Distinguished Scientists Support for NSF and Peter Andrews
Posted: Fri Aug 03, 2007 2:13 pm
This is a copy of a letter sent to PM John Howard by the distinguished Limnologist Professor Wilhelm Ripl. It is complete and unexpurgated:
Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Ripl
Kleinaustrasse 11
14169 Berlin, Germany
The Hon John Howard MP
Prime Minister
Parliament House
CANBERRA ACT 2600
Australia
Berlin 30/11/2006
Dear Prime Minister,
I was invited to Canberra to deliver the keynote address regarding the science of Natural Sequence Farming (NSF). This visit was sponsored by the department of agriculture and fisheries.
Originately, I was introduced to the work of Peter Andrews in the development of NSF processes in 2001, when I visited Australia at the invitation of Professor David Mitchell of Charles Sturt University, Albury.
On this occasion I was able to examine the results of Peter Andrews approach to the conservation of water resources and organic production in the Australian landscape.
Mr Andrews incisive and environmentally sensitive observations of the natural processes in Australian landscapes, and how they function to stabilise the essential ingredients of their health and agricultural productivity, were remarkably complementary to the concepts I was developing about the nature and function of landscapes in Europe.
Though differing in many respects, both landscapes had evolved processes that enabled water and organic production to be continually available through the range of climatic conditions, which they experience, which have a particularly wide variance in much of Australia.
It was especially stimulating to relate what I saw of Mr Andrew´s work in Australia to similar research I was carrying out in Europe. Our meeting and discussions led to the enrichment of both our experiences and confirmation of the validity of each approach.
My examinations of Mr Andrew´s work took place in 2001 and 2004, primarily at Tarwyn Park, Upper Bylong, and Baramul Stud, both in the Upper Hunter, and in October/November this year at Mulloon Creek Natural Farms near Bungendore, NSW. This experience has enabled me to extend the theoretical framework which my colleagues and I have developed in Europe over the last two decades.
Our work has shown the central significance of the role of vegetation in stabilizing the dissipative water cycle in lowering temperature by evapotranspiration of plants by day, followed by the condensation of water vapour returning to the vegetation in lowered temperatures, especially at night. This water is then reabsorbed by the plants, thereby providing feed-back control by short-circuiting the water cycle that would otherwise be lost into the atmosphere in much larger quantities.
The rehydration of the ancient Australian landscape through the environmentally sensitive practice of NSF will enable Australian society to increase landscape efficiency and sustainability by promoting natural sequences of water, soils and plants (both native and introduced) to counteract desertification and enhance economic and environmental productivity in the national interest.
This holistic approach, when coupled with reductionist science, has proved to be much more effective than reductionism on its own. The latter approach is necessary but not sufficient to address our global environmental issues, which is clearly shown by the worldwide presence of degrading environments and increasing desertification.
Modeling studies of the effects of the dry greenhouse gases, CO2 and methane provide little hope for a solution of the problem in the near future.
By contrast, NSF shows that it is feasible to “green” even archaic landscapes step by step. Moreover, it is also possible to monitor the achievements of this process by evaluation of satellite images showing spatial temperature distribution and the progress of landscape dissipative processes such as the production of vegetation and the distribution of cooling short- circuited, surficial water cycles.
The sequestration of carbon dioxide, retention of water in living biomass, embedding of horticulture within tree vegetation, and the daily distribution of dew are all benefits which can be achieved by providing an economic framework that makes it profitable to green the landscape and thereby provide a long term future for society.
I want to thank your government for providing me with the opportunity to see the first new strategies for a green landscape and hope for the future not only for Australia, but for our global ecosystems economic and environmental resilience.
With best wishes and seasons greetings yours sincerely
Wilhelm Ripl
Prof. Dr. Wilhelm Ripl
Kleinaustrasse 11
14169 Berlin, Germany
The Hon John Howard MP
Prime Minister
Parliament House
CANBERRA ACT 2600
Australia
Berlin 30/11/2006
Dear Prime Minister,
I was invited to Canberra to deliver the keynote address regarding the science of Natural Sequence Farming (NSF). This visit was sponsored by the department of agriculture and fisheries.
Originately, I was introduced to the work of Peter Andrews in the development of NSF processes in 2001, when I visited Australia at the invitation of Professor David Mitchell of Charles Sturt University, Albury.
On this occasion I was able to examine the results of Peter Andrews approach to the conservation of water resources and organic production in the Australian landscape.
Mr Andrews incisive and environmentally sensitive observations of the natural processes in Australian landscapes, and how they function to stabilise the essential ingredients of their health and agricultural productivity, were remarkably complementary to the concepts I was developing about the nature and function of landscapes in Europe.
Though differing in many respects, both landscapes had evolved processes that enabled water and organic production to be continually available through the range of climatic conditions, which they experience, which have a particularly wide variance in much of Australia.
It was especially stimulating to relate what I saw of Mr Andrew´s work in Australia to similar research I was carrying out in Europe. Our meeting and discussions led to the enrichment of both our experiences and confirmation of the validity of each approach.
My examinations of Mr Andrew´s work took place in 2001 and 2004, primarily at Tarwyn Park, Upper Bylong, and Baramul Stud, both in the Upper Hunter, and in October/November this year at Mulloon Creek Natural Farms near Bungendore, NSW. This experience has enabled me to extend the theoretical framework which my colleagues and I have developed in Europe over the last two decades.
Our work has shown the central significance of the role of vegetation in stabilizing the dissipative water cycle in lowering temperature by evapotranspiration of plants by day, followed by the condensation of water vapour returning to the vegetation in lowered temperatures, especially at night. This water is then reabsorbed by the plants, thereby providing feed-back control by short-circuiting the water cycle that would otherwise be lost into the atmosphere in much larger quantities.
The rehydration of the ancient Australian landscape through the environmentally sensitive practice of NSF will enable Australian society to increase landscape efficiency and sustainability by promoting natural sequences of water, soils and plants (both native and introduced) to counteract desertification and enhance economic and environmental productivity in the national interest.
This holistic approach, when coupled with reductionist science, has proved to be much more effective than reductionism on its own. The latter approach is necessary but not sufficient to address our global environmental issues, which is clearly shown by the worldwide presence of degrading environments and increasing desertification.
Modeling studies of the effects of the dry greenhouse gases, CO2 and methane provide little hope for a solution of the problem in the near future.
By contrast, NSF shows that it is feasible to “green” even archaic landscapes step by step. Moreover, it is also possible to monitor the achievements of this process by evaluation of satellite images showing spatial temperature distribution and the progress of landscape dissipative processes such as the production of vegetation and the distribution of cooling short- circuited, surficial water cycles.
The sequestration of carbon dioxide, retention of water in living biomass, embedding of horticulture within tree vegetation, and the daily distribution of dew are all benefits which can be achieved by providing an economic framework that makes it profitable to green the landscape and thereby provide a long term future for society.
I want to thank your government for providing me with the opportunity to see the first new strategies for a green landscape and hope for the future not only for Australia, but for our global ecosystems economic and environmental resilience.
With best wishes and seasons greetings yours sincerely
Wilhelm Ripl