Only our ancient landscape can reveal the blueprint for going forward

by Peter Andrews OAM, 20 March 2019

The question I am most asked is not “How does The Australian Landscape Science work?” Actually, it is “Why hasn’t this model been made available to everyone?” If the Australian public knew the truth of what has been going on behind the scenes, there would be anarchy tomorrow.‬

So many promises have been made and swiftly broken over the years, that combined they would be hard to tally. Despite all the good faith on display to the world, there has been no action.

As the long dry continues to expedite the desiccation of our nation, breaking the hearts of farmers and breaking the back of regional economies, perhaps the day of revolution shall yet come to pass.

For now, it should suffice that any careful examination of the Australian continent reveals that we would appear to have the worst natural situation for climate stability. Our highest mountains are on the east instead of more ideally on the west, such as in the USA. There is precious little seasonal snow melt to recharge the thirsty inland watershed, such as in Europe. You wouldn’t want to place a bet on this continent ever becoming a paradise.

However, the ancient Australian landscape was exactly that, a paradise which developed biodiversity beyond comparison, including many of the singing birds, the flowering plants, aquaculture and megafauna which were bigger than the average automobile.

How could ancient Australia possibly have become a verdant paradise? Well, it should be obvious to the reader by now, that it was because of our magnificent plants, which were able to achieve the most efficient landscape processes on the planet. And these productive processes are still available to us today, presented in the skeleton of the ancient Australian landscape.

I began my current journey back in 1975, after being advised by Professor Hector Geddes, a professor who was in charge of agriculture at Sydney University, that Australia could reveal energy management strategies that are counter-intuitive to Mediterranean-evolved agricultural practices. For example, Australia has the longest hours of sunlight, the greatest variety of plants that can function 24/7 and the most efficient use of water relative to production. My realisation was that the Australian landscape demonstrated a laboratory that could lead the world.

Since European interventions first started on this landscape, we have had many agricultural philosophies. When introduced animals impacted the plant management system, this triggered the erosion and collapse of many areas and heralded the paradigm of drainage. These practices, which have been used by past civilisations, and are still being promulgated now, are now recognised to result in failed environments. The disappointing aspect is that these same agriculturalists claim to understand the Australian management strategies!

It must be recognised that while the impact of humans and their animals demonstrates failures, in some cases, it also presents possible solutions. It is these solutions which I am so determined to see come to fruition, immediately.

However, I have come to understand that the processes of the ancient Australian landscape are highly counter-intuitive. For people to take full advantage of them requires a special advisory service, supported by the best qualified practitioners, upholding the most rigorous science and utilising the latest communication technologies available. The advisory service is absolutely necessary for the most effective understanding and economical usage. To stray from this path is to invite peril. We must fully appreciate that we are working with both the greatest creative and destructive forces that have shaped this landscape - the oldest, largest, flattest and driest landscape on Earth.

Since 1975, none of our current trainers, universities or CSIRO facilities have completed rigorous scientific assessments to either confirm or reject the above-mentioned opportunities. There has been a massive failure of our institutions to abide by a ‘duty of care’. This is compounded by wasteful ongoing expenditure of public funds, constituting a major breach of fiduciary duties, on behalf of so many politicians and public servants.

Today, despite our many environmental challenges, we have reached a threshold, where the thorough investigation and honest application of The Australian Landscape Science could yet prevent the requirement for mass class actions arising from climate catastrophes. Rather, by making it possible for every citizen to take a sense of ownership and growing a plant, we can all be contributing to the management and reversal of human induced climate and environmental extremes.
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Fortunately, we have the unprecedented capacity to measure back accurately. Therefore, we can know that the science is certain. It should also be recognised that it is more difficult to know what may happen in the future. Only our ancient landscape can reveal the blueprint for going forward.