Towheeblog

“Allowing the entry of alien species of any kind is the ecological equivalent of Russian roulette…The plants of Europe and North America fit roughly the “tens rule” of invasion biology: by and large, one in ten imported species escapes to the wild, and one in ten of those colonists multiples and spreads enough to become a pest. For vertebrates…the fraction of pest species is higher–about one in four.” Half-Earth, Edward O. Wilson. 2016.

Now over 90 years old, Wilson is one of the best-known and most widely cited biologists of his generation. An expert on ants, evolution and man’s place in the biosphere, Wilson calls for setting aside half the planet for the natural world. Of course, that means a rejection of economic growth, greed, corporate profit and ever bigger airports as the main goals of our species’ existence. Any chance that his ideas would gain support from many of the over 200 nations or billions of people seems scant.

I thought of his words today as I heard a hen turkey calling and then she came down into our small neighborhood park, saw Nora the dog, and retreated up into a nearby tree. Her ancestors were brought to the Willamette Valley in a heedless attempt to increase the menu of game birds. It worked. It is not the turkeys’ fault they have big feet, dig up the soil, eat all the invertebrates and acorns, alter the habitat. It is just a small example of how our species is tearing apart the natural world for our own goals, with no concern for what it means ten years from now.

More from Wilson: “We thrash about, appallingly led, with no particular goal in mind other than economic growth, unfettered consumption, good health, and personal happiness. The impact on the rest of the biosphere is everywhere negative…our long-term future less certain.”

How stupid is our species? Even apparent informed, educated “experts” cannot grasp the reality. Click here to read a story that appalls me–CBS News quotes experts citing last year’s drop in American birth rate as a “crisis”. The writer did not even think to speak with somebody who could point out the planet already has abut six or seven billion too many people to be sustainable. Of course, a drop in overall population coupled with the inevitable rise in average age would mean…oh migawd…a drop in economic growth, fewer TV viewers to view paid advertising, sales of fewer cars and computers, a reduced market for tennis rackets and wine.