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Re: Scope or focus of newsgroup






Jeff Owens wrote, 
> 
> I've been reading posts to rec.gardens.ecosystems and can not determine
> what it is about.  Is there a FAQ or has there been a discussion of
> what this newsgroup covers?

Yes, the address for the rec.gardens.ecosystems' website is:
http:sunSITE.unc.edu/rge

This contains a copy of the Charter as well as the FAQ. The lead sentence
of 
the Charter is, "Rec.gardens.ecosystems is intended as a newgroup for the
discussion of the ways nature works within the garden." 
> 
> When I see the words ecosystems and garden together I think of the
> following characteristics:
> 
>  1. Diversity of plants, animals, and other living organisms.
>  2. Synergistic relationships between all the components of the
>     garden.
>  3. Limited human adjustment in the natural cycles once they
>     are established.
>  4. High interest in native/local ecosystems and integration with
>     the local ecology.
>  5. Acceptance of change and chaos.

The Charter uses a similar articulation for the ecosystem. 
 
> Things like mono-cropping, hybrids, soil amendments, and all external
> inputs of energy or material are signs of a strongly manipulated
> ecology which is not of much interest.  These things seem to lead to
> dominance of nature and not to the more humble attitude of being a
> part of the ecology.
> 
> Does this viewpoint fit here?

The intention of the newsgroup is for discussion and not for following
a party line. The issue of dominating nature is not  cut and dry. My
 personal orientation is that the gardener is at his gardening best
when he is working in co-operation with nature and that the most
appropriate gardening techniques are those things that most closely 
resemble the techniques of nature. I do think, however,  that it is not
always self-evident as to just what gardening _with_ nature really
means and that we don't always have a good handle on the best way 
to solve garden problems. 

I'm a strong believer, for example,  in the use of manures and composts
both as a mulch and as a way to enrich my soil. I don' see this so much
as a way to dominate nature, per se,  but rather as a way to benefit  the
soil organisms and the general garden. I can accept, however, that others
may think of this as inappropriate.

Bill

---------------------------------------------------------

The rec.gardens.ecosystems FAQ is available at http://sunsite.unc.edu/rge

submissions can be mailed to: ecosys-submit@sunsite.unc.edu
the moderators can be contacted at: ecosys-admin@sunsite.unc.edu


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