vision2020@moscow.com: human diversity
human diversity
Jo Williams (tajs@potlatch.com)
Fri, 25 Jul 1997 10:38:01 -0700
Vision 2020 readers,
I share Joel Hamilton's skepticism concerning the applicability of the
sprawl/biodiversity goals to Latah County farm land. And while Dale
Goble's observations that "suburban development" is unlikely to improve
diversity may be true, scattered or clustered rural homesites-regardless
of acreage-are a long way from "suburbs".
These generalities and broad terms used in environmental discussions
should be modified to fit the local realities, as Joel Hamilton suggests.
I'd much rather see (and do see) scattered rural homesites with veggie
gardens, fruit trees, horses, a calf raised for the winter freezer and
kids playing in tree houses (built to preserve the tree) than "increased
density" cities surrounded by miles of `one crop' fields that need signs
because we no longer know what a pea plant looks like.
While national groups and Latah's commissioners are busy saving farmland,
they are ignoring the changes slowly taking place in farming that might
aid the discussion and go a long way to heal the farmer vs. new rural
neighbor problems. Organic farming, sustainable farming (see the 7/24/97
PCEI press release to Vision 2020), tree farms, berry farms- even large
`truck' farms . This human diversity in rural use can also benefit animal
biodiversity. Increased tree planting around homesites,
more ponds, less chemicals, more fence-row habitat and retention
of/creation of private woodlots has to be better for grouse, quail,
bluebirds, hawks and owls than miles of sprayed fields.
The picture I get from Bill London's 'smarthgrowth' discussion summary
is one of large cities packed with destructive humans, surrounded by the
`landed gentry' lucky enough to have bought rural land before these
suggestions became reality. As applied to Latah County, presumably the
Moscow masses would be allowed to visit the rural countryside vistas for
the day, but lockdown at dusk would preserve the biodiversity now
supposedly present. Not. Jo Williams tajs@potlatch.com
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