When I try to think about a potential universal remedy for that which is fundamentally wrong in the world, one phrase appears with resounding clarity: intentional unity. But it must lead to widespread benefit.
This was reinforced for me – in principle – in an online article. On nationalgeographic.com, “Could beavers be the secret to winning the fight against wildfires?” rightfully elevates beavers to “ecological saviors to a climate change-ravaged world”.
Reportedly, beavers’ irrigation skills can take plants from parched and flammable to lush and fireproof.
The East Troublesome, named because of its proximity to the East Fork of Troublesome Creek in the US, became the second largest fire in Colorado’s history when it incinerated nearly 200 000 acres (80 937 hectares) of forest in 2020.
Ecohydrologist Emily Fairfax found that, thanks to these furry mammals’ ponds and canals, the charred forests had oases that included entire rivers that were unaffected. They had also provided wildlife and livestock with shelter from the fire.
Amid rising global unease, there is a perceivable universal cry for some sense of assurance – a psychological refuge – that everything is going to be okay.
In die Suid-Afrikaanse vrugtebedryf kan ‘n kultuur van doelbewuste saamstaan tussen rolspelers volhoubare verandering teweegbring. Dit sal ook daadwerklik bydra tot vervulling van die bedryf se rol in voedselsekerheid.
En gegewe die omvang van die bedryf se hulpbronne – beide menslik en materieel – asook sy reputasie en netwerke wêreldwyd, lyk die toekoms soveel meer positief as dit deur ‘n lens van doelbewuste eenheid beskou word.
In August, my attendance of the conferences of the South African Table Grape Industry (SATI) at Allée Bleue and the Sustainability Initiative of South Africa (SIZA) at Ashanti Estate, reinforced this narrative for me. Whether the goal is sustainable industry growth or robust compliance, good intentions for collaboration are practically futile in the absence of intentional unity.
Back to the beavers. Granted, they are slow and clumsy, but they make up for this by being in tune with their survival instinct. Being unified in this area, their model saves lives and packs an ecological punch.
As humans in an industry with so much promise, imagine the possibilities with collectively applied unity in addition to our own survival instinct.
Enjoy the read.