN MONOTHEISTIC RELIGIONS BELIEVE WE MUST APPRECIATE THAT NATURE WAS GOD’S CREATION AND GOD’S PROPERTY. WE ARE NOT THE MASTERS OF EARTH, BUT SIMPLY A PART OF CREATION. IT IS ALSO OBVIOUS, THAT THE LAST 250 YEARS OF INDUSTRIAL DEVELOPMENT AND ADVANCED SCIENTIFIC KNOWLEDGE HAS RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF HUMANITY’S RESPECT FOR THE NATURAL WORLD. THIS HAS RESULTED IN AN ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS WHICH IS PROBABLY THE MOST SIGNIFICANT CHALLENGE HUMAN BEINGS HAVE EVER FACED.
RECENTLY, THIS WORLDWIDE CRISIS HAS CAUGHT THE ATTENTION OF A FEW THEOLOGIANS, WHICH HAS RESULTED IN EFFORTS TO REGENERATE INTEREST IN OUR SPIRITUAL CONNECTION TO NATURE. THEIR EFFORTS HAVE NOT RESULTED IN MUCH SOCAL CHANGE NOR ACCEPTANCE OF THE TRUE CRISIS WE FACE WORLDWIDE. THE MAJOR SIGNIFICANT CHANGE IS THE CONCEPT OF NATURE IS NOW DEFINED AS SOMETHING NEW, THE ENVIRONMENT, WHICH IS A NON-HUMAN WORLD WHOSE LIFE AND DEATH IS CONTROLLED BY HUMAN BEINGS. IT IS BEYOND BELIEF, THAT MANY STILL BELIEVE THAT HUMAN’S ARE NOT THE CAUSE OF THE MULTIFACETED ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS HUMANITY NOW FACES. THE TRUTH IS WHAT WE DO TO EARTH WE DO TO OURSELVES. HUMAN BEINGS AND THE ENVIRONMENT ARE TOTALLY CONNECTED, EACH SIDE AFFECTING, AND BEING AFFECTED, BY THE OTHER.
WHEN WE LOOK AT RELIGION, ECOLOGY AND TODAY'S CRISIS, TWO QUESTIONS ARISE. WHAT HAVE WORLD RELIGIONS BELIEVED ABOUT HUMAN RELATIONS WITH NATURE, AND HOW MUST THESE BELIEFS CHANGE TO ADDRESS TODAY'S ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS? SCIENCE HAS BEEN ALERTING US TO THIS CRISIS FOR THE PAST 50 YEARS, YET OUR CORPORATE AND POLITICAL INSTITUTIONS HAVE FOUND FINANCIAL PROFITS AND COSTS TO BE MORE IMPORTANT THAN FUTURE LIFE ON EARTH. ACADEMIA HAS ALSO CONTINUED THEIR FOCUS ON CONSUMPTION AND UTILIZATION, RATHER THAN ECOLOGICAL CONCERNS FOR THE NATURAL WORLD. INSTEAD OF A RELIGIOUS ORIENTATION TO ECO-JUSTICE, MUCH OF OUR SOCIETY CONCENTRATES ON WHO GETS THE MONEY, MORE THAN THE CONSEQUENCES OF HOW WE PRODUCE THAT WEALTH.
I HAVE SPENT MUCH OF MY RETIREMENT YEARS STUDYING AND ANALYZING HUMAN IMPACTS ON THE NATURAL WORLD, AND HAVE CONCLUDED THAT OUR FUTURE WILL DEPEND UPON TWO MAJOR ELEMENTS; RELIGION AND ECOLOGY. UNFORTUNATELY, I HAVE ALSO FOUND THAT WHAT RELIGIOUS FOLLOWERS SAY AND DO ARE FREQUENTLY TWO DIFFERENT THINGS. IT IS ALSO TROUBLING TO KNOW THAT PARTICIPATION IN RELIGIOUS ACTIVITIES, IN THE UNITED STATES, IS AT AN ALL TIME LOW. WE MUST FIND WAYS FOR OUR RELIGIOUS LEADERSHIP TO ENCOURAGE THE RECOVERY OF OUR SPIRITUAL CONNECTION TO NATURE, EDUCATE OUR PEOPLE IN ECOLOGICAL CONCEPTS AND BECOME WILLING PARTICIPANTS IN IMPLEMENTING THE REQUIRED CHANGES.
HISTORY, INCLUDING RECENT HISTORY, SELDOM COMES FROM LEADERSHIP INTUITION AND DIRECTION, BUT RATHER AT THE INSISTENCE OF THE PEOPLE. I BELIEVE POLITICS, ECONOMICS, ENERGY POLICY, AGRICULTURE AND TRANSPORTATION ARE RELIGION’S BUSINESS. I ALSO BELIEVE ANY STRONG RELIGIOUS COMMITMENT INCLUDES AN ENVIRONMENTAL ETHIC. THIS CRISIS IS A SPIRITUAL PROBLEM, AFFECTING THE PASSION AND INTIMACY OF RELIGIOUS LIFE.
TOMORROW DEPENDS UPON STRONG LEADERSHIP FROM THE CHURCH TO RECREATE THE SPIRITUAL RELATIONSHIP WE REQUIRE WITH NATURE, AND ACADEME’S LEADERSHIP TO PROVIDE AN ECOLOGICAL BASE FOR OUR YOUTH. THERE IS MUCH TO BE DONE AND LITTLE TIME TO DO IT!

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July 05th, 2022

7/5/2022

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EARTH’S LIMITED CARRYING-CAPACITY

My retirement years have been dedicated to developing a deeper appreciation for the natural world and humanity’s dependence upon that world for the sustenance of life. Anyone that takes the time to review the scientific facts, must accept the truth about mankind’s destruction of Nature. It started with slow gradual changes that most people classified as progress. The 1850’s ushered in the Industrial Revolution and significant increases in population numbers. The changes also began to concentrate developed countries populations in urban areas where the factories and jobs were available. Today, 82% of the United States population is considered urban, and many believe the food source is the local grocery store instead of the rural farms and ranches. Many, now believe humanity’s intelligence and advanced technology allows us to dominate, conquer and manipulate planet Earth’s energy and resources to provide for the future. The truth is our planet has natural limits which are being stressed to the point we will exceed Earth’s carrying-capacity in just 28 to 30 years.
We are flooded daily with concerns over inflation, voter rights, division, abortion, green energy, emigration, climate change, gun control and the list goes on. Don’t get me wrong, these are all important issues that require solutions, but nothing compared to the most critical issues humanity has ever faced! Population expansion and deforestation will result in the loss of life on Earth if we fail to implement significant changes in the demands we are placing on Earth. 80 percent of all living organisms on Earth require forests (trees) to survive, and only 26% of Earth’s original forest cover remains. We are continuing to deforesting the equivalent of 20 football fields every minute worldwide. Science projects that 10 billion people worldwide, will stress the ability of Earth to sustain. We are currently approaching 8 billion and increasing by 75 million people annually.
People on the North American Continent require 20 acres to support their standard of living, yet there are only 4.2 acres available for each person worldwide. It is also true that the land base is shrinking as a result of raising ocean and sea levels due to warming water temperatures. Since 1880, ocean levels have risen 9 inches, and science tells us that within the next 50 years, 12.5 percent of Florida’s homes will be flooded out. Earth’s atmospheric level of carbon dioxide is at 400 ppm, which is the highest level in the last 800,000 years. Only three percent of Earth’s ecosystems are considered to be intact and functioning properly.
These facts are disturbing and should be of major concern, however my biggest concern is the fact that our political system is so broken, I question whether we can find leadership to begin finding solutions to the two largest issues humanity has ever faced. We have invested 250 years in developing the democratic principles that govern the United States of America, and our government is responsible only to the citizens of this great country. In other words, we are the government, and the political process is way we elect public servants to represent us. They have only two responsibilities, establish reasonable regulations which allow our country to function based upon the rule of law, and pool our economic resources and energy to solve complex issues and problems we cannot resolve individually. Our government is not broken, our political process is. Politics has become a game of power and control, rather than a process for resolving complex problems. Today, politicians spend millions of dollars to secure a position that pays up to $275,000 annually, and Presidential candidates spend as much as two billion dollars to campaign for a $400,000 a year position. The majority of these candidates require large sums of money, from donors, to compete in political races. They are then expected to favor the donors’ desires rather than the American citizens. Public financing of elections is the only way to reverse this major problem!
The fact is most politicians today, are unwilling to tackle complex issues for fear of losing their next election. Their own interests and their financial donor’s needs, take precedent over public needs. Consequently, they deny the issue exists or ignore the need to become involved in the debate. Even our Supreme Court has turned from interpreting the Rule of Law, too making decisions based upon political possessions. Recently the Court, ignored 50 years of precedence, and placed limits on women’s rights, and just today removed the ability of the Environmental Protection Agency to carry-out their responsibilities to protect the natural world from human destruction. People who receive power through their elected or appointed positions, now focus on their individual desires and benefits, and the needs of special interests, with no concern for the future of our human species.
I deal only with facts that have been tested and confirmed, in my effort to alert the public to current conditions. I am simply a person whose career, observations and studies have enlightened me to the most serious environmental issues humanity has ever faced. It is important we make adjustments in our current life styles, so future generations have the opportunity to share the life style benefits we have enjoyed. I am appalled at how our political system, and now even our Supreme Court, has deviated from facts and truth for political expediency. It is beyond belief, that two of our governmental institutions, who have protected the democratic principles of the Constitution of the United States for over 200 years, have now lost credibility with the American citizens. Even the two houses of the congress appear to be fighting over truth and fiction. I cannot believe that one of our traditional party’s is, today, attempting to gain autocratic control by spreading false information to American voters. Efforts are even under way to allow State Legislatures to disregard the popular vote and select different Electoral College delegates that do not represent the States popular voting results.
Where will the leadership come from? It will require the voters to exercise their Constitutional Voting Rights, by electing true public servants. Unfortunately, we are so divided and our voting rights under threat of being limited, I question our ability to make the required adjustments. We can only hope our people see the truth and are energized to demand changes that restore Democracy by voting for candidates with integrity, commitment to democratic principles, honesty and commitment to public service. “We the People” are the government! Politicians work for us and when they fail, they must be replaced. The best solution is term limits for members of Congress! Public agencies and institutions must refocus their efforts on managing the Natural World for the public if we are to enjoy a desired future for those to come! YOUR VOTE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCED! CHANGE MUST COME FROM THE BOTTOM UP!

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June 27th, 2022

6/27/2022

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                                                 CAN WE RESTORE THE NATURAL WORLD?

IS IT POSSIBLE TO PROTECT AND RESTORE WHAT HAS BEEN LOST IN NATURE? THE ANNUAL CHANGING OF THE SEASONS ALLOWS US TO OBSERVE THE RESILIENCE THAT HAS BEEN DESIGNED INTO THE NATURAL WORLD, AND OFFERS A DEGREE OF HOPE. THOUGH STUDIES AND OBSERVATIONS, ONE MUST CONCLUDE THAT THE NATURAL WORLD IS AN AMALGAMATION OF UNIQUE INDIVIDUAL ECOSYSTEMS. THIS CONCLUSION WAS RECENTLY SUPPORTED BY A STUDY CONDUCTED BY CHICO ET AL. (2020) IN NORTHERN SPAIN, WHERE THEY STATE, “THE NATURAL WORLD IS BUILT ON COMPLEX, INTRINSIC ECOSYSTEMS THAT OPERATE IN CONCORD”.
OBSERVING HUMANITY’S EFFORTS TO CREATE ARTIFICIAL ECOSYSTEMS, RAISES DOUBT AS TO HUMANITY’S ABILITY TO UNDERSTAND AND FOLLOW NATURE’S WAY. IN FACT, OBSERVING PAST EFFORTS TO CONTROL AND MANIPULATE NATURE, RAISES QUESTIONS ABOUT THE DEPTH OF UNDERSTANDING OF NATURAL ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONING. THE SPANISH STUDY INDICATES THE MANAGEMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES IS DIFFICULT DUE TO THE MAGNITUDE AND COMPLEXITY OF ISSUES. “DISRUPTING, ENHANCING, OR REMOVING ONE COMPONENT WILL AFFECT ALL THE REST. THIS MEANS THAT EVERY ACTION TAKEN IN THE ENVIRONMENT, FOR GOOD OR FOR WORSE, HAS THE POTENTIAL TO CATALYZE A CASCADE OF UNPREDICTABLE OUTCOMES.”
THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS EXAMPLES OF HUMANITY’S EFFORT TO SAVE THREATENED OR ENDANGERED SPECIES FROM EXTINCTION. WE HAVE OBSERVED HOW REMOVAL OF A LARGE MAMMAL SPECIES UPSETS THE BIOTIC BALANCE OF THE ECOSYSTEM AND WE HAVE ESTABLISHED REGULATIONS   TO PREVENT LOSS OF ENDANGERED SPECIES, AND EVEN REINTRODUCED SPECIES INTO HABITATS THEY ONCE OCCUPIED. THE PROBLEM IS COMPLICATED BY THE FACT, THAT OVER HALF OF THE SPECIES ARE MICROBES AND LIVE IN THE INVISIBLE WORLD BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE GROUND.
HUMANITY’S EFFORT TO CREATE ARTIFICIAL ECOSYSTEMS HAS NOT BEEN ALL THAT SUCCESSFUL. THERE ARE NUMEROUS EXAMPLES OF CREATED SYSTEMS SUCH AS; HUMAN COMMUNITIES, AGRICULTURAL CROP LANDS, ZOO’S, GREENHOUSES, FISH FARMS, AQUARIUMS AND FOREST PLANTATIONS. THESE ARTIFICIAL SYSTEMS LACK THE REQUIRED BIO-DIVERSITY FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND REQUIRE RESOURCES AND ENERGY FROM OUTSIDE THE SYSTEM. ARTIFICIAL ECOSYSTEMS REQUIRE HUMAN SUPPORT FOR SUSTAINABILITY, AND THE SUPPORT TENDS TO FOCUS ONLY ON THE ABOVE GROUND LIFE SYSTEMS. ONE MUST QUESTION THE ABILITY OF HUMANS TO IMPLEMENT RECLAMATION STRATEGIES CAPABLE OF RESTORING A COMPLEX DIVERSE ECOSYSTEM. SCIENCE SUGGESTS, WE WOULD BE FORTUNATE IF WE COULD RESTORE 20% OF THE SYSTEMS WE HAVE DESTROYED.
IF WE DECIDE TO CHANGE OUR MANAGEMENT GOALS FROM UTILIZATION OF RESOURCES TO RESTORATION OF THE NATURAL WORLD, SHOULD WE FOCUS ON THE CONDITION OF THE HABITAT OR THE MISSING INDIGENOUS SPECIES WHICH WERE HISTORICALLY PART OF THE ECOSYSTEM? ANDREW PLUMPTRE, HEAD OF KEY BIODIVERSITY AREAS SECRETARIAT, CAMBRIDGE, ENGLAND, ESTIMATES THAT 43% OF THE WORLD’S LAND BASE, HAS INTACT HABITAT. WHEN YOU ACCOUNT FOR SPECIES LOSS, INTACT ECOSYSTEMS ARE JUST 2.9 % INTACT AND SUSTAINABLE. PLUMPTRE, GOES ON TO SUGGEST WE COULD RESTORE 20% OF THE LAND ECOSYSTEMS BY REINTRODUCING, NO MORE THAN FIVE, INDIGENOUS SPECIES INTO OTHERWISE INTACT SYSTEMS.
THE QUESTION OF HOW TO RESTORE THE NATURAL WORLD IS COMPLEX. WE MUST ACCEPT THE FACT THAT HUMAN DEMANDS FOR RESOURCES FROM NATURE ARE THE MAJOR CAUSE OF HABITAT DESTRUCTION AND HAVE ACCELERATED WITH THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION AND EXPANDING WORLD POPULATION. THE FIRST STEP IS THE ARTICULATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE PROBLEM. CURRENTLY, LEADERSHIP IS FOCUSED ON A FEW SYMPTOMS OF THE PROBLEM, SUCH AS FOSSIL FUEL CONSUMPTION. BACK IN THE 1960’S, A GROUP OF MASSACHUSETTS INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY GRADUATE STUDENTS, WORKING ON THEIR DOCTORATE THESIS, CONDUCTED A STUDY ON WHY SOLUTIONS TO COMPLEX PROBLEMS HAVE A VERY LOW IMPLEMENTATION RATE. THEIR FINDINGS CONCLUDED THAT FAILURE WAS MAINLY DUE TO PEOPLES LACK OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT THE PROBLEM WAS AND WHAT WILL HAPPEN IF WE FAIL TO RESOLVE THE PROBLEM. SO CALLED IMPLEMENTATION GENIUSES, FOCUS ON THE POTENTIALLY AFFECTED PEOPLE’S INVOLVEMENT THROUGHOUT THE DISCISSION MAKING PROCESS, NOT MORE TECHNOLOGICAL INFORMATION.
WHEN WE BEGIN THE RESTORATION PROCESS, WE MUST DECIDE WHERE WE NEED TO PLACE OUR EMPHASIS, ON SPECIES RESTORATION OR HABITAT RECOVERY. PLUMPTRE’S STATISTICS WOULD SUGGEST OUR EMPHASIS SHOULD BE ON SPECIES RESTORATION. HIS MAIN CONCERN APPEARS TO BE ON KEY LARGE MAMMALS, WHOSE LOSS MAY FUNDAMENTALLY CHANGE HOW THEIR ECOSYSTEMS WORK.
AFTER CAREFUL REVIEW, I BELIEVE OUR EFFORTS MUST CONSIDER A DIFFERENT APPROACH. AS PREVIOUSLY STATED, OUR NATURAL WORLD WAS CREATED THROUGH AN AMALGAMATION OF ECOSYSTEMS. THIS IS TRUE REGARDLESS OF THE LOCATION OF THE ECOSYSTEM. LOGIC DICTATES OUR FOCUS MUST START ON RESTORING INDIVIDUAL ECOSYSTEMS OR COMMUNITIES. THAT IS AN ENORMOUS UNDERTAKING AND WILL REQUIRE A WORLDWIDE EFFORT, ALONG WITH A COMPLETE KNOWLEDGE OF HOW THE ENTIRE ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONS. WE CAN NOT IGNORE THE INVISIBLE HALF OF LIFE BELOW THE GROUND. THESE ECOSYSTEMS APPEAR TO PERSIST FOR MILLIONS OF YEARS, AND RESTORATION MUST RETURN THE ORIGINAL BIO-DIVERSITY AND BALANCE WHICH SUSTAINS THESE UNITS OVER THIS LONG TIME FRAME.
IT IS OBVIOUS THAT SPECIES EXTINCTION IS A PRIMARY REASON FOR FAILURE AND COLLAPSE OF MANY ECOSYSTEMS. FERNANDO BLANCO OF THE LEIBNIZ INSTITUTE FOR EVOLUTION AND BIODIVERSITY SCIENCE IN GERMANY, SUGGESTS THAT LARGE MAMMALS, PARTICULARLY BROWSERS AND GRAZERS, ARE TRANSIENT IN ECOSYSTEMS THAT PERSIST OVER MILLIONS OF YEARS. A CONTROVERSIAL STUDY IN 2019 FOUND A CHANGING OF SPECIES WITHIN CURRENT ECOSYSTEMS, WHERE NEW SPECIES OFTEN REPLACED OTHERS PREFORMING SIMILAR FUNCTIONS. THIS IS A KEY ISSUE IN SPECIES RECOVERY, AS IT IS THE FUNCTION EACH SPECIES PREFORMS THAT PROVIDES SUSTAINABILITY OF THE ECOSYSTEM. ALTHOUGH, THE TRANSIENT MOVEMENTS OF THE ABOVE GROUND SPECIES MAY HAVE LIMITED IMPACT ON THE ECOSYSTEM, THIS IS NOT TRUE OF THE MULTITUDE OF SPECIES LIVING IN THE UNDERGROUND WORLD.
IT IS OBVIOUS THAT IF WE ARE TO RESTORE ANY PORTION OF THE NATURAL WORLD, WE MUST FOCUS ON ECOSYSTEM RESTORATION. WE MUST RESTORE THE DIVERSITY, BALANCE AND RESILIENCE OF INDIVIDUAL COMMUNITIES OR ECOSYSTEMS. THE FIRST PRIORITY IS TO CHANGE THE WAY WE TREAT THE LAND, HABITAT. WE NOT ONLY CLEAR THE LAND OF VEGETATION, BUT CHANGE THE TOPOGRAPHY, TILL THE SOIL AND TURN THE GROUND UPSIDE DOWN TO REMOVE LARGE VOLUMES OF MINERALS. CLEAR-CUTTING, WHICH DESTROYS BIO-DIVERSITY, MUST BE PUSHED ASIDE AND HARVESTING MOUNTAINSIDES AND DRAINAGES MUST BE REPLACED WITH TREATMENT PRESCRIPTIONS FOR INDIVIDUAL FOREST COMMUNITIES. OVER-UTILIZATION AND OVER-HARVESTING MUST BE CONTROLLED. WE MUST BE ABLE TO IDENTIFY INDIVIDUAL ECOSYSTEMS AND MANAGE FOLLOWING NATURE’S WAY. IN 34 YEARS OF EXPERIENCE, I CANNOT RECALL A SINGLE FORESTER THAT IDENTIFIED A FOREST COMMUNITY OR ECOSYSTEM, ONLY TIMBER TYPES. CREATING PLANTATIONS, WHICH ARE LACKING OR VOID OF DIVERSITY MUST STOP, AND NATURAL REGENERATION BY THE MOTHER TREES MUST BE RELIED UPON. BEN RAWLENCE, FOUNDER AND DIRESTOR OF BLACK MOUNTAINS COLLEGE, STATES “A PLANTATION IS NOT A FOREST”. THIS PROFOUND STATEMENT MUST REPLACE GIFFORD PINCHOT’S DEFINITION OF FORESTRY AS, “GROWING TREES AS CROPS”.
THE REINTRODUCTION OF EXTINCT SPECIES WILL BE REQUIRED TO RESTORE MANY ECOSYSTEMS, BUT MUST BE SELECTED BASED UPON THE FUNCTION THEY SERVE WITHIN THE UNIT. NON-INDIGENOUS SPECIES MUST BE AVOIDED.
WE CAN IMPROVE THE FUNCTIONING OF MANY OF OUR COMPROMISED ECOSYSTEMS WITH PROPER MANAGEMENT. IT WILL NOT BE EASY, AND WILL REQUIRE KNOWLEDGE OF LIFE SYSTEMS BEYOND WHAT MOST OF US CURRENTLY POSSESS AND IS BEING TAUGHT IN OUR NATURAL RESOURCE COLLEGE MAJORS. OUR DESIRED FUTURE REQUIRES INDEPTH KNOWLEDGE OF THE NATURAL WORLD AND OUR ABILITY TO INSTITUDE THE PRINCIPLES OF NATURES WAY!

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May 25th, 2022

5/25/2022

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COMPROMISED AND DYING ECOSYSTEMS

NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS ARE UNIQUE SELF-SUSTAINING UNITS FOUND IN COASTAL, FOREST, FRESH-WATER, PRAIRIE GRASSLANDS AND MARINE ENVIRONMENTS. IN FACT, THE ENTIRE NATURAL WORLD INVOLVES AN AMALGAMATION OF INDIVIDUAL ECOSYSTEMS. ECOSYSTEMS THROUGHOUT THE NATURAL WORLD ARE BEING LOST DUE TO OVER-HARVESTING, LOSS OF HABITAT, CLIMATE CHANGE, DEFORESTATION, LAND DEVELOPMENT, INCREASED CARBON DIOXIDE CONCENTRATES AND CONTINUED INCREASES IN THE USE OF TOXIC CHEMICALS.
FRONTIERS IN FORESTS AND GLOBAL CHANGE, REPORTS THAT JUST THREE PERCENT OF THE WORLD’S LAND REMAINS ECOLOGICALLY INTACT, WITH UNDISTURBED HABITAT AND MINIMAL LOSS OF ORIGINAL SPECIES. CURRENT SPECIES EXTINCTION RATES RANGE FROM 100 TO 1000 TIMES THE NORMAL EXTINCTION RATE. GLOBAL BIO-MASS AND SPECIES ABUNDANCE OF WILD ANIMALS HAD FALLEN 82% SINCE PREHISTORIC TIMES, AND RECENT EUROPEAN STUDIES DEMONSTRATE THE LARGEST DECLINE IN SPECIES ARE BIRDS AND FISH. OVER-EXPLOITATION FOR COMMERCIALIZATION, HUMAN PROGRESS AND HUMANITY’S GREEDY DEMANDS ARE THE MAJOR CAUSES FOR THIS BIO-DIVERSITY LOSS.
APPROXIMATELY 470 MILLION ACRES OF UNDISTURBED ECOSYSTEMS HAVE BEEN LOST BETWEEN 2000 AND 2013, ACCORDING TO SCIENTIFIC REPORTS. THE LOSS OF A SINGLE SPECIES WITHIN THE ECOSYSTEM CAN UPSET THE BALANCE AND CAUSE DECLINE AND EVEN DEATH OF AN ECOSYSTEM. THE INTRODUCTION OF NON-INDIGENOUS SPECIES CAN CAUSE SIMILAR RESULTS. THE LOSS OF A SPECIES, WITHIN AN ECOSYSTEM, DEMONSTRATES THE NECESSITY OF DIVERSITY, AND THE CONNECTIONS BETWEEN ALL MEMBERS OF ECOSYSTEM’S ORGANISMS. DIVERSITY INCREASES AN ECOSYSTEMS RESILIENCE AND IS FUNDAMENTAL TO HUMAN HEALTH. AS NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS DECLINE OR DIE ARTIFICIAL ECOSYSTEMS, LIKE HUMAN COMMUNITIES, ARE ADVERSELY AFFECTED SINCE THEY DEPEND UPON RESOURCES AND ENERGY FROM THE NATURAL WORLD AND ITS ECOSYSTEMS.
SOME OF THE MORE SHOCKING STATISTICS ARE:
GLOBAL DECLINE IN TREE COVER IN 2018 WAS 72.6 MILLION ACRES, ALMOST 50% MORE THEN IN 2015. 60% OF EARTH’S CORAL REEFS ARE THREATENED
75% OF THE MAJOR MARINE FISH SPECIES ARE DEPLETED OR DWINDLING DUE TO OVER-HARVESTING. 50% OF OUR COASTAL MANGROVES ARE GONE.
1 IN 8 OF OUR BIRD SPECIES ARE AT RISK OF EXTINCTION.
WORLD WILDLIFE POPULATIONS HAVE DECLINED BY 68% IN THE LAST FOUR DECADES.
SCIENCE PREDICTS 30% OF ALL CURRENT SPECIES WILL BE EXTINCT BY 2050.
RECENT STUDIES INDICATE THAT 23%OF ECOSYSTEM LOSSES ARE DUE TO CATASTROPHIC WILDFIRES, 24% FROM AGRICULTURE LAND CLEARING AND 26% FROM DEFORESTATION. SCIENCE SUGGESTS THAT IF WE WERE TO MAKE A CONCERTED EFFORT, WE MIGHT BE ABLE TO RESTORE ABOUT 20% OF OUR LOST ECOSYSTEMS. ALTHOUGH, RESTORATION HAS LIMITATIONS, IT IS IMPORTANT WE INITIATE ACTIONS IF WE WANT TO PROLONG HUMAN LIFE ON EARTH.
HUMANITY’S DESTRUCTION OF THE NATURAL WORLD MUST STOP, IF WE HAVE CONCERN FOR OUR OWN SPECIES! OUR FIRST STEP MUST BE TO DEVELOP A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE NATURAL WORLD AND WHAT HUMANITY IS DEMANDING FROM IT. STUDYING THE COMPLEXITY OF ECOSYSTEMS, HAS DISCLOSED, FOR ME, THE FACT THAT THE ENTIRE NATURAL WORLD, WHETHER IT BE LAND OR SEA, IS A MASSIVE ASSEMBLY OF INDIVIDUAL ECOSYSTEMS. EACH ONE BEING SOME WHAT SELF SUSTAINING, CONTAINING A LARGE NUMBER OF ORGANISMS WORKING TOGETHER TO MAINTAIN A BALANCED SYSTEM TO SUPPORT LIFE, AND TOTALLY DEPENDENT UPON DIVERSITY AND RELATIONSHIPS. THIS TRULY DESCRIBES THE COMPLEXITY DESIGNED INTO THE CREATION OF OUR PLANET, AND PROVIDES THE MISSING LINK WHICH SUPPORTS THE CONCEPT OF INTELLIGENT DESIGN.
THE IMPLICATION FOR THE HUMAN IS GREAT! HUMANITY’S BELIEF IN OUR ABILITY TO DOMINATE, CONTROL, MANIPULATE AND CHANGE NATURE, IS UNREALISTIC. OUR PAST EFFORTS HAVE ONLY UPSET THE BALANCE WITHIN ECOSYSTEMS AND RESULTED IN LOSS OF THESE NATURAL SYSTEMS REQUIRED FOR LIFE ON EARTH.
SCIENCE HAS NOW DISCOVERED LIFE EVEN FURTHER BELOW THE GROUND THEN WE PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT COULD EXIST. IT ACTUALLY IS LIVING IN BEDROCK FORMATIONS, WITH SOME SPECIES CAPABLE OF LIVING FOR MILLENNIUMS. WE CURRENTLY HAVE NO KNOWLEDGE OF WHETHER THIS SUBTERRANEAN LIFE HAS ANY CONNECTION TO THE SURFACE ECOSYSTEMS, BUT LOGIC SUGGESTS IT MAY.
I AM INTRIGUED BY HOW MUCH WE HAVE DISCOVERED ABOUT THE COMPLEXITY OF CREATION OF OUR PLANET, BUT EVEN MORE INTRIGUED BY HOW MUCH WE DO NOT KNOW. IT IS THE LACK OF KNOWLEDGE THAT HAS ALLOWED OUR DESTRUCTIVE DEMAND FOR RESOURCES AND WEALTH TO JEOPARDIZE THE FUTURE OF LIFE, INCLUDING HUMAN LIFE, ON EARTH. WE CAN MEASURE THE IMPACTS OF HUMAN CONSUMPTION WITH MODERN TECHNOLOGY TODAY, AND THE RESULTS ARE OBVIOUS. WE ARE CURRENTLY EXPERIENCING RAPID POPULATION GROWTH, THE HIGHEST RECORDED CARBON LEVELS IN THE ATMOSPHERE, RISING SEA LEVELS, DRAMATIC CLIMATE CHANGES, PANDEMICS, MASSIVE WILDFIRES, RAPID DEFORESTATION AND MAJOR LOSS OF NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS. MANY PEOPLE STILL REFUSE TO ACCEPT THAT THIS IS THE RESULT OF HUMAN OVER-CONSUMPTION AND MISMANAGEMENT OF EARTH’S REMAINING NATURAL WORLD.
THERE IS SOLID INFORMATION THAT PROVIDES THE TRUE FACTS ABOUT HUMANITY’S DEPENDENCE UPON THE NATURAL WORLD. THE NATURAL WORLD IS AN AMALGAMATION OF MILLIONS, POSSIBLE BILLIONS, OF ECOSYSTEMS WITHIN EVERY COMPONENT OF EARTH’S NATURAL SYSTEMS. THESE ECOSYSTEMS ARE UNIQUE NATURAL COMMUNITIES CONTAINING A DIVERSE MIX OF DIFFERENT SPECIES WORKING TOGETHER TO SUSTAIN BALANCE AND LIFE WITHIN THE UNIT. THE HUMAN SPECIES, HISTORICALLY, SPREAD TO EVERY CORNER OF EARTH, BUT FOUND IT BENEFICIAL TO CONCENTRATE IN GROUPS FOR SECURITY AND SHARED SUPPORT. CONCENTRATED GROUP LIVING IS NOW THE NORM.
WITH THE PROGRESSION OF TIME, POPULATION EXPANSION AND THE INTRODUCTION OF THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION, CAUSED HUMAN POPULATIONS TO TRANSITION FROM RURAL TO URBAN LIVING. THESE URBAN COMMUNITIES WERE MANKIND’S EFFORT TO CREATE ARTIFICIAL HUMAN ECOSYSTEMS. PROBLEM WAS, THEY HAD TO RELY ON RESOURCES OUTSIDE THE COMMUNITY. OUR INCREASING DEMANDS FROM THE NATURAL WORLD HAS RESULTED IN THE OVER UTILIZATION OF RESOURCES AND EXTINCTION OF SPECIES WHICH UPSETS THE BALANCE AND, IN MANY CASES THE DESTRUCTION OF MOST OF OUR NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS.
THE EVIDENCE IS CLEAR AND THE ISSUES HAVE BEEN DEFINED. HUMANITY’S GROWING POPULATION AND EXPANDING DEMAND FOR RESOURCES, IS THE PRIMARY CAUSE OF OVER 90% OF OUR COMPROMISED AND DYING ECOSYSTEMS. THE FOCUS OF OUR SCIENTIFIC INSTITUTIONS ON DEVELOPING NEW TECHNOLOGY TO SATISFY HUMAN DESIRES FOR A MORE AFFLUENT LIFE STYLE MUST CHANGE. WE MUST FIND WAYS TO ENHANCE AND REGENERATE WHAT WE HAVE DESTROYED. IT IS NO LONGER ACCEPTABLE TO MANAGE OUR REMAINING NATURAL WORLD FOR A SUSTAINED FLOW OF PRODUCTS AND RESOURCES. WE MUST FOCUS MANAGEMENT ON SUSTAINING THE NATURAL WORLD AND THE ELEMENTS THEY PROVIDE WHICH SUPPORT LIFE ON PLANET EARTH.

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March 28th, 2022

3/28/2022

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            LIFE IN THE WORLD BENEATH THE TREE

PAST EFFORTS TO PRESCRIBE VEGETATIVE MANAGEMENT TREATMENTS FOR FORESTED LANDS, HAVE BEEN BASED UPON VISIBLE CONDITIONS OF THE ABOVE GROUND PORTION OF THE TREES. THE PRESCRIPTIONS HAVE BEEN PRIMARILY ON WHAT WE MIGHT CALL, THE INDUSTRIAL FORESTRY PRINCIPLES. THE GOALS HAVE BEEN TO MAXIMIZE WOOD FIBER PRODUCTION AND TO GROW TREES TO SUPPLY THE WOOD PRODUCTS INDUSTRY AND PUBLIC DEMANDS. TIMBER HARVESTING DECISIONS HAVE FOCUSED ON ECONOMIC MATURITY, ACCESS, ASSIGNED SALE TARGETS AND INDUSTRIAL DEMANDS. EVEN PUBLIC FORESTED LANDS HAVE BEEN MANAGED USING THESE PRIMARY GOALS.
IN ADDITION, THERE HAVE BEEN NUMEROUS LAND USE DEMANDS WHICH HAVE REQUIRED COMPLETE DEFORESTATION OF MORE THAN HALF OF OUR ORIGINAL FOREST COVERED LANDS. AGRICULTURAL NEEDS HAVE LED THE DEFORESTATION EFFORT, BUT THERE ARE MANY OTHER LAND USES THAT REQUIRE CLEARING THE VEGETATION COVER. DEVELOPMENT AND EXPANSION OF COMMUNITIES AND CITIES, THE EXTENSIVE TRANSPORTATION CORRIDORS, RECREATION AND TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENTS SUCH AS GOLF COURSES, AIRPORTS AND FACTORIES, HAVE ALL HAD DEVASTATING IMPACTS ON LOSS OF FORESTED LANDS. ONLY TWENTY-SIX PERCENT OF OUR ORIGINAL FORESTED ACRES REMAIN WORLDWIDE.
THE VAST FOREST COVERED LANDS ON THE NORTH AMERICAN CONTINENT, HAVE PROVIDED WHAT WE HAVE CONSIDERED A LIMITLESS SUPPLY OF WOOD PRODUCTS AND PLAYED A MAJOR ROLE IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE TWO MOST AFFLUENT SOCIETIES ON EARTH. UNFORTUNATELY, THE DEMAND FOR CLEARED LAND AND WOOD PRODUCTS ALONG WITH OUR AGRICULTURAL CONCEPT OF MANAGEMENT, HAS DESTROYED NATURAL DIVERSITY AND INCREASED THE POTENTIAL FOR CATASTROPHIC EVENTS SUCH AS WILDFIRES AND INSECT AND DISEASE INFESTATIONS. HARVESTING AND PLANTING TREES, AS IF THEY WERE ROW CROPS IN A CULTIVATED FIELD, HAS NOT CREATED FOREST COVER CAPABLE OF SUPPORTING FUTURE LIFE ON THIS PLANET.
MANAGEMENT PRESCRIPTIONS BASED UPON WHAT THE FORESTER CAN OBSERVE ABOVE THE FOREST FLOOR, SIMPLY ARE INADEQUATE FOR PROPER MANAGEMENT TODAY. THERE IS A MUCH LARGER LIVING WORLD BENEATH THE SURFACE OF THE GROUND, WHICH PLAYS A VIDAL ROLE IN WHAT WE CAN OBSERVE IN THE FOREST COMMUNITY. WE ARE LEARNING MORE ABOUT THIS UNSEEN WORLD AND THE AMAZING FUNCTIONS IT PROVIDES, AS ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES BECOME MORE INVOLVED IN THE SCIENCE OF FORESTRY. PROPER MANAGEMENT OF OUR REMAINING FORESTS WILL NOT OCCUR WITHOUT UPDATED KNOWLEDGE OF THE UNDERGROUND LIFE AND THEIR FUNCTIONS. TREES ARE ACTUALLY COMMUNICATING WITH EACH OTHER THROUGH THESE UNSEEN NETWORKS! ECOLOGY, THE STUDY OF RELATIONSHIPS, IS UNCOVERING MASSIVE AMOUNTS OF INFORMATION ABOUT THE EXISTENCE AND IMPORTANCE OF LIFE IN THE UNSEEN WORLD.
WE MUST FIRST RECOGNIZE THAT FOREST COMMUNITIES, OR ECOSYSTEMS IF YOU PREFER, ARE LIVING COMPLEX COMMUNITIES WHICH ARE SUSTAINED BY DIVERSITY AND RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE NUMEROUS SPECIES THAT MAKE UP THE ECOSYSTEM. REMOVE A SPECIES FROM THE SYSTEM, AND IT SUFFERS, BEGINS TO DECLINE AND MAY EVEN DIE. AT LEAST HALF OF THE SPECIES WITHIN THE ECOSYSTEM ARE BENEATH THE SURFACE AND UNSEEN BY THE HUMAN EYE.
THE SOIL BENEATH THE TREES CONTAINS FIVE DIFFERENT SOIL MICROBES; BACTERIA, ACTINOMYCETES, FUNGI, PROTOZOA AND NEMATODES. BACTERIA ARE THE FINAL STAGE OF BREAKING DOWN THE ORGANIC MATERIAL TO CREATE NUTRIENTS FOR THE PLANTS. ACTINOMYCETES ARE SIMILAR TO FUNGI, SOME HARMFUL AND OTHERS ACTING LIKE AN ANTIBIOTIC TO PREVENT DISEASES IN PLANTS. FUNGI ARE FOUND EVERYWHERE; IN THE SOIL, LAKES, RIVERS, OCEANS, ATMOSPHERE, PLANTS ANIMALS AND EVEN IN HUMANS. IN THE SOIL THEY HELP DECOMPOSE ORGANIC MATTER, ASSIST PLANTS IN ABSORBING MOISTURE AND NUTRIENTS FROM THE SOIL AND IN RETURN PLANTS SHARE SUGAR TO FEED THE MYCELIUM. WE HAVE IDENTIFIED ALMOST 150,000 DIFFERENT SPECIES OF FUNGI TO DATE. MYCORRHIZAL FUNGI CREATE A MASSIVE COMMUNICATION NETWORK BETWEEN PLANTS, WHICH ALLOW PLANTS TO SHARE MOISTURE AND NUTRIENTS WITH EACH OTHER AND ASSIST WITH DISEASE PREVENTION. THESE MYCORRHIZAL NETWORKS LITERALLY OPEN UP A NEW UNDERSTANDING OF LIFE WITHIN THE FOREST ECOSYSTEM. PROTOZOA ARE LARGER MICROBES THAT CONSUME BACTERIA AND RELEASE NUTRIENTS THE BACTERIA HAVE CONSUMED TO THE PLANTS. NEMATODES ARE MICROSCOPIC WORMS, SOME OF WHICH ARE PARASITIC TO PLANTS, AND OTHERS WHICH CONSUME PATHOGENIC NEMATODES AND SECRETE NUTRIENT FOR PLANT CONSUMPTION.
RECENT DISCOVERIES, HAVE FOUND A MASSIVE BIOSPHERE OF LIFE AT SUBTERRANEAN LEVELS OF EARTH. WE HAVE ALWAYS THOUGHT LIFE COULD NOT EXIST AT THESE DEPTHS, DUE TO HIGH TEMPERATURES AND LACK OF ADEQUATE OXYGEN. THESE NUMEROUS SPECIES ARE LIVING IN BED ROCK FORMATIONS AND HAVE BEEN FOUND AS DEEP AS 3.1 MILES BENEATH THE SURFACE. THEY CAN SURVIVE AT TEMPERATURES HIGHER THAN WE PREVIOUSLY THOUGHT LIVING ORGANISMS COULD WITHSTAND, LIVE IN THE ABSENCE OF SUNLIGHT AND LIVE ON MEAGER AMOUNTS OF CHEMICAL ENERGY. SOME FORMS CAN EXIST FOR MILLENNIA, WHICH RAISES THE QUESTION AS TO THE POSSIBILITY OF SIMILAR LIFE EXISTING BENEATH THE SURFACE ON OTHER PLANETS. WHAT ROLE THIS NEW FOUND LIFE PLAYS IN SURFACE ECOSYSTEMS IS UNKNOWN. KNOWING THAT ALL SPECIES ARE CONNECTED AND CONTRIBUTE IN SOME SMALL WAY TO THE CIRCLE OF LIFE, CERTAINLY WILL RESULT IN MEANINGFUL PARTICIPATION OF THESE SUBTERRANEAN LIFE FORMS IN THE FUNCTIONING OF ECOSYSTEMS.
IT IS INTERESTING THAT BACTERIA AND ARCHAEA ACCOUNT FOR 70% OF ALL LIFE ON EARTH. THE REMAINING 30% ARE 99% PLANTS AND ONLY 1% CLASSIFIED AS ANIMALS INCLUDE HUMAN BEINGS.
WE HAVE MUCH TO LEARN ABOUT LIFE SYSTEMS AND ECOSYSTEMS ON EARTH, IF THE HUMAN SPECIES IS TO SURVIVE IN THE FUTURE. OUR KNOWLEDGE BASE IS EXPANDING RAPIDLY, WHILE OUR DEMANDS FOR RESOURCES AND ENERGY CONTINUES TO ESCALATE AT AN UNSUSTAINABLE RATE. I AM SURE MANY QUESTION WHY INFORMATION ABOUT LIFE IN THE DEEP UNSEEN WORLD IS OF ANY IMPORTANCE.
SINCE MANKIND FIRST ARRIVED ON EARTH, HUMANITY HAS REQUIRED EARTH’S RESOURCES FOR SUSTENANCE AND SHELTER. WITH TIME, THE EXPANDING HUMAN POPULATIONS DEMAND FOR RESOURCES AND ENERGY BEGAN TO CHALLENGE EARTH’S ABILITY TO PROVIDE. THE PAST 250 YEARS HAS HAD A VAST IMPACT ON EARTH’S CARRYING CAPACITY, RESULTING IN THE PROBABILITY WE WILL SOON EXCEED THE ABILITY OF EARTH TO SUSTAIN PROJECTED POPULATION NUMBERS.
THE POINT OF THIS DISCUSSION IS THAT AS OUR KNOWLEDGE OF THE EARTH SYSTEMS INCREASES, IT DISCLOSES OUR PAST MISTAKES WHICH HAVE BEEN DEVASTATING ON THE NATURAL WORLD. USING FORESTRY AS AN EXAMPLE, PAST APPLICATION OF AGRICULTURAL PRINCIPLES, TO MAXIMIZE WOOD FIBER PRODUCTION, HAVE RESULTED IN DESTRUCTION OF TOO MANY FOREST ECOSYSTEMS, AND EXTINCTION OF NUMEROUS SPECIES. WE HAVE IDENTIFIED CLOSE TO 10 MILLION DIFFERENT SPECIES, WHICH IS PROBABLY LESS THAN 20% OF THE TOTAL NUMBER OF SPECIES THAT EXIST ON EARTH. EVERY YEAR, SEVERAL THOUSAND SPECIES GO EXTINCT, AS A RESULT OF HUMAN PRESSURE ON THE DIFFERENT ECOSYSTEMS. THE TWO MAJOR CAUSES OF THESE SPECIES EXTINCTION ARE LOSS OF HABITAT AND CLIMATE CHANGE.
LIVING WITHIN THE LIMITED CARRYING-CAPACITY OF PLANET EARTH IS ESSENTIAL. MANAGING OUR REMAINING NATURAL WORLD REQUIRES MANAGEMENT PRESCRIPTIONS BASED UPON KNOWLEDGE OF THE ENTIRE ECOSYSTEM AND THE HEALTH AND DIVERSITY OF THE COMMUNITY. WE MUST STOP INTERFERING WITH THE NATURAL PROCESSES OF REGENERATION. WE DO NOT POSSESS THE WISDOM TO MANIPULATE OR CHANGE NATURE! NATURE’S WAY IS THE FUTURE! HUMAN ASSISTANCE IS ESSENTIAL!

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February 28th, 2022

2/28/2022

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                                                   EXPANDING HUMAN POPULATION ACCELERATES
                                    SPECIES EXTINCTION
NUMEROUS SPECIES ARE BECOMING EXTINCT 100 TIMES FASTER THAN THEY WOULD WITHOUT ADVERSE HUMAN IMPACTS. ANIMAL POPULATIONS HAVE DECLINED BY MORE THAN 50% SINCE 1970, WHILE HUMAN POPULATIONS HAVE DOUBLED DURING THE SAME PERIOD. SELDOM HAVE WE EXPERIENCED SO MANY SPECIES AND SO MUCH BIODIVERSITY BEING LOST SO QUICKLY. DOES IT REALLY MATTER? AFTER ALL, WE ARE TOLD HUMANS ARE TO DOMINATE OVER THE EARTH AND ALL NON-HUMAN SPECIES. THE WESTERN CULTURE SEES ITSELF AS MASTER OF THE ENTIRE PLANET, RATHER THAN ONE SMALL PART OF THE EARTH’S LIFE SYSTEMS. THROUGHOUT THE EVOLUTIONARY DEVELOPMENT OF EARTH, SPECIES HAVE BECOME EXTINCT AND REPLACED BY NEW SPECIES. THIS IS TRUE, BUT THE INTRODUCTION OF HUMANS, REFERRED TO AS THE DOMINATE SPECIES, INITIATED A SIGNIFICANT ACCELERATION OF SPECIES EXTINCTION.
WE DOMESTICATED AND INTRODUCED NON-INDIGENOUS SPECIES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, WHICH UPSET THE BALANCE OF NATURE AND DROVE NUMEROUS INDIGENOUS SPECIES TO THE EDGE OF EXTINCTION. WHEN PREDATOR SPECIES INTERFERED WITH DOMESTIC LIVESTOCK, WE ESTABLISHED PROGRAMS TO EXTERMINATE ENTIRE POPULATIONS. OUR HUMAN DEMANDS HAVE RESULTED IN OVER-HARVESTING SEVERAL SPECIES, AND INCREASED DEMANDS FOR ENERGY AND LAND USE, HAS DESTROYED HABITATS FOR NUMEROUS SPECIES. IN FACT, DEFORESTATION IS CONSIDERED A MAIN FACTOR THAT DRIVES SPECIES TO EXTINCTION. CLIMATE CHANGE HAS ALSO RESULTED IN SIGNIFICANT LOSS OF HABITAT. DEFORESTATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE CAUSE INCREASED DESERTIFICATION, RISING SEA LEVELS, WARMER TEMPERATURES AND SIGNIFICANT LOSSES IN HABITAT. DEFORESTATION IS ACTUALLY AS RESPONSIBLE FOR MAJOR CLIMATE CHANGE AS FOSSIL FUEL CONSUMPTION.
THERE IS AN URGENT NEED TO REVERSE HUMAN DESTRUCTION OF THE NATURAL WORLD BEFORE IT BECOMES SO UNSUSTAINABLE THAT NATURAL SYSTEMS ARE CORRUPTED TO THE POINT, THEY CAN NO LONGER SUSTAIN HUMAN LIFE OR LIFE IN GENERAL. THIS IS A DIFFICULT ISSUE AS MOST FACTORS THAT CAUSE SPECIES EXTINCTION ARE ECONOMICALLY DRIVEN AND THREATEN THE BASIC HUMAN RIGHT OF FREE WILL. THERE IS ALSO A MORAL QUESTION AS TO WHO WILL BE REQUIRED TO IMPLEMENT THE NECESSARY ENVIRONMENTAL RESTRICTIONS TO CONTROL AND REDUCE SPECIES EXTINCTION. WITH POOR NATIONS STRIVING FOR PROSPERITY, INDUSTRIALIZED NATIONS WILL HAVE TO MAKE ENORMOUS CONCESSIONS. WE MUST ALSO REALIZE HOW THE DIFFERENT SPECIES OF ANIMALS DEPEND ON OTHER SPECIES AS FOOD SOURCES, THUS ANY EXTINCTION WHICH OCCURS IN A DIVERSE OR CONSTRAINT ECOSYSTEM RESULTS IN A CHAIN REACTION.
OUR OCEAN AND SEA ECOSYSTEMS ARE SUFFERING AS A RESULT OF TOXIC OIL SPILLS, CHEMICAL AND FERTILIZER RUNOFF, WARMING SEA TEMPERATURES, DUMPING OF WASTE, INCLUDING TOXIC WASTE, INTO OUR OCEANS AND HUMAN DESTRUCTION OF AQUATIC HABITATS. ANY HUMAN ACTION THAT THREATENS BIODIVERSITY, WHETHER DELIBERATE OR UNINTENTIONAL, LEADS TO EXTINCTION AND LOSS OF ECOSYSTEM FUNCTIONS. HARVARD BIOLOGIST, E. O. WILSON ESTIMATES THAT THREE SPECIES PER HOUR ARE BEING PUSHED TO EXTINCTION.
NOT ENOUGH PLANTS AND INVERTEBRATES HAVE BEEN STUDIED TO DETERMINE THEIR GLOBAL THREAT LEVEL, BUT IT IS SEVERE! WHERE DO WILDLIFE POPULATIONS STAND TODAY WITH ALMOST 8 BILLION PEOPLE WORLDWIDE? TWELVE PER CENT OF MAMMALS, TWELVE PER CENT OF BIRDS, THIRTY-ONE PER CENT OF REPTILES, THIRTY PER CENT OF AMPHIBIANS, AND THIRTY-SEVEN PER CENT OF FISH ARE THREATENED WITH EXTINCTION, ACCORDING TO THE INTERNATIONAL UNION FOR THE CONSERVATION OF NATURE. EXTINCTION OF SPECIES IS THE MOST SERIOUS, AND MOST IRREVERSIBLE ADVERSE EFFECT ON THE SUSTAINABILITY OF FUTURE HUMAN POPULATIONS. ONCE AGAIN, SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERY’S DISCLOSE THE VITAL IMPORTANCE OF DIVERSITY IN THE SUSTENANCE OF LIFE ON EARTH. DIVERSITY IS THE MOST CRUCIAL ELEMENT, DESIGNED INTO THE CREATION OF PLANET EARTH, THAT SUPPORTS LIFE SYSTEMS! MANAGEMENT OF OUR NATURAL WORLD CONTINUES TO BE BASED UPON ECONOMIC RETURNS RATHER THAN PROLONGING HUMAN AND NON-HUMAN LIFE ON EARTH!
WHERE WILL WE FIND THE LEADERSHIP TO ADJUST MANAGEMENT PRIORITIES TO PROTECT AND IMPROVE OUR NATURAL WORLD? WE CANNOT LIVE WITHOUT THE CRITICAL ELEMENTS SUPPLIED ONLY BY NATURE! SCIENCE AND ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY CAN NEVER SUPPLY THE LIFE SUSTAINING ELEMENTS REQUIRED FOR FUTURE LIFE ON EARTH! WE MAY HAVE TRADED FUTURE LIFE FOR MATERIALISM! TIME WILL TELL. DO WE HAVE TIME?

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February 01st, 2022

2/1/2022

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                                                            RESTORING THE BALANCE

THE PAST YEAR, I HAVE BEEN ALERTING PEOPLE TO THE WELL-KNOWN CONCEPT OF CARRYING CAPACITY. CARRYING-CAPACITY DESCRIBES THE ABILITY OF AN ECOSYSTEM TO PROVIDE FOR FLUCTUATING SPECIES POPULATIONS WITHIN THE ECOSYSTEM. NUMEROUS STUDIES AND EXAMPLES HAVE FOCUSED OUR ATTENTION ON WHAT HAPPENS WHEN NON-HUMAN SPECIES EXCEED THE ABILITY OF THEIR ECOSYSTEM TO PROVIDE THE REQUIRED FOOD, RESOURCES AND ENERGY. MOST GAME SPECIES ARE CONSIDERED A STATE RESOURCE, WITH STATE AGENCIES ESTABLISHED TO PROTECT AND MANAGE WILDLIFE POPULATIONS. FOR DECADES, MANAGEMENT HAS INCLUDED EFFORTS TO BALANCE POPULATION NUMBERS WITH THE HABITAT CARRYING CAPACITY. UNFORTUNATELY, THE FOCUS OF BIOLOGICAL SCIENCE HAS BEEN ON ANIMAL POPULATIONS WITH LITTLE EFFORT DIRECTED AT HUMANS AND EARTH’S LIMITATIONS.
WE HAVE EXPERIENCED PROBLEMS LIKE; WHIRLING DISEASE IN TROUT IN THE GREATER YELLOWSTONE AREA, CHRONIC WASTING DISEASE IN WHITE TAIL DEER IN THE LAKE STATES, BRUCELLOSIS IN THE YELLOWSTONE ELK POPULATION AND THE LIST GOES ON. THESE EXAMPLES HAVE ALL RESULTED FROM OVER-POPULATION OR OVER-CONCENTRATION IN ARTIFICIAL FEED GROUNDS. ALTHOUGH MANAGEMENT PROGRAMS HAVE HAD SOME SUCCESS, EFFORTS TO CONTROL NATURAL REPRODUCTIVE RATES AND POPULATION NUMBERS HAVE BEEN LIMITED. WHAT WE HAVE OBSERVED IN OVER-POPULATION SITUATIONS, IS NATURES WAY OF ATTEMPTING TO RESTORE BALANCE. LACK OF NUTRIENTS AND HABITAT LOSS RESULTS IN WEAKENED INDIVIDUALS AND THE INTRODUCTION OF STARVATION, PESTILENCE AND DISEASE. THIS NATURAL PROCESS HAS BEEN DESIGNED INTO THE CREATION OF THE MAGICAL EARTH SYSTEMS THAT SUPPORT LIFE ON OUR PLANET.
TO SATISFY THE DEMANDS OF THE EVER-INCREASING NUMBERS OF PEOPLE, HUMANS CHOP DOWN FORESTS, BULLDOZE MOUNTAINS, DIVERT STREAMS AND RIVERS, SPRAY POISONS, OVER-HARVESTED ANIMAL AND FISH POPULATIONS, INTRODUCE INVASIVE SPECIES, PAVED OVER LAND AND THE LIST GOES ON. AFTER ALL, EARTH BELONGS TO US AND IT IS OUR DIVINE RIGHT TO DO AS WE WISH, EVEN IF IT DESTROYS HABITATS, CAUSES SPECIES EXTINCTION AND UPSETS THE BALANCE OF NATURE!
THE TRUTH IS, INFECTIOUS DISEASE OUTBREAKS HAVE BEEN INCREASING OVER THE PAST DECADE. EPIDEMICS AND PANDEMICS HAVE RAVAGED HUMANITY THROUGHOUT THE PAST, BUT HAVE SERIOUSLY ACCELERATED IN FREQUENCY AND INTENSITY WITH THE RAPIDLY GROWING WORLD POPULATIONS. THE LOSS OF BIO-DIVERSITY DUE TO INCREASED HUMAN ACTIVITY HAS CONTRIBUTED SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE INCREASED SPREAD OF INFECTIOUS DISEASE. ANOTHER FACTOR THAT CONTRIBUTES TO THE SPREAD OF EPIDEMICS AND PANDEMICS, HAS BEEN THE DEGRADATION OF NATURAL HABITATS AND THE DESTABILIZATION OF ECOSYSTEMS. EARTH IS MADE UP OF A MULTITUDE OF ECOSYSTEMS, AND THE SCIENTIFIC COMMUNITY INFORMS US THAT ONLY 3% OF OUR WORLDWIDE ECOSYSTEMS ARE CONSIDERED INTACT AND PROPERLY FUNCTIONING.
THE U. S. CENSUS BUREAU PREDICTS THE WORLD POPULATION WILL REACH 10 BILLION BY 2050, WITH SCIENTISTS AND ECONOMISTS PROJECTING EARTH’S CARRYING-CAPACITY TO BE APPROXIMATELY 10 BILLION PEOPLE. THIS MEANS WE ARE PUSHING THE LIMITS OF OUR HUMAN ECOSYSTEM’S ABILITY TO PROVIDE FOR OVER-POPULATION. I HAVE BEEN RELUCTANT TO ADDRESS THE BIG QUESTION, IS COVID 19 AND OTHER EPIDEMICS AND PANDEMICS, NATURES WAY OF ATTEMPTING TO RESTORE BALANCE TO EARTH’S ABILITY TO SUPPORT OUR EXPANDING POPULATION? I AM SURE THIS RAISES MORAL QUESTIONS FOR MANY, BUT IT IS A QUESTION WE MUST ANSWER.
ON MARCH 11TH OF 2020, THE WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION DECLARED THE CORONAVIRUS 19 OUTBREAK A GLOBAL PANDEMIC. COVID-19 HAS HIGHLIGHTED THE WEAKNESS IN THE HEALTH SYSTEMS WORLDWIDE AND THE LACK OF COORDINATION BETWEEN GOVERNMENTS WHEN FACED WITH A GLOBAL HEALTH CRISIS. MANY SCIENTISTS ARE SUGGESTING WE ARE OBSERVING A NATURAL PROCESS, DESIGNED INTO CREATION, INTENDED TO ASSIST IN RESTORING BALANCE BETWEEN HUMAN POPULATION NUMBERS AND EARTH’S CARRYING-CAPACITY. I BELIEVE, BIOLOGICAL DATA FROM STUDYING NON-HUMAN SPECIES OVERCROWDING, PROVIDES ADEQUATE PROOF THAT COVID 19 IS NATURE’S WAY OF ATTEMPTING TO BALANCE HUMAN POPULATIONS WITH EARTH’S CARRYING-CAPACITY. I ALSO BELIEVE, IT IS LIKELY, THE SEVERITY AND INTENSITY OF EPIDEMICS AND PANDEMICS MAY BECOME A SERIOUS ISSUE FOR HUMANITY’S FUTURE. THIS SCARY PREDICTION SHOULD RAISE EVERYONE’S CONCERNS AND ALERT US TO THE NEED FOR ACTION.
THE WORLDWIDE CASES OF THE COVID VIRUS HAS REACHED ALMOST 375 MILLION, WHICH EXCEEDS THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF THE UNITED STATES, AND THE TOTAL NUMBER OF DEATHS IS 5.7 MILLION, THE EQUIVALENT OF THE TOTAL POPULATION IN THE STATE OF MINNESOTA.
THE UNITED NATIONS RECENTLY ESTABLISHED WHAT THEY CONSIDER THE STABILIZATION FIGURE TO BE, AT 10 BILLION TO BE REACHED IN THE SECOND HALF OF THIS CENTURY. THERE ARE REAL CONCERNS ABOUT HOW WE CAN FEED AN ADDITIONAL 2 BILLION PEOPLE THIS CENTURY. TODAY, BETWEEN 850 AND 925 MILLION PEOPLE ARE EXPERIENCING FOOD INSECURITY AND UNDERNOURISHMENT. PRESSURES ON THE ENVIRONMENT IS INCREASING EXPONENTIALLY, AS LEVELS AND MODES OF CONSUMPTION ACCELERATE. SEVEN PERCENT OF THE WORLD’S POPULATION LACK A SAFE SUPPLY OF DRINKING WATER, AND CLIMATE CHANGE IS ANTICIPATED TO EXACERBATE THE ISSUES. ALTHOUGH, REPRODUCTIVE RATES HAVE DECLINED SLIGHTLY, THE GROWTH OF THE AGED POPULATIONS IS INCREASING WITH THE FASTEST GROWING AGE GROUP BEING THE 90-PLUS.
IN 2010, THE WORLD ACHIEVED A DEMOGRAPHIC MILESTONE WHEN WORLD POPULATIONS SHIFTED FROM RURAL TO URBAN LIVING. TODAY, MORE THAN HALF OF THE WORLD POPULATION LIVE IN URBAN AREAS, CLUSTERED TOGETHER AND PROVIDING FOR A MORE RAPID SPREAD OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES. HUMANITY IS FACING THE MOST CRITICAL ISSUE IN OUR HISTORY.
THE CLOCK KEEPS TICKING, AS WE SET BACK AND CONTINUE OUR QUEST FOR MATERIALISM AND WEALTH. WE MEASURE SUCCESS BASED UPON THE U.S. GDP, RATHER THAN THE WELLNESS OF THE PEOPLE. WE FIGHT OVER POWER AND CONTROL, AND IGNORE WHAT LIES AHEAD. WE STRIVE FOR INDIVIDUALISM, INSTEAD OF JOINING HANDS AND WORKING TOGETHER TO RESOLVE LIFE’S COMPLICATED ISSUES. WE MUST MOVE QUICKLY TOWARD STABILIZATION OF THE GLOBAL POPULATION, WHICH CAN BEST BE ACHIEVED BY IMPROVING THE LIVES OF PEOPLE IN LOW-INCOME COUNTRIES AND CREATING A MORE SUSTAINABLE PATTERN OF RESOURCE CONSUMPTION, ESPECIALLY IN THE HIGH-INCOME COUNTRIES. AMERICA, IN THE PAST, HAS DEMONSTRATED HER ABILITY TO WORK TOGETHER TO MEET THE NEEDS OF HER CITIZENS. DO WE HAVE WHAT IT TAKES TO RESTORE THE BALANCE AND PROLONG HUMANITY’S FUTURE? IT WILL HAPPEN WHEN THE PEOPLE DEMAND CHANGE!

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January 21st, 2022

1/21/2022

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                             PREDATOR, PREY RELATIONSHIPS

I HAVE BEEN READING A NEW BOOK ENTITLED, “RESTORING THE BALANCE”, WHAT WOLVES TELL US ABOUT OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH NATURE. IT IS BASICALLY A HISTORICAL RECORD OF FIELD NOTES AND OBSERVATIONS, BY SEVERAL DOCTORIAL CANDIDATES THAT WERE STUDYING THE WOLF – MOOSE PREDATOR PREY RELATIONSHIPS ON ISLE ROYALE NATIONAL PARK. DR. DURWOOD ALLEN INITIATED THE STUDY PROJECT IN 1958 AFTER FINDING THIS SOMEWHAT CLOSED ECOSYSTEM OFF THE COAST OF MICHIGAN. THE CANADIAN BORDER IS CLOSE ENOUGH THAT THERE IS AN OCCASIONAL ICE BRIDGE THAT FORMS BETWEEN THE ISLAND AND THE MAIN LAND, ALLOWING WOLVES TO COLONIZE THE ISLAND IN THE 1940’S. BEING AN ISLAND, OFFERED A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY PREDATOR-PREY RELATIONSHIPS WITHIN A SOME WHAT CLOSED ECOSYSTEM.
WHEN I FIRST FOUND THE BOOK IT REMINDED ME OF PAST CONNECTIONS I HAD MADE WITH THE STUDY. IN 1964, I PRESENTED A PAPER AT THE MIDWEST WILDLIFE CONFERENCE AT PURDUE UNIVERSITY, ON A VEGETATIVE INVENTORY PROCESS I HAD COMPLETED IN SOUTHERN MISSOURI. THE RESULTS WERE BEING USED BY THE MISSOURI STATE TURKEY BIOLOGISTS TO DETERMINE WHERE HABITAT IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS WOULD PROVIDE THE BEST RESULTS TO SUPPORT LARGER TURKEY POPULATIONS. FOLLOWING MY PRESENTATION, I WAS PRIVILEGED TO HEAR DR. ALLEN’S PROGRAM ON THE ISLE ROYALE WOLF STUDY.
SEVERAL YEARS LATER, I WAS ASSIGNED TO A DISTRICT RANGER POSITION ON THE SUPERIOR NATIONAL FOREST. DR. DAVID MECH HAD COMPLETED HIS DOCTORATE UNDER DR. ALLEN, AND WAS INITIATING A STUDY OF THE WOLF POPULATION IN NORTHEASTERN MINNESOTA. THE FOCUS WAS ON THE BOUNDARY WATERS CANOE AREA. MY COLLEGE ROOMMATE’S FATHER WAS A PROFESSIONAL TRAPPER, AND HAD BEEN SELECTED TO CONDUCT THE TRAPPING NECESSARY TO OUTFIT THE WOLVES WITH RADIO COLLARS. I SPENT TWO YEARS HELPING SUPPORT DR. MECH’S PROJECT, AND EXPERIENCED SEVERAL LIFE-CHANGING EVENTS WITH INDIVIDUAL WOLF ENCOUNTERS I WAS PRIVILEGED TO OBSERVE.
I REMEMBERED A FEW EXPERIENCES THAT HIGHLIGHTED MY CONTACTS WITH WOLVES. THEY ARE A MAGNIFICENT ANIMAL WITH A VERY STRONG SOCIAL ORDER WITHIN THE PACK. OUR HEADQUARTERS WERE LOCATED IN ELY, MINNESOTA WITH THE DISTRICT BEING JUST NORTHEAST OF THE COMMUNITY. THE LOCAL MAYOR, WHO WAS ALSO A MEDICAL DOCTOR, BECAME INTERESTED IN DR. MECH’S PROJECT AND INDICATED HE WOULD BE INTERESTED IN SPENDING SOME TIME OBSERVING. A SHORT TIME LATER DAVE CALLED AND INFORMED ME HE HAD A MALE WOLF READY TO EXAMINE AND I SHOULD SEE IF THE MAYOR WAS AVAILABLE TO COME OUT. I PICKED THE MAYOR UP AND A SHORT TIME LATER WE WERE AT THE SITE. THE WOLF WAS A LARGE MALE THAT APPEARED NOT TO HAVE FED FOR SEVERAL DAYS. HE HAD BEEN TRANQUILIZED AND THE MAYOR WAS INTERESTED IN A PHOTOGRAPH WITH THE WOLF. MECH SUGGESTED THE MAYOR GET CLOSER TO THE WOLF AS I RAISED THE HEAD OF THE WOLF FOR THE PICTURE. WHEN I DID THE WOLF MADE A GRUNT NOISE WHICH SENT THE MAYOR RUNNING UP THE BANK FOR SAFETY. WE DID FINALLY GET THE PICTURE.
ANOTHER TIME AS WE WERE FLYING AND LOOKING FOR A RADIO COLLARED WOLF, WE SPOTTED A LONE WOLF ATTEMPTING TO SNEAK UP ON A DEER THAT WAS OUT ON A FROZEN LAKE. AFTER GETTING AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE, THE WOLF MAD A DASH FOR THE DEER. THE SOFT SNOW SWIRLED AROUND THE PAIR, AND WHEN IT FINALLY SETTLED, THE WOLF WAS ON THE BOTTOM AND THE DEER WAS STOMPING IT WITH IT’S FRONT HOOVES. THE WOLF FINALLY DECIDED THERE MUST BE AN EASIER WAY AND LEFT.
MY FINAL MEMORY CAME WHEN MECH LEARNED THAT CANADIAN BIOLOGISTS HAD BEEN HANDLING SOME WOLVES WITHOUT TRANQUILIZING THEM. THIS PARTICULAR DAY THEY HAD TRAPPED A SMALL FEMALE WOLF AND DECIDED TO FITTING A RADIO COLLAR WITHOUT TRANQUILIZING HER. WITH A FORKED STICK OVER HER NECK, THE TWO HELPERS REMOVED HER FROM THE TRAP, WEIGHED AND MEASURED HER AND PLACED THE COLLAR ON HER. SHE LAY PERFECTLY STILL, SEEMING TO BE IN A COMMA. ONE HELPER DECIDED TO GET A PHOTO OF HER WHEN SHE RECOVERED. SHE LAID THERE FOR OVER A HALF HOUR, SUDDENLY BOLTED AND WAS GONE BEFORE A PICTURE COULD BE TAKEN.
THE BOOK OBVIOUSLY BROUGHT BACK FOND MEMORIES, BUT MY INTEREST IN THE BOOK WAS BASED ON MY DESIRE FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HUMANITY’S CONNECTION TO THE NATURAL WORLD. UNFORTUNATELY, THE BOOK PRIMARILY FOCUSED ON FINITE DETAILS OF OBSERVATIONS AND FIELD NOTES FROM SEVERAL STUDENTS THAT HAD STUDIED PREDATOR-PREY RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN WOLVES AND MOOSE ON ISLE ROYALE. THE STUDIES HAVE PROVIDE IMPORTANT INSIGHT INTO THE IMPACT PREDATION CAN HAVE ON POPULATION LEVELS AND DEMONSTRATE HOW POPULATION FLUCTUATION’S CAN IMPACT OTHER SPECIES SUCH AS VEGETATION. THE BOOK IS OBVIOUSLY NOT WRITTEN FOR GENERAL CONSUMPTION. THE PREFACE OVER-SELLS THE CONTENTS AND LEADS TO DISAPPOINTMENT FOR MOST READERS.

THE STUDIES ON ISLE ROYALE OFFER INFORMATION THAT NEEDS ANALYSIS FOR COMPARISON WITH THE MOST SIGNIFICANT ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUE HUMANITY HAS EVER FACED. HUMANS ARE A PREDATOR SPECIES AND OUR WORLDWIDE POPULATION IS STRESSING EARTH’S ABILITY TO PROVIDE THE REQUIRED RESOURCES AND ENERGY TO SUSTAIN LIFE ON OUR PLANET. ARE WE RAPIDLY APPROACHING THE LIMITS OF EARTH’S CARRYING CAPACITY? WE HAVE STUDIED AND OBSERVED NUMEROUS SITUATIONS WERE NON-HUMAN SPECIES HAVE EXCEEDED THEIR ECOSYSTEM’S ABILITY TO SUSTAIN POPULATION NUMBERS. DISEASE AND STARVATION BECOME NATURE’S METHOD OF TRYING TO RESTORE BALANCE. THIS STUDY DISCLOSES THE FACT THAT LOSS OF DIVERSITY AND INBREEDING CAN CONTRIBUTE TO MAJOR POPULATION DECLINES. IT DEMONSTRATES HOW OVER POPULATIONS OF MOOSE ADVERSELY EFFECT THE BALSAM FIR TREE GROWTH AND REPRODUCTIVE RATES RESULTING IN THE LOSS OF THE MAJOR VEGETATIVE FOOD SOURCE FOR THE MOOSE. EVERYTHING IS CONNECTED.

CHAPTER 10, THE LAST CHAPTER OF THE BOOK, FINALLY GOT MY ATTENTION. THE AUTHOR FINISHED BY PRESENTING HIS ANALYSIS OF HOW THE YEARS OF STUDYING THE PREDATOR-PREY RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN ISLE ROYALE’S WOLVES AND MOOSE RELATES TO HUMANITY’S CONNECTION TO THE NATURAL WORLD. HE CONCLUDES THAT,” HUMANS KILL IN THE NAME OF CONSERVATION, AND TYPICALLY ARE CULPABLE FOR THE CIRCUMSTANCES THAT MOTIVATED THE KILLING”. “HUMANS HAVE A LONG-RUNNING TENSION BETWEEN INDIVIDUALISM AND COLLECTIVISM.” THE QUESTION; IS HOW DO WE ENERGIZE PEOPLE TO APPRECIATE HUMANITY’S CONNECTION TO THE NATURAL WORLD?
I WISH I KNEW HOW TO ELEVATE THE CONCERNS OF PEOPLE TO GET THEM TO REALIZE WHAT IS HAPPENING TO THE NATURAL WORLD, WE AND THE OTHER LIFE SYSTEMS DEPEND UPON FOR SURVIVAL! IN OUR QUEST FOR FREEDOM AND NORMALCY, WE THROUGH CAUTION TO THE WIND AND IGNORE WHAT LIES AHEAD. JUST OBSERVE THE CURRENT COVID SITUATION. WE ARE TRIED OF BEING RESTRICTED FROM OUR NORMAL ACTIVITIES, SO WE IGNORE COMMON SENSE PROTECTION METHODS.
THERE IS MUCH TO LEARN AND MUCH TO ACCOMPLISH IF WE WANT TO ACHIEVE OUR DESIRED FUTURE! WE SEEM OPEN TO POLITICAL MIS-INFORMATION AND LIES, YET FAIL TO ACCEPT PROVEN SCIENTIFIC DATA AND STATICS ABOUT WHAT HUMANITY IS DOING TO THE NATURAL WORLD. WE WILL SUFFER THE CONSEQUENCES!

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December 24th, 2021

12/24/2021

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RELIGION AND ECOLOGY

THE INTRODUCTION OF THE 13TH CENTURY FOUND EUROPE FACING A WORLDWIDE ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS SIMILAR TO THE CRISIS WE FACE TODAY. THEY WERE EXPERIENCING RAPID GROWTH IN THE POPULATION, A SHORTAGE OF RESOURCES AND RECOVERING FROM A PANDEMIC KNOW AS THE BLACK DEATH. THE MEDIEVAL CHURCH MAINTAINED ITS POWER AND EXERCISED ENORMOUS INFLUENCE OVER THE PEOPLE’S LIVES, FROM THE KING ON HIS THRONE TO THE PEASANT IN THE FIELD. THE CHURCH WAS THE MANIFESTATION OF GOD’S WILL AND PRESENCE ON EARTH, AND ITS DICTATES WERE NOT TO BE QUESTIONED. THE CHURCH REGULATED AND DEFINED AN INDIVIDUAL’S LIFE, LITERALLY, FROM BIRTH TO DEATH. MAJOR CHANGE CAME IN THE POWER OF THE CHURCH FOLLOWING THE PANDEMIC, WHEN THE PEOPLE BEGAN TO DOUBT THE POWER OF THE CLERGY WHO WERE UNABLE PREVENT THE PEOPLE FROM DYING OR THE SPREAD OF THE PLAQUE.
THE LIMITED AVAILABILITY OF LIFE SUSTAINING RESOURCES AND THE STRICT RELIGIOUS DOCTRINE, TRIGGERED A SEARCH FOR NEW LANDS. THE DISCOVERY OF THE AMERICAN CONTINENT IN THE LATE 14TH CENTURY, INTRODUCED HOPE AND A START OF MIGRATION OF EUROPEANS TO FIND A BETTER LIFE WITH RELIGIOUS FREEDOM. THESE PEOPLE WERE HARD WORKERS AND DEPENDED UPON THE LAND FOR SUSTENANCE. THEY ENCOUNTERED THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE WHO’S ANCESTORS HAD LIVED AS A PART OF NATURE FOR AT LEAST 30,000 YEARS. WITH HELP FROM THE NATIVE PEOPLE, THE SETTLERS SET OUT TO DEVELOP A NEW LIFE BASED UPON THE RICH LAND AND, WHAT SEEMED UNLIMITED, NATURAL RESOURCES. RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, A LAND RICH WITH RESOURCES AND A LAND WITH NO DOCUMENTED OWNERSHIP; WAS BEYOND EXPECTATION. THEIR DEPENDENCE ON THE LAND LED TO A SPIRITUAL APPRECIATION FOR THE NEW LAND.
THIS IS HISTORY FAMILIAR TO US, BUT PROVIDES THE BASIC UNDERSTANDING REQUIRED TO BEGIN CONSIDERING THE CONNECTION BETWEEN RELIGION AND ECOLOGY. A DETAILED UNDERSTANDING OF THE CREATION STORY ESTABLISHES THE FACT THAT THE ENTIRE UNIVERSAL COMMUNITY FUNCTIONS ON RELATIONSHIPS. IF THE EARTH WERE A FEW MILES CLOSER OR FURTHER FROM THE SUN, LIFE COULD NOT EXIST. THE ROTATION OF EARTH, THE ENERGY FROM THE SUN AND OUR ATMOSPHERE; PROVIDE FOR MILLIONS OF LIVING ORGANISMS, THE CHANGING OF THE SEASONS AND THE REQUIRED CLIMATIC CONDITION THAT SUSTAIN LIFE.
WITH THE NUMBER OF EUROPEAN SETTLERS INCREASING RAPIDLY, THE DESIRABILITY OF INDEPENDENCE AND THE FORMATION OF A GOVERNING BODY BECAME PRIORITY. IN 1744, IROQUOIS CHIEF CONASATEGO, LEADER OF THE ONONDAGA NATION, RECOMMENDED THE SETTLERS FORM THE FEDERATION OF THE THIRTEEN COLONIES. COLONIAL LEADERS STUDIED THE IROQUOIS CONFEDERATION WHICH PROVIDED THE BASIS FOR A NEW EGALITARIAN DEMOCRATIC GOVERNMENT AND ITS CONSTITUTION. THE NEW CONSTITUTION WAS ALSO BASED ON JUDAEO-CHRISTIAN IDEALS AND VALUES.
THE NEW RELIGIOUS FREEDOM AND THE PEOPLES DEPENDENCE UPON THE NATURAL RESOURCES FOR SUBSISTENCE, STRENGTHENED A STRONG SPIRITUAL CONNECTION BETWEEN THE PEOPLE AND THE LAND. OBSERVING THE INDIGENOUS PEOPLE AND THEIR WISDOM ABOUT NATURE, OFFERED FURTHER SUPPORT TO THE SACREDNESS OF THE NATURAL WORLD. UNFORTUNATELY, THE SETTLERS SAW THE VAST FOREST COVERED LANDS AS A HINDRANCE TO THEIR AGRICULTURAL NEEDS, RESULTING IN THE CLEARING OF MILLIONS OF ACRES FOR CROPS AND LIVESTOCK GRAZING. THE 1850’S STARTED THE INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION, RESULTING IN A SHIFT FROM AN AGRICULTURAL ECONOMY TO AN INDUSTRIAL ECONOMY. THIS INTENSIFIED HUMANITY’S BELIEF THAT WE WERE DIRECTED TO TAKE DOMINION OVER EARTH. IF NATURE WAS NOT PROVIDING OUR NEEDS, WE COULD MANIPULATE, CONTROL AND CHANGE NATURE TO MEET OUR REQUIREMENTS. WE ARE SO INTELLIGENT, WE CAN EVEN GENETICALLY ALTER PLANTS TO PRODUCE MORE AND BETTER-LOOKING FRUITS, VEGETABLES AND GRAINS, SOME OF WHICH ARE NOT AS DIGESTIBLE AS THE ORIGINAL AND HAVE RESULTED IN OBESITY AND EVEN INCREASED MEDICAL PROBLEMS.
WE ARE LEFT WITH NO ALTERNATIVE BUT TO MAKE MAJOR CHANGES IN OUR LIFE-STYLES AND WORK TO RECOVER OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH AND SUPPORT FOR THE NATURAL WORLD. SINCE OUR BASIC UNDERSTANDING OF CREATION INITIATED WITH RELIGIOUS IDEALS, IT APPEARS LOGICAL RELIGION IS WHERE WE MUST TURN FOR LEADERSHIP IN RECOVERING OUR ORIGINAL CONNECTION THE NATURE!
TODAY, WHEN I DISCUSS WITH PEOPLE WHY THEY ARE NOT ACTIVE IN THE CHURCH, THEY TELL ME THE CHURCH IS NOT MEETING THEIR NEEDS, AND THERE IS SO MUCH DEMAND AND COMPETITION FOR THE HOURS IN A WEEK, THEY HAVE TO PRIORITIZE WHAT THEY CAN PARTICIPATE IN. THEY TELL ME OF THE NEED FOR COPING SKILLS AND RELIGIOUS SOLUTIONS WHICH DEAL WITH TODAY'S ISSUES AND CONCERNS. CLERGY NEED TO LISTEN TO THE PEOPLE THAT ARE NOT SITTING IN THE PEWS EVERY SUNDAY, AND DISCOVER THEIR EXPECTATIONS AND NEEDS. PROVIDING HOPE AND UNDERSTANDING THROUGH RELIGIOUS TEACHINGS IS ESSENTIAL FOR HUMANITY’S FUTURE.
THE LARGEST ISSUE MANKIND HAS EVER FACED IS OUR CURRENT ENVIRONMENTAL SITUATION, AND PAST CORPORATE AND POLITICAL FAILURES TO RESOLVE, SUGGEST THE FUTURE DEPENDS UPON WORLDWIDE RELIGIOUS LEADERSHIP. THE LIFE SUSTAINING RELATIONSHIPS DESIGNED INTO EARTH’S CREATION, ARE ESSENTIAL TO UNDERSTANDING AND IMPLEMENTING REALISTIC SOLUTIONS TO EXTENT LIFE ON EARTH. OUR DOMINANT BELIEF IN INTELLIGENT DESIGN, CONFIRMS THE RESPONSIBILITY SHOULD FOCUS ON OUR RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS.
ECOLOGY IS THE STUDY OF RELATIONSHIPS, AND WAS ONCE CALLED NATURAL HISTORY. YOU CANNOT BEGIN TO STUDY THE COMPLEX STORY OF CREATION WITHOUT REALIZING THE NECESSARY CONNECTIONS AND RELATIONSHIPS THAT ARE REQUIRED TO SUPPORT LIFE. I REALIZE THERE ARE A FEW ECOLOGY SPECIALISTS AND NATURAL RESOURCE STUDIES THAT REQUIRE A COURSE OR TWO IN ECOLOGY, BUT AN IN-DEPTH APPRECIATION FOR THE MULTITUDE OF CONNECTIONS AND RELATIONS THAT PROVIDE FOR LIFE ON EARTH, IS LACKING. IF WE ARE GOING TO MAKE THE NECESSARY CHANGES REQUIRED TO PROLONG LIFE ON EARTH, OUR EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTIONS ARE GOING TO HAVE TO DEVELOP A STRONG ECOLOGICAL FOUNDATION FOR THE STUDENTS TO BUILD THEIR CONTINUING ACADEMIC STUDIES ON. WE MUST EDUCATE OUR CHILDREN TO BE ENVIRONMENTALISTS RATHER THAN CONSUMERS! THIS WILL REQUIRE RELIGIOUS AND ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS TO SUPPORT ONE ANOTHER, IT MEANS THE RELIGIOUS AND SECULAR WORLDS MUST SHARE THE RESPONSIBILITY.
THE STORY OF CREATION FORMED THE BASIS FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF RELIGIOUS IDEALS AND BELIEFS, AND CAN ONLY BE UNDERSTOOD THROUGH ECOLOGICAL KNOWLEDGE AND PRINCIPLES. THE CONNECTION BETWEEN RELIGION AND ECOLOGY PROVIDES THE FOUNDATION FOR FUTURE MANAGEMENT OF THE NATURAL WORLD. THERE ARE SOME WHO INSIST ON TOTAL SEPARATION OF THE RELIGIOUS AND SECULAR WORLDS. I RECENTLY GAVE A PROGRAM TO ELEMENTARY STUDENTS AND THEIR PARENTS, AND WAS TOLD IT WOULD BE IMPROPER TO USE THE WORD CREATION. HOW CAN WE TEACH OUR YOUTH ABOUT THE CURRENT ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS IF RELIGION AND SCIENCE MUST REMAIN TOTALLY SEPARATED?
I AM SORRY, BUT IF WE ARE UNWILLING TO SPEAK THE TRUTH ABOUT HOW EARTH HAS DEVELOPED AND HOW HUMANS HAVE DESTROYED THE NATURAL WORLD, THERE IS LITTLE HOPE FOR THE FUTURE! RELIGION AND ACADEMIA MUST FORM A STRONG PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN RELIGIOUS IDEALS AND ECOLOGICAL PRINCIPLES, IF WE CARE ABOUT HUMANITY’S FUTURE! IF THE ENVIRONMENTAL CRISIS MEANS RELIGION HAS TO CHANGE, IT IS ALSO TRUE THAT OVER THE CENTURIES RELIGIONS HAVE DEVELOPED POWERFUL RESOURCES TO HELP US UNDERSTAND AND RESPOND TO CRITICAL FORMS OF SUFFERING AND INJUSTICE. THERE IS A POINT TO LIFE BEYOND ACCUMULATION! IS IT NOT A SIN TO COMMIT A CRIME AGAINST THE NATURAL WORLD, TO CAUSE THE EXTINCTION OF SPECIES OR TO DESTROY THE BIODIVERSITY OF CREATION?

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