“… If it was true, we would not be talking about anything else…”
Greta Thunberg
Dear friends,
Here on Kachana, we have been talking about global environmental challenges for well over two decades. We believe that much of our work here since 1992 is very relevant to natural solutions that can be applied at local levels in many seasonally dry settings around the globe. In recent decades, worldwide, we have certainly missed many opportunities to be effective, but I believe that as community leaders gain better understanding of what we are collectively faced with, decisive action could begin at landscape levels!
This thinking is expressed in some of our blogs prepared for Central Station, November 2019:
1. Reinventing Landscape-Management through Regenerative Pastoral Practices - Chris Henggeler
2. Dreamtime – feeling safe when you sleep helps - Jacqueline Henggeler
3. Kachana sterek - Fettes Falconer
4. Pastoralists to the rescue - Part 1. New Millennium, New Challenges - Chris Henggeler
5. Pastoralists to the rescue – Part 2. When Alarm Bells Ring - Chris Henggeler
We continue to experience a season that keeps us on our toes. 22mm of rain in October, and 55mm in November were a blessing. Some associated hail and fallen mangos were a price readily paid!
The fire-danger is not over yet, but Middle Level Management have again done a great job in reducing fuel-loads and thus the overall risk.
We suspect that our long-term friend in the kitchen, Cappuccino, might have died a hero’s death. He was last seen in the evening with an obviously hungry Sylvia rummaging amongst empty egg-shells only about a meter away from where Cappuccinos little house is. The next morning, he was not home and we have not seen him since. We hope he is away on family-business. Scar-Tail must have been hungry too. We spotted her some days later as she helped herself to Mima’s eggs. Normally pythons that size would be after larger warm-blooded prey, but snacks can be tempting.
During long winter evenings in the Northern hemisphere and hopefully during rainy days here in Australia we hope you will enjoy the content behind some of the links listed on this page. As the year ends, may the season of Advent allow you time for reflection and may the blessings of Christmas be with you all and with your loved ones.
Greetings from Kachana
Photos of the Month
News & Views
Mother nature continues to be our primary teacher, but this month we share links to others who help shape our views from spiritual to practical levels:
- Bishop Barron on Why What You Believe Matters
- Bishop Barron on Grace and Karma
- Conversations with John Anderson: Featuring Jordan B Peterson (Part I)
- Conversations with John Anderson: Jordan Peterson and Dave Rubin
- Healing the Land: One heart one mind at a time
- Joel Salatin - What Gets Me Up in the Morning
- Shannon Cappellazzi, “Soil health diagnosed as you’ve never heard before”
- What is the Soil Food Web?
- Allan Savory Interview - Holistic Management to Address Climate
- Joel Salatin: Fields of Farmers
- Land Stewardship on Chihuahuan Desert Grasslands of Mexico
- Soil Carbon Cowboy Films
- Adaptive Grazing 101: What is Adaptive Grazing?
Link of the Month
Uncommon good-sense explanations of climate challenges, why we have them and what realistic options remain. Walter Jehne discusses the dilemma that Greta and so many others sense, but he does so in a context that would allow for individual and collective effective action.
Nature has designed, tested and demonstrated the templates we need.
Many of the practical solutions remain out there waiting for us to engage!
One of the most valuable tools Nature has already provided:
‘Mobile Solar-Powered Carbon-Sequestrating Biodigesters’
Putting such tools to effective use requires low-tech high-skill techniques.
(Relevant skills and techniques can be taught, learnt and improved on.)
CAVEAT:
Effective action requires both understanding as well as support from community and political levels.
Listen to Walter:
The Soil Carbon Sponge, Climate Solutions and Healthy Water Cycles
'KAZAK' the biodigester