Comments on: Look what’s been done to our view! / Olha o que tem sido feito para a nossa vista!

By: andy

andy — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 19:49:30 +0000

yes, it is difficult, we live in a society where we need money (and are bombarded with messages telling us we need more money and ‘things’), and to make money we either enslave ourselves or exploit nature and/or other people.

i need to work on my portuguese more, so i could go and explain to people, and perhaps suggest better alternatives…

By: Ana Teresa

Ana Teresa — Mon, 22 Jun 2009 14:39:36 +0000

Well, the big problem in Portugal is the low income of families, mainly in rural areas.
And it’s hard for them to understand that planting eucalyptus is not the right thing to do…
And when the example comes from above…

By: Jan Langford

Jan Langford — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 17:15:00 +0000

Many expats can recount similar stories. It can be so disheartening after all your efforts.

You just have to keep gently plugging away with your message. The vast culture change that we want to see will take a long time for sure.

By: andy

andy — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 08:43:12 +0000

well they have done it. the new law that is soon to pass making many many ‘invasive’ plants illegal, does include eucalyptus globulii, tasmanian blue gum which is the main eucalyptus planted in portugal i think. but how will this be enforced ?

surely though, birds habitats are protected at this time of year?

lynne, they planted stone pines in the valley, but on this side, the new desert, it looked like eucalyptus.

how do we educate so many people about the benefits of forest and ground cover. i expect most of the topsoil will wash away as soon as the rains come.

and it seems to be a family just trying to improve their finances, not a company with shareholders. the economics of eucalyptus are incredible, but it is so harmful.

By: Ana Teresa

Ana Teresa — Sun, 21 Jun 2009 08:28:03 +0000

And can they do it? Isn’t it protected woods?

By: Lynne

Lynne — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 17:09:05 +0000

I thought you said it was for pine-nuts!

By: derek

derek — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 09:13:38 +0000

Why do most humans act like viruses, intent on killing their host planet?

Answer: Money

When your value system is not founded in the reality of “food equals life”, but rather one sees money as inherently more valuable. I think your use of “virus” is dead on; its memes, viruses of the brain where an infection implants a code never evolved for the original organism.

By: sophie

sophie — Fri, 19 Jun 2009 13:28:26 +0000

This whole valley burnt in a big forest fire about 8 years ago (it was all planted with eucalyptus).

If you look to the right of the new terraces you’ll see the natural recovery of the hillside after the fire – nobody has done anything here and you can see how green it is with the huge variety of trees and shrubs that are regenerating. The topsoil the diggers turned over was incredibly dark and fertile. Stupidity at its finest