For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.
Clever guy that Newton… and I should have known, I’ve spent enough time with forest and tribal peoples… Their relationship with nature has also taught them a firm understanding of dynamics and physical law.
To the Kogi tribe high in the mountains of Colombia its a key principle of life. If you remove, impact or change anything within nature consider the wider implications wisely and counter with other actions.
Wish I’d considered this before trimming the top of our mountain, as in doing so we unleashed a beast
In removing the natural blanket of flora that covered the area, along with its earthbound lattice of tree roots and vines, all of which held tight the soils and defended the ridge-line against the elements. Enthusiastically we have laid bare the hilltop exposing it to a deluge of rain that hits the area each year (see video at bottom).
PermaCulture 101: Drainage, The landscape is alive, with its own way of dealing with things. Work with it not against it.
Emergency Measures: Ketut and the crew quickly set to work mapping out, then cutting and building drainage lines, formalising the car park in concrete in an attempt to re-route the force of the water away from the fractured ridge-line and road… have a look at the insane forces involved in this next video.. and that’s only a mild downpour!!!
Having successfully protected the road and routing energy across the back, last week I received a call from Ketut saying a landslide had occurred and we had lost a piece of land... At around 20 metres across and 30 down it happened in an area that is none critical, we count ourselves lucky and are working on undoing what was done in haste!… Lesson learnt, there will likely be more!!!