The Forest and the Trees
Depending on your goals and the size of your operation, forests and trees may seem more or less important to you. But in actual fact, forests and trees are vital to us all.
1. Vedic Ecology
As I was developing the present day operation, I had occasion to travel to the Krishna (ISKCON) community near Moundsville, WV. We visited there in 2005, shortly after the publication of the book 'Vedic Ecology; Practical wisdom for Surviving the 21st Century' by Ranchor Prime, 2002. This particular test is not available on line.
However, this is a revision of his earlier work; 'Hinduism and Ecology', 1994. This is accessible on the website http://www.fov.org.uk/hinduism/hinduism.html
In chapter 2, The World Forest, he quotes a newspaper editor from Delhi, India.
'...The Hindu idea is that this whole world is a forest. To keep this world as it is we have to keep the world-forest intact. Hinduism describes everything in terms of divinity and in relation to the Ultimate Reality. The different aspects of this Ultimate Reality are all to be found in the various forms of the physical world.
'...Hindu tradition describes three basic categories of forest. One is shrivan, the forest which provides you prosperity. Then there is tapovan, where you can contemplate as the sages did and seek after truth. The third is mahavana - the great natural forest where all species of life find shelter. Each of these categories must be preserved." In the expanded text of 2002, he enlarges on the topic of the world forest and of the vital importance of maintaining corridors connecting each island of forest with the next. You can see how these would serve as a means of passage for wildlife and as a way to maintain the continuity of this most important aspect of the ecosystem.
'...Today in India many are saying that there should be more trees planted in and around the villages. This is because the tradition of shrivan has been allowed to lapse. According to tradition it was not trees that should be in the village, but the village that should be among the trees. Villages should be planned in such a way, with dense groves and gardens, that the whole area is enshrouded by useful trees.'
From the Small Farm Training Center at New Vrindaban near Moundsville, WV;
...'There exists a deep ecological tradition in Vedic culture by which human settlement, forests and water resources are carefully balanced. To achieve that balance, nature’s welfare and human welfare cannot be separated each other. For this reason Vedic ecology teaches that the earth and the cow are to be loved and cared for as mothers. As such, culture—including the cultivating of land for crops—is an outward expression of spirituality. As a painting expresses the spirit of the artist, , culture expresses the spirit of society. Vedic culture has lasted for many thousands of years and is still visible even today. It’s a way of life that’s lasts forever, is self perpetuating and regenerating. The following file is a power point presentation, authored by Harsha B Wari (Bhakta Harsha) in 2007.
1. Vedic Ecology
As I was developing the present day operation, I had occasion to travel to the Krishna (ISKCON) community near Moundsville, WV. We visited there in 2005, shortly after the publication of the book 'Vedic Ecology; Practical wisdom for Surviving the 21st Century' by Ranchor Prime, 2002. This particular test is not available on line.
However, this is a revision of his earlier work; 'Hinduism and Ecology', 1994. This is accessible on the website http://www.fov.org.uk/hinduism/hinduism.html
In chapter 2, The World Forest, he quotes a newspaper editor from Delhi, India.
'...The Hindu idea is that this whole world is a forest. To keep this world as it is we have to keep the world-forest intact. Hinduism describes everything in terms of divinity and in relation to the Ultimate Reality. The different aspects of this Ultimate Reality are all to be found in the various forms of the physical world.
'...Hindu tradition describes three basic categories of forest. One is shrivan, the forest which provides you prosperity. Then there is tapovan, where you can contemplate as the sages did and seek after truth. The third is mahavana - the great natural forest where all species of life find shelter. Each of these categories must be preserved." In the expanded text of 2002, he enlarges on the topic of the world forest and of the vital importance of maintaining corridors connecting each island of forest with the next. You can see how these would serve as a means of passage for wildlife and as a way to maintain the continuity of this most important aspect of the ecosystem.
'...Today in India many are saying that there should be more trees planted in and around the villages. This is because the tradition of shrivan has been allowed to lapse. According to tradition it was not trees that should be in the village, but the village that should be among the trees. Villages should be planned in such a way, with dense groves and gardens, that the whole area is enshrouded by useful trees.'
From the Small Farm Training Center at New Vrindaban near Moundsville, WV;
...'There exists a deep ecological tradition in Vedic culture by which human settlement, forests and water resources are carefully balanced. To achieve that balance, nature’s welfare and human welfare cannot be separated each other. For this reason Vedic ecology teaches that the earth and the cow are to be loved and cared for as mothers. As such, culture—including the cultivating of land for crops—is an outward expression of spirituality. As a painting expresses the spirit of the artist, , culture expresses the spirit of society. Vedic culture has lasted for many thousands of years and is still visible even today. It’s a way of life that’s lasts forever, is self perpetuating and regenerating. The following file is a power point presentation, authored by Harsha B Wari (Bhakta Harsha) in 2007.
| vedic_ecology.ppt |
To read a contemporary US publication on an application of these concepts, go to;
http://www.igbconline.org/SerhveenWallerSanstrom2003.pdf
'Identification and management of linkage zones for grizzly bears between the large blocks of public land in the Northern Rocky Mountains' by Christopher Servheen, John S. Waller, and Per Sandstrom.
http://www.igbconline.org/SerhveenWallerSanstrom2003.pdf
'Identification and management of linkage zones for grizzly bears between the large blocks of public land in the Northern Rocky Mountains' by Christopher Servheen, John S. Waller, and Per Sandstrom.
2 The question of fertility and productivity of the woodland.
'Managing' the woodland for productivity means very different things to different people. Traditionally it was frequently the case that only the trees were considered; and at that, only certain species with the greatest market value. Our own woodland had been harvested more than once during a period when hemlock was low in value. As a result, we have tall hemlocks which have been passed over twice as not worth cutting. This is in marked contrast to some of the European methods of woodland management. There is also a swing towards recognition of the (financial) value of non-timber forestry products (NTFP).
When I visited the Czech Republic, I was privileged to see a small portion of their (state-owned) woodlands. i was told that it is allowed for the public to harvest products (other than timber) from the woodlands; and, indeed, that they are managed for productivity.
According to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO),
'...NWFP COLLECTION IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC'
'...According to Article 19 of the latest Forest Act of 1995, individuals are entitled to enter forests at their own risk to collect any forest berries and dry waste wood for their own needs. While doing so, they must not damage the forest or interfere with the forest environment and must follow the instructions of the owner or tenant and the staff of the forest. All forest stands are accessible to people, and people can pick NTFPs freely, and free of charge, irrespective of the forest ownership.'
http://www.fao.org/docrep/x2450e/x2450e07.htm
Wikipedia's write-up on the subject; ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-timber_forest_products );
'...Estimating the contribution of NTFPs to national or regional economies is difficult due to the lack of broad-based systems for tracking the combined value of the hundreds of products that make up the various NTFP industries. One exception to this is the maple syrup industry, which in 2002 in the United States alone yielded 1.4 million US gallons (5,300 m3) worth $38.3 million USD. In temperate forests such as those in United States wild edible mushrooms such as matsutake, medicinal plants such as ginseng, and floral greens such as salal and sword fern are multimillion dollar industries. While these high value species may grab the most attention, a diversity of NTFPs can be found in most forests of the world. In tropical forests NTFPs can be an important source of income that can supplement farming or other activities. A value analysis of Amazonian rainforest in Peru found that exploitation of NTFPs could actually yield higher net revenues per hectare than timber harvest of the same area, while still conserving vital ecological services.[3] Their economic, cultural, and ecological value when considered in aggregate makes managing for NTFPs an important component of sustainable forest management and the conservation of biological and cultural diversity.'
You note the emphasis on financial profit, exploitation, and a relative neglect of the topic of sustainability. This is again the difference between a solely commercial or profit-oriented perspective and one which is deeply committed to the well-being of the ecosystem. In whatever way, knowledge and understanding should be gained of what the ecosystem requires; how it has grown for eons; what factors will help encourage the proliferation of species useful to humans but at the same time benefit the overall health of the ecosystem.
When I visited the Czech Republic, I was privileged to see a small portion of their (state-owned) woodlands. i was told that it is allowed for the public to harvest products (other than timber) from the woodlands; and, indeed, that they are managed for productivity.
According to Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO),
'...NWFP COLLECTION IN THE CZECH REPUBLIC'
'...According to Article 19 of the latest Forest Act of 1995, individuals are entitled to enter forests at their own risk to collect any forest berries and dry waste wood for their own needs. While doing so, they must not damage the forest or interfere with the forest environment and must follow the instructions of the owner or tenant and the staff of the forest. All forest stands are accessible to people, and people can pick NTFPs freely, and free of charge, irrespective of the forest ownership.'
http://www.fao.org/docrep/x2450e/x2450e07.htm
Wikipedia's write-up on the subject; ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-timber_forest_products );
'...Estimating the contribution of NTFPs to national or regional economies is difficult due to the lack of broad-based systems for tracking the combined value of the hundreds of products that make up the various NTFP industries. One exception to this is the maple syrup industry, which in 2002 in the United States alone yielded 1.4 million US gallons (5,300 m3) worth $38.3 million USD. In temperate forests such as those in United States wild edible mushrooms such as matsutake, medicinal plants such as ginseng, and floral greens such as salal and sword fern are multimillion dollar industries. While these high value species may grab the most attention, a diversity of NTFPs can be found in most forests of the world. In tropical forests NTFPs can be an important source of income that can supplement farming or other activities. A value analysis of Amazonian rainforest in Peru found that exploitation of NTFPs could actually yield higher net revenues per hectare than timber harvest of the same area, while still conserving vital ecological services.[3] Their economic, cultural, and ecological value when considered in aggregate makes managing for NTFPs an important component of sustainable forest management and the conservation of biological and cultural diversity.'
You note the emphasis on financial profit, exploitation, and a relative neglect of the topic of sustainability. This is again the difference between a solely commercial or profit-oriented perspective and one which is deeply committed to the well-being of the ecosystem. In whatever way, knowledge and understanding should be gained of what the ecosystem requires; how it has grown for eons; what factors will help encourage the proliferation of species useful to humans but at the same time benefit the overall health of the ecosystem.
3 Walking the Woodland
As I walk our woodland, I constantly challenge myself with the issues raised in the preceding pieces. What resources are there here, depending on the season of the year? If I were starving, or if more than I, refugees, were thrown on the mercy of this ecosystem, would they survive or not? Of mushrooms, depending on the season, there are plenty. But not many are known to be safe to eat. Aging apple trees survive in the swamp verge. If they topple over, they still live, and send up new growth. Every few years, the weather is favorable enough that they will bear fruit. It needs a wise steward, to know how to clear back the surrounding trees just enough to let through the sunlight.
I want to plant cranberries, and wild rice; other things to sustain the hungry human. I have found that it is not a question of simply plugging something in where you want it. If it's a good place for apples, chances are there will be apples growing there already; or at least some similar fruit. It is a question of studying the environment, and studying other resources for information and guidance. (For more on this see the section on 'Permaculture', especially the work of Sepp Holzer.
I want to plant cranberries, and wild rice; other things to sustain the hungry human. I have found that it is not a question of simply plugging something in where you want it. If it's a good place for apples, chances are there will be apples growing there already; or at least some similar fruit. It is a question of studying the environment, and studying other resources for information and guidance. (For more on this see the section on 'Permaculture', especially the work of Sepp Holzer.