Yes! Development can be environmentally sustainable

So I believe that provided land is not poisoned, and productivity (based on soil health) is encouraged, sustainability will happen naturally

Energy Flow - What does it mean?

Energy Flow is the movement of energy through an ecosystem. All life requires energy. It starts when energy is converted from sunlight to energy available for other life forms to use (organic matter). As each animal life form uses the energy (carbon) for its own use and expires carbon dioxide etc back into the atmosphere the flow continues full circle.

To sustain life, an ecosystem requires the Energy flow to be maintained. But if we want healthier land and the possibility of more humans living off that ecosystem, then the energy flow will have to increase. This means the best way to sustain and conserve life is to increase plant production, use those plants - in some ways directly, and in some ways to feed other life forms, which will increase the opportunity for many more life forms to survive and so on and so on. It's actually growing more food for the biodiversity to live off, which then grows more food again etc.

But that sounds different to what many conservationists say?

Yes, this is a vastly different view to the "conserve it but don't use it" thinking that has captured our society. A view that saves everything, but in doing so prevents the essential cycles (e.g. carbon, water ) from increasing. Currently in our national parks in non humid (brittle) environments, the energy flow is decreasing (i.e. grasses are being grazed less, so organic matter does not go back into the soil as much) and as a result soil biodiversity will gradually decrease in volume , and eventually the survival of some species may become threatened.

Answering the critics

While critics will say I am arguing for a "use till it collapses" strategy, I disagree with this view. In my opinion I am arguing for an approach similar to building up an athletes body to perform at the highest level – steady use with every part of the body functioning well.

As a society, our focus should be on the energy flow and moisture made available for the majority of our worlds biodiversity, which is in the soil. This is what we should set our sights on and everything else will follow.

If we concentrate on any non basic issues only e.g. farming methods, or individual species conservation, or regulations, or limiting water etc without focussing on the soil carbon (energy supply to soil life) and moisture levels, then our civilisation will ultimately go backwards.

We progressive land managers are getting good results, but our society has recently begun perceiving us as villains and is now bringing in laws and regulations which stifle our ability to improve our land.