PDF The Relationship of Man and Nature - RBC

[Pages:4]VOL. 41, No. 4

HEAD OFFICE, MONTREAL, MAY 1960

TheRelationshoifpManandNature

T O subduenature,to benditsforcesto ourwill, has been the acknowledgedpurposeof mankind sincehumanlife began,but the time has come for a revisionof ourconceptioonf thebenefitsandresponsibilitiesof holdingdominionoverallothercreated things.A newspiritis abroadas scientistasndlaymen realizethatmanandthe restof natureareunitedand indivisible.

At a timewhengreatelementaflorcesareclamouring at thebarsof ourcivilizatiowne needto discardour ideas of "attacking"the forest,"bringingunder subjection"the mighty rivers, "conquering"the mountains,and "subduing"the prairie.Instead,we needto makethemostof allnatureas an ally.

Mankind is welcome to dominatethe other forms of life, providedhe can maintainorder among the relentlessenergieswhosebalancedoperationhe has disturbedT.hisis a hardconditionO.urpastis fullof sombre warnings of what happens when we fail to meet it. The evidenceis in the remnantsof great civilizationbsuriedbeneathmud and sand.

Onlywhenwe recogniztehatthestudyof all living thingsis a profoundlnyecessarpyartof humanthought do we reachthe"momcntof truth.Thenwe realizethat we arepartof a complexstretchinbgackto thebeginning of time and reachingout on every hand to the boundarioefs theuniverseE.veryoneof us is an actorin a great drama in which each plays his part as both causeandeffect.

Theforcessetin motionby everyactof everyanimal and bacterium,by everyinch addedto the growthof plantor tree,affectthelivesof othercreaturesT.he principleswhichgoverntheseinterrelationshiaprse embracedin thesciencecalledecology,a wordcoming fromtheGreekfor"home"or "estate".Ecologyis the studyof howthehouseholodf natureis keptin order.

ThisMonthlLyetterhasto do withrenewablreesources, theessentialosf life.Ourprimitivaencestormsadetheir

wayformillionsof yearsbeforetheydiscoverehdowto use iron,copper,coal,oil and gold.But neverhas man beenableto getalongwithoutfoodand water.Thisis why the relationshiopf all livingthingshasurgent meaningfor us.

Thestateofaffairtsoday

In a subjectso old,so vast,andso continuallnyew, it seemsto be impossiblteo keepsciencaendsociallife apart.In fact,we shouldnottryto do so.Continuanocfe ourhumansocietydependsuponourabilityto heedthe sciencoef therestof naturea,ndlivewithinitsbounds.

Thereareat leastthreegoodreasonsfor surveying the presentstateof affairsand learningaboutour naturalenvironment:(1) our advancingtechnology uses up resourcesin increasingquantity;(2) our increasingpopulationputsannuallygreaterpressure upon our livingspace;(3) our continuedexistence dependsupon our keeping our natural environment productiovfetheessentiaolfslife.

Over and above the slow changesby naturalcauses such as climate,the earth has sufferedmeasureless destructioonf animalsand plantsby theuncalculating actionsof bothsavageand civilizedmen.

It was destructioonf theirenvironmentthatcaused salmonto disappearfromLakeOntario,and the bison to dieoffourWesterpnlainsa,ndthepassengeprigeonto vanishfromNorthAmerica.Forestshavebeenburntup, soil has beenwashedaway,desertshave beenproduced, ;~ndrivershavebeenpolluted".Wehave,"saidProfessor A. F. Coventryto the TorontoFieldNaturalistsC'lub, "fora longtimebeenbreakingthelittlelaws,andthe big lawsare beginnintgo catchup withus."

Thebalancoef natTire

Naturehasitslawsdesignedto maintainbalance.If thenumberof anylivingspeciestendsto increaseout of proportions,omeforcewillariseto controlit.There is an equilibriumin undisturbednaturebetweenfood and feeder,hunterand prey,so thatthe resourcesof

theearthareneveridle.Someanimalsor plainsmay

Soilis firstof allrockparticletsh,entheorganic

seemtodominatteherest,buttheydosoonlysolong matterfromdeadplantsandanimals,andfinallya

as thegenerablalanceexists.

communityof livingplantand animalorganisms.

Theselawscannotbe disregardweidthoudtisaster. Nature--whichis ourwordforthetotaloftheconditionsandprinciplewshichinfluencteheexistence of livingthings--willnotacceptignorancoefher

Roots,insectsw,ormsandbacteribauildfertilitiynto it,whilesmallmammalpslowit andletintheair.The soilbecomesfilledwithorganicmattercontaining packageednergyfromthe sun.

lawsas an excuseforbreakintghem.

Thehiveoflivingthingesxistinign andonthesoil

is vitallyimportantA.t Rothamsteidn Englandt,he Nature'lsawdoesnotcommanudstodo,ortorefrain oldestagriculturraelsearcshtationintheworld,it fromdoing,anythingI.tmerelsytatesthatifa living hasbeenfoundthatthepopulatioonf invertebrate beingdoesso-and-stoh,entheresultwillbesuch-and- faunaperacreoffertilizleadndisfifteemnilliono,f suchI.fwewishtoavoidisabiliptayi,nanddissolution,

whicheightmillioanreinsects. wemustpayattentiotno thewarning.

Everybalancerequirecshecks.Livingthingsare dynamic,alwaystryingto expand.Whenpopulation growsin anareaso as tomenacethefoodsupplyp,redatorsmovein;whentheirpreyis reducedt,hepredatorsaredrivetno otherareasinsearcohf food.

Wateris essentiatlo soildevelopmenats,it is, indeed,to alllivingthings.

Movemenits of theessenceof water,andthemost damaginigmpactof civilizemdanonhisenvironment is theshatterinogfthiscycleof movementT.hebreak is causedby thedestructioofnplantcover,removing

Beforeshyingawayfromthe"crueltyo"fnaturel,et thesponge-litkeexturoefthecompletxopsoi-l-topsoil

uslookatthenecessiwthyichpromptist.Letussuppose whichi,tisestimatetdo,okfivehundreydearsperinch

therewerenocontroolversoilbacteriat,hesmallest tobuild.

andsimplesotf alllivingthingsT.hen,saysJohnH.

Breakintghewatercyclehaswipedoutcivilizations

Storerin hisdelightfublookon ecologyTheWebof in MesopotamiaandNorthAfricaandelsewhereb,ut

Life,underfavourabcloenditioenaschindividuwaoluld becauseof soaringworldpopulatiowne havereached

divideintotwoabouttwiceeveryhour.Evenif it a newcrisis".Neverbefore,s"aysWilliaVmogtinhis

happeneodnlyonceinan hour,theoffsprinfgroma soul-searchbionogkRoadtoSurviva"lh,asthehydrologic

singleindividuawlouldnumber17millionina day, cyclebeenbadlydislocatiendthepresencoefsomany

andbytheendofsixdaysthecellswouldhaveincreased hundredosfmillionosfpeople."

toa bulklargetrhantheearthO.rconsidetrheoyster,

whichmaydischarge500millionripeeggsin one

Wasteof water,includinugnnecessaryun-offo,r

spawningI.f allthesematuredandallsubsequent excessivuesefromanyoneplaceforindustriaalnd

progenysurviveda,fteronlyfourgenerationtshere domestipcurposeso,r forirrigationc,anlowerthe

wouldbea pileofoysteresighttimesthesizeofthe undergrounwdatertable,sometimesfaraway,and

earth.Thebalancpereservebdynaturepreventcsalam- depletoertemporarielxyhaustthesupply.

itieosfthisort.

Theprimarymeansof increasinagndmaintaining

Aboutsoilandwater

Goodsoilisa livintghinga,nditshealtihsa matter oflifeanddeathto plantasndanimalsW.hatfollyitis

water eserveis to protecatndimprovteheplantcover on ourwatershedsF.romtheseareasof drainagtehe wateris fedby run-offandseepageto surfaceand undergrounsdtreams.

to callsilverg,oldandgems"preciousd'iarntd"base". Iftherewereasgreata scarcitoyfsoilasthereisof jewelsandprecioumsetals,we shouldgladlygivea heapof diamondsto purchaseonlyso muchearthas wouldholda smallvioletina tinypot.

The watershedproblemis one of thered-letter problemosf theday.Almosteverythintghathasto do with renewablenaturalresourcesw,ithforestry, farmingh,untingf,ishinga,ndtheeconomicosf productioni,s tiedupwiththewatershed.

Thesoilis constantclhyangingI.n thesoilwe find

oneoftheoldesltawsoflifeknowntous:birthg,rowth, Plantasndtrees

death,decayandrebirth.

ItisquitceorrecttosaythatallflesihsgrassA.nimals

Nothingis wastedin nature.Everythinngourishes somethineglseuntilthebacterifainallgyetholdof it andreturnit to thesoilafterbreakinigt downonce more into inorganiccompoundswhichplantscan

lacktheabilittyosubsisotnthesimpleelementisnair, water,sunshinaendsoil.To perpetuattehemselves, theymusteatgrassor oneanotherT.heplantcanturn inorgancihcemicailnstolivintgissue.

againtransformintoprotein.Therootsof man's

No onecan.deny,then,theimportanocfeplantlife

physicaalndmentahlealthspringfromthesoil.

to continuanocfethehumanrace.Withoutthatsilent,

endlessmanufacturipnrgocesswhichgoeson in the

Itsometimehsappensthatthesechangesleadto a

greenleafundertheinfluenocfechlorophysluln,shine, precariouesxistenceT.hecreatureisntheareamay

air,andmoistur-e-theworld'psrimalindustr-y-we seemtobeleadinagstatilcife,butourenvironmeinst

shoulsdureldyie.

nota museumdisplaycaseinwhichpetrifiegdroups

Everyspringn,ature'fsactorsytartasgaintoproduce food,harnessitnhgesun'senergayndcombininigt with elementfsromair,waterandrock,intolivingtissue. Fromtheroots,throughthefibres,thesaprunsup, carryinwgaterandnourishmenttoeverypartof the planta,ndin theinsidpeartofthebarkit flowsdown, bringingthe foodstuffswhichthe leaveshave manufactured.

Forestasrelivinsgocietioefstreess,hrubasndother formsof plantcover.Althoughmorethanforty percentofCanada'ssurfaciescoverebdy trees,our peoplearebecomincgonsciouosf theneedtoconserve andexpandourforestresources.

areforever emovedfromcontactwithnature.Somethingisalwayshappeninagn,djusta littlechangea, littlmeoreseveritay,littlmeoredepletiomna,ybring to anendtheexistencoefgrouposrallthepopulation.

No one knowshow manyspeciesduringtheages failedto meetthechallengoef theirenvironment. GeorgeL. Clarke,of HarvardUniversitayndWoods HoleOceanographIincstitutiosna,ysin histextbook ElementosafEcologtyhatabout21,00s0pecieosfextinct vertebrataensdan evenlargenrumberof extinchtigher planthsavebeendescribed.

Todayitis necessarfyormankintdoadjustitsusage and to manageearth'sremainingresourcesmore creativeilfyit istosurviveW.eseethewarninignthe

Mostindustriaclountriespassthroughthe same threestagesof foresthistoryT.hefirstis markedby energetiacndoftenruthlesesxploitatiofnvirgin forestsT.hisis generallfyollowedby a periodof

lifehistoroyfever)f,orestT.rees uchasoaksgrowso bigthattheirownseedlingcsannotsurvivein their shade;theoakforestperishesa,ndis replacedby shade-tolertarneteslikethebeech,themapleandthe

increasindgependencoenforeignsuppliesT.henthe hemlockT.hen,aslongasthepresenctlimatceontinues,

thirdchapterbegins:theefforto rehabilitaotre thiswillremaina beech,mapleorhemlocfkorest--a

partialrleystortehedomestifcoresrtesources.

climaxforest-- becaustehesetreeshavetheability

to reproducuendertheirownshade. Violatioofnthelawsgovernitnhgeextenotf necessary

forestcoveris oneof themosttragicexamplesof Effecotfshumanacts

humanfollyinthefaceofnature'wsell-ordesryesdtem. It isa curiouscommentaroynoursenseof values

Butitdoesusnogoodtoplacealltheblameuponthe thatthoughwe thinkofmankindasbeingthehighest

pioneersT.heydidthethingthatseemedrightothem formoflifetheotherformsoflifealmositnvariabgloy

undertheircircumstanceIsf.theydenudeodurwater- intodeclinewherevewre takepossessioonf a piece

shedswithaxeandfire,iftheyusedthehoeandthe oftheearth.

ploughwhereonlytreescouldgrow,theypaidthe pricein theirownlivesthroughblastedhopesand abandonefdarmsandniggardllyivingI.t is ourpart, knoycinmgoreoftheinterrelationsohfiaplslnaturet,o repairthedamagewherewe can,and to makesure thatsuchthingsdonotoccuragain.

Civilizemdanhasbeenmoreruthlesslwyastefuiln hisattitudteowardthenaturawlorldthanhasserved hismateriailnterestTsh.epracticaultilitoyfland, waterandforesthasbeendiminishesderiouslbyy our determinatitoonallowthemto serveno purposebsut ourown.ThisexploitatiloendMauriceMaeterlinck,

Importancoef environment

Whatis environmenti,n thesenseof "natural environmentI"t? includesallfactors,naturaland artificiawlh,ichaffectthedevelopmeonftlivintghings.

theBelgiadnramatisatndwritert,o say:"Everything seemstoforeteltlhatman,thelastcomertothisearth, willbethefirstoleaviet."

Throughtheuseof hisintellectm,anhasto some

extentescapedfromthecontrolsof nature.He has Lifeis correspondenwciethenvironmenDti.fferent meddledwithsmallpartsofa machineofwhosetotal

creaturesseekdifferenetnvironmentbsu,teverything designandpurposehewasignorantH.enowfacesthe existasta specifipclaceunderspecificcircumstances.hardtaskof encouraginngaturalforcesto workin Ashumanbeingso,urgreatesptsychologicaaslsetisa restoratiofnthedamagehehasdone.

senseof confidencien ourenvironment. Becausoef thedangerattendiniggnorancew,eneed

Thecarryincgapacityw,hichisthemeasureofthe muchmoreinformatioanboutnaturethanwe haveyet

amountoflifeanyareaoflandorwaterwillsupport gatheredE.venwell-meanetffortmsaybringdisaster,

undergivencircumstancemsa,ybe alteredfromtime aswitnestsheexperiencweithdeeratKaibabForest,

totimebychangeisnconditioncsausedbynatureorby onthenorthrimofGrandCanyon.When,in aneffort

man'suseof thearea.

toincreastehepopulatioofndeer,theauthoritikeislled

offgreatnumbersofmountailnions,coyotesw,olves Vancouver.B)utaftersamplingin thiswaywe will

andotherpredatorst,hedeerpopulatioinncreased wanttogointothewoodsandsitdown.

from4,000to 100,00i0nfourteeynears.Thelanddid nothavethecarryincgapacitfyorthathugenumber, andconsumptionfallthefoodwasfollowedi,n two yearsb,ya sixtypercentreductiiontheherdthrough starvation.

Thecenturieosf deadleavesthathaveflutteretdo thegroundhaveprovidead richlayerofmould,soft asanycarpet,withan embroideroyf wildflowersto makeit beautifulT.he dramabeingplayedamongthe treesiswithoutend.In thetreetopstherobinsare

Huntinagndfishingf,ormerlpyractisefdorthefood singingtheirabsurdbutdelicioulsittlefour-noted

theyyieldeda,revaluetdodaychieflfyortheirecrea- songs;saucysquirrelasregambolinignthebranches;

tionaluse.Oncein a whilewe encountesromething antsarescurryinagmonglastyear'sleavesontheir

thatisveryfarfromsporta,ndweseethewilderneisns mysteriouesrrands.

itssourestmood.Itis therampageof a killerwho wasteswildliffeorwhathe callsa bag.He getsno satisfactieoxnceptthatof saying"Somethinwghich wantedto liveis dead."

Thesechildrenof natureareallstraightforward creaturewsithverysimpleintentionasn,deveryoneis suppliewdithbeautieosfonekindor anotherW.atching them,werealiztehatthemysteroyflifeisnota problem

Thetruesportsmaknnowsthespiritof theoutdoor to be solved,buta realityto be experienceadnd

world.Hefollowtsherulesofthegame.Hebelieveisn preserved.

andobeyslawswhichprotecwtildlife.

Biologisatrseawareof theneedtopreservneature's

Oneofthemostrepulsivoefthedestructirveesults balancea,ndofthetechniquebsu,tonlypubliocpinion

ofhumanexpansioins thepoisoninogf rivers,with nurtureadmidsuchscenescanmaketheapplicatiofn

consequenetxtinctionf fishandof well-nigehvery theseprocedurefsfectivTeh.ereisnoautomatifcorce

livingthingexceptmouldandputrefactibvaecteria. in naturewhichwillcarryhumanbeingsforward

Thefisherieosf thelakes,pondsandstreamsare amongourmostimportanrtecreationraelsourcesB.ut ourriverasrechokewdiththerefusoefcivilizatiOounr. lakesarepoisonebdy industrianldsewagepollution.

irrespectiovfetheirowneffortsW.eneeda newcreed tobestubbornflayithfutlothefactsoflife;anda

newdeterminati-o-nto contributoeureffortin doing therighthings.

Thewateris dangeroutso drinkandriskyto swimin;

Ourhopeis in educationT.heproblemis notas

theplantsarekilledwhichshouldhelptopurifythe simpleas two plustwo,quicklyansweredand as

water.Hereandthereacrossthecontinenmtunici- readildyisposeodf.Thisisa problefmorstatesmanlike palitieasretryingtostoptheprocesosfpollution. peoplewhotakea longview,wholooknotatthenext

Severalshippincgompaniehsavebeenprosecutefdor vacatioonrthenextbalancseheetorthenextelection,

dumpingoilin ourinlandwaterwaysa,nda 50-mile butatthefutureofmankind.

zoneoffNewfoundlande'astcoasthasbeendeclared Sincethe beginning,the worldhas presented

a regionin whichoilmaynotbedumped.

challengteoslivincgreaturetso:crawloutofthesea

Andnowwe areexerciseadboutnucleafralloutI.ts effectuponlivingthingsisa matterof debateb,ut thereseemsto bereasotnobelievtehatfallouwtillbe likeanotherinfluencseuperimposuepdonallnatural things.

Itis becausoef growinagwarenesosf thevitalneed forknowledgaendactionthatthefirstnationaClanadianconferencoen conservatioins to be heldnext year.Itstitleis "ResourcfeosrTomorrow."

Howis oneto learn?

toliveon dryland,toclimbtreesandmountainst,o changein keepingwithchangingenvironmentE.very creaturiestoitseltfhecentroefitsownuniversbeu,t it musthavecontactwithallsurroundincgreatures. Thechallengteo usis nothinlgessthanpreservatioofn ourspeciebsyrestorinagndmaintainiintgsessential environment.

We aresurroundedby, and we are partof, the eternaflluxoflifein anenvironmeonftnaturaflorces. An Easterpnroverpbutsit:"Tosurvivea,llmenmust holdhands.A"ndlivingthingosf allsortsareourkin

Itisa greatlosstotravetlhecountrysiadnednotsee inthewholeneosfsnature.

it,sincecontacwtithnatureisa vitalpartofman's

Ifwe wishto preservoeurpresenwtayoflifewemust

enjoymeonftlife.

cometotermswithwhatis leftofnaturaflorests,oil,

Factsaboutnaturemaybe readinbooks(likeThe waterandwildlifea,nditwillbeon termslaiddown

Ladderof Lifeby A.GowansWhyteandTheGreatChain by naturen,otimposedbyus.Anywrongwhichnature

of Lifeby JosephWoodKrutch,bothintroductory mayforcenturiecsommits,hehascenturietsorepair,

books)andseenontelevisio(nasinDr.IanMcTaggart butwe,whosedaysareshort,mustwalkwarilylestwe

Cowan'sWebof Life,theSundayCBCprogrammferom becomethevictimosfthewastelanwdemake.

Attthoriazsesdeeottcdlaamsail, PostOfficeDepartmentO,ttawa

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