THERE’S a growing movement of people who are learning to work with nature rather than against it.
Some plant trees as windbreaks to slow soil degradation, while others “rest” patches of land, allowing natural growth to regenerate the area.
Groups like Landcare actively rehabilitate creeks, sand dunes, and mangrove ecosystems, improving both land and waterways in our suburbs.
Yet changing nature isn’t always straightforward. History is full of examples where human interventions, although well-intentioned, created bigger problems down the line. Too often, we act without thinking far enough ahead.
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A stark example comes from China in 1958. Mao Zedong (1893-1976) believed that nature should serve human ambition.
As part of his infamous Four Pests Campaign, people were instructed to eliminate flies, mosquitoes, rats – and sparrows. The Eurasian tree sparrow was singled out because it ate grains, which supposedly cost about 4.5 kilograms of food per person per year.
By killing millions of sparrows, the government hoped to increase food supplies. What they didn’t anticipate was the role these birds played in the ecosystem.
Sparrows fed on grasshoppers, and with their natural predator gone, the insect population exploded, devastating crops.
Coupled with extreme weather and widespread famine, the campaign indirectly contributed to the deaths of some 45 million people.
The lesson is clear: nature is complex, and our interventions can have far-reaching consequences.
Sometimes, the best approach is to observe, support, and gently guide – rather than dominate – the natural world.
Till next time, think like a gardener: patient, careful, and respectful of the systems you work with.
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