By: Martin Matthew Zais

The Non-Sustainability of Monocultures &From Bio-imperialism to Bio-democracy

The Non-Sustainability of Monocultures

Monocultures

• Monocultures dominate and will eventually strangle themselves

• ‘scientific forestry is harmful• Undermines diversity and local knowledge

• ‘Sustainable’ yields are harmful• Create uniformity and collapse• Focused on economics of a forest

• Normal forests have become abnormal

Natural Processes

• Uniform forests are harmful to natures processes• Drying of soil, erosion of the soil and rapid regressions

Selective Cutting

• Selective cutting sounds like a good idea. • Logging operations must also build infrastructure which

destroys forests.• In some logged forests only 33% of the trees remain

unharmed.• Sustainable yields are in direct conflict with biological

productivity• Forests afforestation rates have dropped 40%

Eucalyptus

• They are exclusively planted – Corn of trees• Increased cash flow• Deplete natural ecosystems• Local cultures revolt• Peasants pulled millions of eucalyptus seedlings and

replanted tamarind and mango seeds

Agricultural Globalism

• Native crops are well adapted• New pests do not come in with the plants• New superbugs/weeds• High yield require lots of water.• Inputs are sold like NPK

Democratizing Knowledge

• Shifting away from economics would help humans• Inconsistent with equity and justice• Reduces/minimizes the value of traditional knowledge• Disregards nature

From Bio-imperialism to Bio-democracy

Ecology, equity and efficiency

• What bio-imperialism leads to 1.) ecological instability 2.) external control 3.) efficiency in one dimensional framework

• Need to change monetary and harmful policies. Change will start at the large scale

• Need to shift incentives from economic to democracy

Who controls biodiversity?

• Gene rich Global South has given away biodiversity only to have it sold back to themselves.

• Genes/property vs coevolution/relationships• Bio democracy acknowledges the intrinsic value of all

life forms. • Need to protect property rights