Re: Tropical forest dreams and nightmares

From: Betsy Feuerstein ecuador at midsouth.rr.com> on 2001.05.16 at 15:12:52(6469) >From what planet have you been looking down from? I know of NO country that has large tracts of untouched jungles, rainforests, forests, in general. Either the territory is so uninviting that man nor beast comes or it has been molested royally. Yes, you can find the jungle. It may have few if any of the first primal growth, but still old enough to have regenerated to be of interest or it may be next to a bouldered stream and difficult to get to or it may be beyond the edge of the road meaning some of us have hours of trudging through, over, and on top of God knows what is under us and if it will hold us, just to get to the illusive remaining jungle. Even at the top of mountain ranges man has invaded for cattle ranges. Trees are not considered a valuable assets, but a range for cattle, that is temporary gold. Reality is, most of the world does not see the big picture and when it comes to feeding the family, the bank account in the bank or under the bed, there is a priority that most of the world holds near and dear. I know of no road in Ecuador, my tramping grounds, that is untouched, because once there is a road, either in construction or afterwards accessibility, the process of destruction continues at a huge pace. I can remember when we could go to one area of Ecuador and collect hundreds of Anth Peltigerum in a very short time in the downed trees, but now the downed trees are rotting obstacles and farms and to get to the forest is difficult and the apples in our eyes are just not there to be found. Change...... that is all there is, change. Either we adjust or we do not and we suffer. I choose to not suffer and just know gratitude for the past days and hold a hope that my grandkids will someday know the joys of walking in the forest, temporate or tropical, and know the joy of that peace and that wonder. It is all in how you look at it. You get suffering if you do not accept some aspects of the change. You get joy in the perhaps lessor realms, if you just stay in the moment and enjoy and appreciate and stay in that gratitude of Grace. Enjoy........ it is far more fun! Betsy +More Ron Iles wrote: Dear Betsy, I was doing ANOTHER rant on Jungles but I have had to change it in the draft folder daily! I was in Fantasyland to a large extent. Are there not some Jungles still substantially intact in Countries where the people are benign, not Gringicidal maybe and allow sensitive samples to be transferred to Specialist "Arks"? Ron ----- Original Message ----- From: Betsy Feuerstein To: Multiple recipients of list AROID-L Sent: Monday, May 14, 2001 9:14 PM Subject: Re: Tropical forest dreams and nightmares Reggie, I don't think you could have said it better. Let it die, but don't you dare collect it and try to save it. This is true the world over. Then there is the new World Bank idea, don't you dare ship anything out, it is your cultural heritage. Countries like Colombia, are now restricted to no exportation because someone says what is there is only yours. How short sided when they are destroying it all and it won't be theirs or anyones in the future. I often wonder if those who promulgate ideas have ever looked into what is or is it all hot air to make it look good? I don't know, but don't let anyone tell you that it is wrong to save a plant anyless than it is right to save an animal or a person! At some point, we will have to come to accept we are all on this Earth together and we will all survive together or fall separate.... Always choices..... Just had to add my two cents, Betsy Regferns@aol.com wrote: I have tried to stay out of this discussion, because I all too well know what's happening in some of these countries. But, Julius' telling comments: "Cut and burn it all down, but don't you DARE collect any of these doomed plants/animals," says it all. How very, very true. I have seen tree ferns (CITES 1) being sprayed with herbicides or hacked down (and discarded) in some countries. I have also seen whole forests destroyed in Indonesia; and orchids and other high epiphytes are doomed--they lay baking in the scorching sun. But, is anyone allowed to "rescue" these plants? A resounding "NO." Just my two cents. Reggie Whitehead South Miami, FL

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