With regard to the parlous state of some of Australia’s farming areas re lack of water, drought and salinity problems can I recommend that you read a book called “Back from the Brink” by farmer Peter Andrews published in 2006 by ABC Books. (He was also featured on the ABC’s Australian Story back in February 2006.)
Letter to the Editor
Re; Water shortage and salinity problems in Australia.
With regard to the parlous state of some of Australia’s farming areas re lack of water, drought and salinity problems can I recommend that you read a book called “Back from the Brink” by farmer Peter Andrews published in 2006 by ABC Books. (He was also featured on the ABC’s Australian Story back in February 2006.)
Piping water from one place to another, building dams, major decrease in biodiversity, removing riparian vegetation, allowing land to stay fallow, indiscriminate and over use of chemicals, irresponsible irrigation practices and removing deciduous trees in favour of native species are a few of the reasons for today’s agricultural woes.
He explains in layman’s terms how humans have devastated the Australian landscape over the centuries; starting with the aborigines’ practice of burning vast tracts of land and then by white settlers using European farming methods on land totally unsuitable for that type of agriculture. Experiments on his properties, however, have shown that it is reasonably easy, relatively fast and inexpensive to reverse these effects. He has travelled far and wide researching farming methods both in Australia and overseas.
He was ridiculed by many when he first proposed his theories but no one can doubt their veracity as all his properties have been saved from environmental disaster and are thoroughly productive and the animals reared there are free from disease.
So I urge the Tasmanian and Federal Governments before they launch into exorbitantly expensive water infrastructure and irrigation practices that they take on board what he says. Instead of spending billions of dollars on futile attempts at pipelines, dams and expensive irrigation practices how about sending every farmer, grazier, horticulturist and fruit grower a copy of his book?
If he can turn around his degraded land in a couple of years why can’t the rest of us?
Regards
Estelle Ross
Riverside
