The 2023
Annual General Meeting of the Pearly Beach Conservancy was held at Klein
Paradijs on 19 December. Twenty-three people were in attendance. The
Chairperson opened with a quote from a Native American source that went
something like this: “We do not inherit the Earth; we borrow it from future
generations.”
The minutes
of the previous AGM were approved and the Chairperson reported on the
achievements of the Conservancy over the past year. A new committee was elected
and the meeting ended with informal conversation over refreshments. The
Chairperson who, with her husband, is the owner of the Klein Paradijs farm,
then offered to take those who were interested on a guided walk. A dozen or so
members followed her on a circuitous route past a dam and up into the mountain
fynbos before returning to the homestead.
The one-and-a-half-hour
ramble was informative, the indigenous vegetation was in prime condition and
the view out over Pearly Beach to the sea put the whole area into perspective.
Back at
home, I went over the outing in my head and was struck by two observations. The
first had to do with the neighbouring property to the west. A wire fence marked
the boundary between low fynbos and a dense forest. Tall Myrtle trees had swallowed
up all other vegetation on the adjoining property. The contrast was startling,
and I again realised that only through human intervention will the invasion of
alien species be kept in check. This is a depressing idea, because it means
that we have to live with a constant threat from a situation that is of our own
making, having intentionally introduced these plants from Australia over a
century ago.
The second
thought that occurred to me stemmed from the fact that at the meeting there had
not been a single person under the age of sixty. My wife and I were among the
founding members of the Pearly Beach Conservation Society back in the mid
1980s. We were in our thirties, and the other members were of a similar age or
in their forties. I don’t think there was anyone much older than 60. So, what
has changed that younger people appear to have little or no interest in
Conservation?
When I
consider how disastrous the past 40 years has been for the natural environment,
and how bleak the future looks as the effects of Climate Change accelerate, I
am puzzled by the apparent apathy on the part of the youth and parents of young
children. Are they not capable of imagining the future that lies ahead? Why are
they not motivated to do something to slow the process of environmental
degradation? Is it out of ignorance, or lethargy, or even despair that they
show no interest in supporting their local Conservation group?
After
struggling with these questions for a while, I was suddenly struck by a novel
consideration. Although I endorse the noble sentiments of the Native American elders,
and will continue to support the work of the Conservancy, there is no point in
worrying about succeeding generations. If young people are too stupid or
self-absorbed to care about the future quality of life on this planet, why
should I bother myself with their predicament? And, anyway, I won’t be around
to face it with them. No, when they and their kids are choking to death in the
toxic smoke from an apocalyptic inferno, they will only have themselves to
blame.
With that liberating
thought, I felt justified in pouring myself a glass of wine and retiring to the
stoep to watch the birds and tortoises coming and going, and to enjoy the
feeling of relief at having a weight off my mind.
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