And now for something different: to celebrate reaching 100 posts over these past few months I’ll share the following letter from a friend downunder…
Hello David in the USA
Thankyou for your congratulations. Eighty years old - bypass surgery twelve years ago and exercises at the Synergy gymnasium. that’s my answer to ageing and I hope my mind stays clear.
These days I describe myself as an environmentalist. This began after a revisit to southern New South Wales after an absence of 35 years.In the 1950’s and sixties I was a stock and station agent auctioneer based in that region.
The landscape appeared to be swept with a giant broom. Most notable was the absence of ground cover, shrubs, young trees. When you live in a rural area away from a city the day to day loss of habitat is not apparent.
This state has a network of Travelling Stock Routes. They are wide laneways alongside our roads. A generation ago they were used by drovers to move sheep and cattle to saleyards or to other properties. Road transport ended the day of the drovers’ easy going lifestyle.
Our government has decided many parts of these iconic routes will be leased to nearby neighbours. Grazing soon depletes the understory essential for native birds.
Parts of these routes contain valuable remnants of flora and fauna. We hope to retain some areas.
There are 2400 weeds in Australia. Our ranges in NSW and including our land of 20 hectares are becoming overtaken with with a non palatable grass from South Africa and tiger pear which is similar to the prickly pear which has been controlled biologically with the introduction of the cochineal beetle. Unfortunately the former does not respond to any treatment except spraying and removal by hand.
Then there is the Murray Darling River system in decline because of droughts and, can we be certain, global warming.
We are living in times of sudden change. Most people have little interest in the environment. “You see it on the TV mate - she’ll be right”.
For me it’s onwards ever onwards. Is there any other way.
best regards
Russ
Russell Watts was recently awarded an “Order of Australia” For service to conservation and the environment through advocacy roles for the preservation of endangered flora and fauna, particularly native bird species, and to the development of ecotourism initiatives.
Photo Credit: The Northern Daily Leader
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