Ecology, economy and man's needs
Ecological principles for economic development, by R.F. Dasmann, J.P. Milton and P.H. Freement. London, Wiley, 1973. 252 p. $5.00.
Here is a thoughtful book which makes the point that well-intended but ill-conceived development projects have often resulted in side effects which have reduced both the productivity potential of renewable natural resources and the quality of human life. For the authors, development projects should be questioned if they do not have as their goal long-range protection of the environment and an improvement of overall living conditions.
This book is an excellent primer for technicians and decision makers of development who may be unfamiliar with basic ecological concepts. It is also a useful reference for foresters in describing some of the ecological interrelationships which are common in nonforestry activities, such as water resources development.
The authors emphasize that environmental conservation and socioeconomic development should and can be carried out in harmony, rather than in conflict. Too often, purely economic development goals stress short-term results and compromise the long-term values, and the writers feel that this is not necessary.
A whole range of resource questions is covered - forestry, grazing, tourism, agriculture, water resources and fisheries - with no one item treated in great detail. The book demonstrates, however, the critical interdependence of these activities and that certain ecological principles are common to all of them.
Ecological principles for economic development points out what is becoming increasingly evident, especially to those in international development: a single-purpose project will invariably have multiple results. A number of examples are offered, from disastrous river basin projects to the more subtle and complicated side effects of vegetative changes and pesticide spraying. In each case the authors attempt to follow negative examples with ecologically oriented alternatives, specifying the ecological principles which should be observed.
But the real strength of this book is that the writers bring together under one cover a comprehensive discussion of ecological concepts. Thus, the authors underscore that there is an ecological discipline which is as relevant to agriculture cropping as to managing wildlife.
The authors tend to look at the management of natural forests in the tropics as an opportunity for applied ecology which has not been generally realized. "Forest utilization in the tropics," they note, "has traditionally been a plundering operation with little concern for future yields." They recognize that intensively managed plantations can produce high timber yields, but emphasize that these monocultures are an exclusive use of the land, i.e., the antithesis of the multiple-use concept, or of the ecological principles which are essential to integrated development. They maintain that the full cost in ecological terms of such single-purpose approaches has not really been considered in cost/benefit analyses. The root of the problem, they maintain, is the fact that we still do not understand how to manage natural forests so as "to make full use of the diversified forest ecosystem."
This is a complicated question. Foresters will no doubt agree with the recommendation that there is a critical need for management schemes for more complete utilization of the tropical forest's many species. However, is this practical, given the economic realities ? Some readers will no doubt feel that the marketing and other practical difficulties involved are much greater than the book would imply, even though they may agree to the ecological principles which are proposed.
The chapter on river basin development is one of the most detailed in the book and demonstrates how these activities can result in widespread and disruptive aftereffects. Recognizing that river basin development will no doubt be a major future activity in many areas, especially in developing countries, the writers list a number of essential principles which should be included in the planning stages in order to avoid heavy damage later. Their point is that economics and engineering are traditionally overstressed at the expense of the social and environmental factors.
The discussion of tourism and national parks points to the critical need for proper planning so that tourists do not destroy what they came to see.
The section on agriculture is well presented and constructive. It provides a number of both negative and positive examples of pest control, while emphasizing that there is still much that we do not understand about side effects resulting from chemical substances. Several interesting examples of ecologically oriented pest control are given.
The point is made that marginal lands should not be developed in such a way that their basic capability is likely to be exceeded; in other words, they should not be developed for short-term gains. The authors are for concentrating on more intensive use of the higher quality lands already under cultivation.
Detailed treatment of rangeland and wildlife management compares good and bad examples of ecological thinking and highlights some fundamental concepts of ecology. Many agriculturists will find the emphasis on wildlife utilization possibilities strikingly different from the usual approach. The writers maintain that, in any project for rangeland improvement, wildlife should be given particular attention, since the benefits from wildlife can be much higher than for cattle, especially on marginal lands. They are in favour of schemes which utilize both domestic stock and wildlife. Their principle here is that working within nature's patterns can be more productive than attempting drastic ecological changes.
One may find a few of the recommendations and opinions in this book difficult to accept, or rather to visualize, in practical terms, because of the social, economic and political pressures with which less developed countries must usually contend. Nonetheless, if the decision makers of development can be persuaded by it to include more ecological thinking in their planning, and to approach their work with a more integrated view of objectives, the authors will have made a very valuable contribution to the too often forgotten primary objective of development-a better life for human beings.
SAMUEL H. KUNKLE, FAO Forestry Department, Rome
