Over 600 trees planted at Bealtaine…and it continues! The eco-system is a complex web linking animals, plants, water air and every other life form, in what we call the biosphere.
Some of the tree coverage now at Bealtaine.
In the 
normal course of events, Nature regulates everything within this eco-system.
One of over 30 fruit trees planted here at Bealtaine, as permaculture design takes monoculture back into full abundance…
We are becoming more aware of just how delicately balanced this eco-system really is.
We realise that human survival depends upon preserving and maintaining that eco-system.
Since the time when human beings 
first discovered agriculture, the eco-system has been systematically weakened. At one point in our existence we were on pretty good terms with Nature, but we are, increasingly, coming into conflict with Nature!
An example of this conflict is to be found here in Ireland. We have a rare limestone landscape in the west of Ireland, in County Clare, called the Burren. We now know that the Burren was, at one time, covered in forest. De-forestation caused erosion and the limestone became exposed to the air. This is a good example of de-forestation turning earth to stone!
Since the beginning of civilisation, human kind has developed an attitude of, “out of sight, out of mind!” Roman engineering carried human waste out of sight. However, there is no “away,” for we live on one planet and must accept the fact that it is our only home!
The word, ecology comes from the word “oikos.” This means, house or habitat. Continually cutting down forests, especially ancient forests, is foolish housekeeping in any habitat! When an ancient forest is cut down, an entire eco-system, which has taken hundreds and hundreds of years to build up, is gone in one felling…one day!
By cutting down ancient woodland and forests, the human race is squandering the capital rather than, modestly living off the interest!
Truly there is no “away” and truly there is no such thing as “waste” as we have yet to find a way to eject our “waste” into “space.” Permaculture contains the mindset that even the end product of human digestion is a nutrient.
And indeed it is! I have plans to establish a compost toilet here at Bealtaine…as I recall my great grandmother having what was so quaintly called a “dry closet!” Rethinking our short lives on this planet is essential!
Colx
Reblogged this on Eremophila’s Musings and commented:
“Tree planting is one of the most important actions that any human being can do on this planet, for without trees we are a doomed species…”
wise words…..