I’m a traveller, not a tourist!’
How many times have you said that?
I admit, I’ve said it a few times myself.
What we’re really saying is:
Don’t put me in the same category!
Can’t you see that I’m clearly not in a packaged tour?
Haven’t you noticed the size of my backpack?
Can’t you see I’m wearing a Sari? 😛
The Kennedy Range National Park
A couple of years ago while hiking to the top of Burringurrah/Mt Augustus - a giant monocline in remote Wadjari country in Western Australia, I overheard a couple of hikers talking about how bad the markers on the trail were.
I'd thought the markers were OK.
I’d even thought whoever had the task of figuring out the best place to put them, had done a great job.
Burringurrah sits in the middle of the Mt Augustus National Park about 1000 kilometres north of Perth in the West Australian Outback. It’s remote (even by Australian standards), rugged, extremely hot in summer and surrounded by arid vegetation as far as the eye can see.
Beedoboondu (or The Summit Trail) is a challenging 12km, steep, grade 5 track that makes its way up the giant rock through pristine bush to the 700 metre summit. There are lots of unclear paths, plenty of uneven or loose ground, boulders in the way, narrow sections close to cliff edges and some on-all-fours scrambling. The view from the summit is worth every misstep, bruise, scratch and moment of suspense between seeing a marker and locating the next one.
Once you enter the trail, apart from the small circular markers (yes, some of them are a bit worn) and the odd set of footprints, you might not know it was a planned hiking trail.
And that’s what I love about wilderness trails.
They take us into places that connect us to nature, to our wild; where we can 'undomesticate' ourselves, use our instincts, challenge our bodies. In nature we reconnect with our spirit, with others, be inspired and even healed.
On trails we can learn about cultural and natural heritage, about nature and about ourselves.
Trails can support local economies and generate income for people who live near them.
When I think about what it took to get Beedoboondu trail up and ready for public use, it's amazing anyone bothered.
Someone had to convince stakeholders / secure funding / seek tenders / conduct environmental surveys / identify threatened species / mark sensitive habitats / consult with local Wadjari custodians for cultural issues / assess risks / attempt various routes / select the safest routes with least impact / write many reports / get the right markers for that extreme climate / get a team of people to fix them to the rock…
The point is even trails that don’t have a lot of infrastructure are created with a lot of effort, resources, and understanding of the many benefits they bring.
As someone who has chosen to earn part of her livelihood on trails, I know these benefits first hand. 🥰
Are we taking trails and their benefits for granted?
International Trails Day is a day to celebrate everything that trails provide and ensure they are never taken for granted.
Here in WA our trails give us access to some of the most pristine, biodiverse and blow-your-mind beautiful wilderness environments in the world. That is so worth celebrating!
Mt Augustus Burringurrah nearing summit
Mt Augustus Buringurrah Mulla Mulla
Kennedy Range National Park
Kennedy Range National Park
The Hakea Trail in the Fitzgerald River National Park
Fitzgerald Beach on the Mamang Trail - Fitzgerald River National Park
Yued Ponar Trail Lesueur National Park
The Cape to Cape - Photo by Donna Wolter
The Cape to Cape - Wilyabrup Cliffs
A Jewel Beetle - Castiarina cruentata- East Mt Barren in the distance - Fitzgerald River National Park
Today is World Biodiversity Day – a day established to promote awareness of how much biodiversity matters.
Most people know that biodiversity is important.
Here in Western Australia we hear the word ‘biodiversity’ often. Most of the time in the same sentence as ‘floral’ or ‘hotspot’.
The Nature’s Window Loop Trail - Kalbarri National Park
I made it to the start of the Nature’s Window Loop Trail at 6:45 am.
It was February, and the trail is closed from 7 am.
For good reason.
The heat is intense in the summer months between November and February.
Feeling the heat … 8 am and already over 35 degrees in the Murchison Gorge - Kalbarri National Park
It took me just over 3 hours to complete the 9 kilometres of this impressive class 4 trail, with a couple of short stops for shade.
Despite the intense heat, this first and short immersion into this ancient landscape of white and red layered sandstone, weathered rocky ledges skirting the winding river, sandy riverbanks lined with paperbarks and reeds, black swans … it was a magical introduction.
Enough to make me want to come back for more.
And we did.
We walked the 38 km of the 80 km riverine system, from Ross Graham Lookout to Nature’s Window, twice more before offering it as one of our Edgewalkers adventures.
The first of these was also in February. There had been a dip in temperature rom low 40s to mid 20’s, I got permission from the head ranger to scope the gorge with a photographer for 4 days.
With water levels at their lowest, crossing back and forth across the river is easy, most of the time there are enough exposed rocks to step comfortably all the way across.
The second time was in June.
The difference was significant.
First, the lower temperatures made walking with 15 plus kilos of water and food much easier. We also did not need to drink as much water.
Edgewalkers guide Kirra Diconza, staying close to the edge of the Murchison River - Kalbarri National Park
Second, the higher water levels meant having to work out the safest place to cross the river and shorter distances covered every day.
It also meant having wet boots from the start.
Both times were breathtaking.
The Murchison Gorge is one of our regular walking adventures usually run in June or August. We love this raw West Australian wilderness.
Yellow poppies - Papaver nudicaule
Above: poppies above the Potanin Glacier Papaver ammophilum or nudicaule?
Walking through the Tavan Bogd National Park in Mongolia’s northwest in spring and summer is a delight for the senses.
The spectacle of snow-capped mountains always visible in the distance, picturesque rocky gorges, raucous streams rushing or gently meandering; the changing terrain underfoot: soft grassy stretches, sometimes dry, sometimes wet and boggy, dirt and gravel paths, loose rock, slippery slate, banks of unmelted snow, scree.
The scent of alpine larches mixed with the scent of juniper and the surprisingly not unpleasant odour of livestock scat that litters the ground. The calls of domesticated animals that wonder free throughout: horses, yaks, sheep, goats, camels and dogs; the scrambling of land squirrels and marmots, overhead the occasional shrill cries of hawks and kites.
And to add a magical touch, scattered in bursts daring bright, from under slate and in between rocks, sometimes carpets of them, sometimes solitary tufts swaying defiantly and vibrant, an abundance of wildflowers celebrate with jubilant colour the end of the long and relentless winter that until not long before had covered everything with ice and snow.
Wildflowers are everywhere and although we are still learning the names of these beauties, here are some of them.
Please feel free to make any corrections!
China Pink - Dianthus Chinensis
This article is a work-in-progress … wildflowers abound throughout the Tavan Bogd National Park and each year it seems that more that have not been photographed appear … they adorn our surroundings while we walk, when we rest and eat, and fill the hike with burst of colourful joy.
I’ve been a vegetarian more than half my life.
When I made this choice, my health was not my main motivation. I just didn’t want to eat anything that had been killed.
However, over the years, I believe that following a vegetarian, mostly vegan diet has kept me in optimal health. But don’t take my word for it.
Here are 4 science-based reasons why going vegan (or reducing your animal product intake) may make you healthier.
The top 3 killers of Australians and probably other countries following typical animal based western diets, are heart disease, stroke and dementia.
Eating more fresh fruit and vegetables, grains, nuts and legumes in a balanced vegan diet, may reduce your chance of having high blood pressure by up to 75%.
You will probably also display healthier cholesterol and blood sugar levels, both helping to reduce heart disease by up to 46%
Lowered cholesterol and blood pressure can also minimise the chance of cardiovascular issues such as stroke. One study showed that the more fruit and vegetables you eat the less chance of stroke.
Lastly, increase intake of fruit and vegetables may also help slow down brain diseases like Alzheimer’s. It appears that the polyphenols (compounds found in abundance in fruit and vegetables) have a significant impact slowing down and even reversing brain decline.
People eating a vegan diet may have as much as 15% less chance of getting cancer and, if they’ve survived it, keeping it at bay.
Because vegan diets have a much higher consumption of vegetables, fruit and legumes, and soy products the chance of certain types of cancers are reduced. These include stomach, colon, prostate, lung, mouth, throat and even breast cancer.
And because vegans do not eat any meat at all, they will not consume cancer-promoting processed, red or smoked meats. This will reduce their chances of stomach, prostate, colon and breast cancer.
Vegans may have almost 5% lower BMI than omnivores, even when they consumed the same amount of calories. There may be up to 20 pounds difference between an average adult vegan and an adult meat-eaters.
Losing extra weight may be easier on a vegan diet. This may be for a combinations of reasons. Grains and vegetables are digested more slowly because their glycemic levels are lower. Also, the fibre content is higher so vegans feel more satisfied and not feel hungry so quickly.
Given that a vegan diet may reduce the incidence of heart disease, stroke, dementia, some cancers and type 2 diabetes and help maintain a healthy weight, it is only significantly increase your chances of living a longer and healthier life.
There really are no reasons for not trying a vegan diet.
We still need a lot more research - here are some links to existing research.
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4845138/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4845138/ https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/24811336/
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/25312617/
https://progressreport.cancer.gov/prevention/fruit_vegetable
https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ijc.31612
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26143683/
https://progressreport.cancer.gov/prevention/fruit_vegetable
https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/vegan-diet-studies
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29659968/
Boranup Forest - Leeuwin Naturaliste National Park - Western Australia
I started this blog wanting to write about the current biodiversity crisis, around the time of the UN Biodiversity Conference in Montreal last year.
I read some of the latest and tragic statistics on the snowballing speed at which our activity is killing other species.
Mammals, insects, turtles, fish, vertebrates, invertebrates, wetlands, coral, forests.
All life on Earth is under threat.
I thought, woah, we don’t want to read more about that.
I’ll have a mass-extinction of subscribers if I hit you with all that gloom.
I took a break from writing.
I went back to reading Entangled Life a book about fungi, mycology and ground-breaking research on the remarkable properties of fungi.
Maybe I'd take some notes, I'd love to write more about fungi.
I could spend all day reading about them.
I did. The whole day, maybe two; no notes.
Did you know the largest organism on the planet is a fungus? Armillaria ostoyae – they call it the honey mushroom; 3.5 sq miles under a forest in Oregon.
I pushed on with biodiversity. I made myself read a few paragraphs about the conference in Montreal.
The nations of the world had agreed on a ‘landmark’ global biodiversity framework.
4 goals, 23 targets.
30 percent of the planet protected by 2030.
Hope?
Déjà vu?
Blah blah blah,’ said Greta Thunberg.
I googled Greta to find out how old she was now. She’s 20 and she’d released a book: The Climate Book. I downloaded it, put in my earbuds and listened to it for the next 3 days.
It’s impressive, urgent and angry, with contributions from 100 global leaders in their field; it is also authoritative.
‘When it comes to the climate and ecological crisis, we have solid unequivocal scientific evidence of the need for change.
The science is as solid as it gets.
We need a new way of thinking,’ says Greta.
We sure do.
I spent two days writing marketing copy instead.
When I come back to this blog, it’s the middle of February, soon I’d have to write about International Women’s Day.
I sigh, it’s time to pull my finger out.
I google different combinations of ‘women, fungi, biodiversity’.
And there, on the world wide web, women, fungi and biodiversity, I found.
HAPPY INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY!
Suzanne Simard, is a Canadian professor of forest ecology at the university of British Columbia.
She was the first to suggest the possibility that trees move carbon and other resources through fungal networks under the forest floor.
Then she proved it.
Unequivocally.
Her pioneering research into what she coined ‘the Wood Wide Web’ showed that forests are intelligent systems.
They communicate.
They collaborate.
These systems are sustained by a mutually beneficial relationship between trees and the mycorrhizal networks of mycelia (fungi).
They are also overseen and directed by ‘mother trees’ who ensure that carbon, sugar, hormones, nitrogen, water, and other resources are sent to the trees that need them the most.
Darwinists, whose ‘survival of the fittest’, competitive paradigm has been turned on its head, were resistant.
Simard struggled to find funding.
But science is science, and a PhD and more than 200 articles on the subject, could not be silenced.
Simard is trying to influence logging practices, a principal contributor to biodiversity loss.
If logging continues to ignore the role Mother Trees play in the resilience of old growth forests, they will destroy any possibility of survival and renewal.
She makes an analogy to bolts being removed from an airplane.
You can take quite a few bolts and screws out without causing any great damage, but if you take out the bolts that hold the wings to the body of the plane, there is nothing to do but plummet.
Likewise, in a forest, certain trees hold the forest together.
In her book, Finding the Mother Tree, Simard shares this important understanding of forests and their innate wisdom.
She also leads The Mother Tree Project, a research project into old growth forests and all the ways in which biodiversity, regeneration and carbon storage can be protected.
Giuliana Furci - Fungi Foundation
Giuliana Furci, is a Chilean mycologist who established and leads the Fungi Foundation, an international NGO completely dedicated to the study and protection of fungi.
Furci and her colleagues (in Chile and around the world) are passionate about their work to influence law, policy, and research to include and protect fungi.
In July 2021, the Chilean government became the first in the world to include fungi in their environmental law.
Their declaration called on world leaders and scientists to
“… create protections for fungi under international, regional and domestic law and policy, both to state the equal significance of fungi among the kingdoms of life and to help address the threats that jeopardize the ability of many fungal species to thrive and survive,”
Furci was responsible for this important declaration and continues to lead this initiative.
They want ‘funga’ to recognised as the interconnectors of life on the planet and to be given the same protection, funding and importance as flora and fauna.
Why?
Because if we want to have an impact on climate change, we have to take into account the 450 quadrillion km of mycorrhizal networks underground that help sequester at least 5 billion tons of carbon dioxide every year.
(BTW quadrillion is 450 plus fifteen zeros - or one thousand trillions, i.e. a lot)
Because there are between 2 and 4 million species of fungi, and we hardly know anything about them.
Because the biodiversity of the fungi is integral to the survival and resilience of all life on earth. Fungi were instrumental in the evolution of life on the planet.
Because without fungi life would not be possible.
In a recent article in Time Magazine she calls for fungal education to be included in school and academic curricula.
‘Accounts of the living world that do not include fungi are accounts of a world that doesn’t exist.’
Find out more about this important initiative here.
Guiliana Furci and Suzanne Simard are inspiring leaders in their fields; their work is ground breaking and important.
We celebrate and applaud them.
We celebrate women all around the world.
We celebrate our stories, our intelligence and creativity, our resilience and capacity for love and empathy; our adventurous spirits and intuition, our discipline and physical prowess, our humour and our courage.
But let’s also remember that women still make up a minority in the sciences, in research, in decision-making and in leadership.
Let’s remember that 70% of women live in poverty. And that at the coal face of the biodiversity crisis are women and girls who have to work harder to find wood for fuel, clean water and plants for food and medicine.
So, let’s celebrate.
But let’s also act in whatever way we can.
Imagine the world if all women had the freedom and agency to pursue their passions, reach their fullest potential and offer the world their unique contribution.
Let’s act because we too must be allies in the survival of our planet.
