The Tie That Binds
In February 2001 I had the pleasure of presenting IECA's "tie that binds" to current IECA President Doug Wimble. The tie had previously been presented to Mike Harding and to Rick Granard, who had recently passed away. As the IECA president, I was asked to present the tie on Rick's behalf, and was honored to do so. Doug later presented the tie to another distinguished IECA leader, Dr. Gayle Mitchell, who by her service has aided IECA's growth and stature as a professional organization throughout the world. When Gayle informed me that I was to be the newest recipient, I was humbled. To be in the company of these IECA luminaries is indeed an honor.
A 1953 pamphlet on erosion written by Dr. W.C. Lowdermilk tells the story of an old man on a farm, who sat on his front porch as a stranger passed by. The stranger said, "Mister, how does the land lie around here?" The old man replied, "Well—I don't know about the land a-lying; it's those people selling land that do the lying."
In a very real sense, the land does not lie; it bears a record of what humans write on it. In a larger sense, a nation writes its record on the land—a record that is easy to read by those who understand the language of the land. Let us look at some of the records that have been written on the land as "westward the course of empire took its way."
Agriculture had its beginnings at least 7,000 years ago in two great centers—the fertile alluvial plains of Mesopotamia and the valley of the Nile. It was in these alluvial plains in an arid climate that tillers of the soil began to grow crops by irrigation in quantities greater than their needs. That released people for a division of labor that would give rise to civilization. Some of these fields have been cultivated for thousands of years. Entire nations rose and fell based on how these lands were managed.
Agriculture was practiced in a dry climate by irrigation with muddy water from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. As muddy river water slowed down, silt choked up the canals. It was necessary to keep silt out of the canals to supply water to the farms and cities. This great system of canals called for hand labor to keep them clear. Erosion in the uplands also aggravated the silt problems in the rivers. The canals eventually became stopped up by silt, depopulating villages and cities more effectively than any invading army.
IECA's members throughout the world are tied together solving problems caused by erosion and its byproduct—sediment. We are engaged in one of the most important professions there is, one that ensures civilization's very survival. How often do we think of our contributions in that way? Occasionally something happens to give our profession more visibility. Last year a Kenyan woman, Wangari Maathai, won the Nobel Peace Prize for planting 30 million trees across Africa to combat deforestation and reduce erosion. She said, "Many wars are fought over natural resources. In managing our resources we plant the seeds of peace, both now and in the future." IECA's Nihat Gokyigit from Turkey was instrumental in founding TEMA, the Turkish Foundation for Combating Soil Erosion, for Reforestation and the Protection of Natural Habitats. TEMA has many ambitious erosion control projects underway in Turkey thanks to Nihat's leadership.
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Preserving the integrity of the soil falls to governments as well as individuals. IECA members realize this and are working more with those that legislate and regulate, thus safeguarding the national welfare. We IECA members are "tied together" as we support one another in solving problems and serving mankind. Our chapters share information and our conferences offer leading-edge technology from all over the world.
I will close with Dr. Lowdermilk's "Eleventh Commandment": "Thou shalt inherit the Earth as a faithful steward, conserving its resources and productivity from generation to generation. Thou shalt safeguard thy fields from soil erosion, thy living waters from drying up, thy forests from desolation, and protect thy hills from overgrazing by thy herds, that thy descendants may have abundance forever. If any shall fail in this stewardship of the land, thy fruitful fields shall become sterile stony ground and wasting gullies, and thy descendants shall decrease and live in poverty or perish from the face of the earth."
March-April 2005
The Tie That Binds
In February 2001 I had the pleasure of presenting IECA's "tie that binds" to current IECA President Doug Wimble. The tie had previously been presented to Mike Harding and to Rick Granard, who had recently passed away. As the IECA president, I was asked to present the tie on Rick's behalf, and was honored to do so. Doug later presented the tie to another distinguished IECA leader, Dr. Gayle Mitchell, who by her service has aided IECA's growth and stature as a professional organization throughout the world. When Gayle informed me that I was to be the newest recipient, I was humbled. To be in the company of these IECA luminaries is indeed an honor. A 1953 pamphlet on erosion written by Dr. W.C. Lowdermilk tells the story of an old man on a farm, who sat on his front porch as a stranger passed by. The stranger said, "Mister, how does the land lie around here?" The old man replied, "Well—I don't know about the land a-lying; it's those people selling land that do the lying."
In a very real sense, the land does not lie; it bears a record of what humans write on it. In a larger sense, a nation writes its record on the land—a record that is easy to read by those who understand the language of the land. Let us look at some of the records that have been written on the land as "westward the course of empire took its way."
Agriculture had its beginnings at least 7,000 years ago in two great centers—the fertile alluvial plains of Mesopotamia and the valley of the Nile. It was in these alluvial plains in an arid climate that tillers of the soil began to grow crops by irrigation in quantities greater than their needs. That released people for a division of labor that would give rise to civilization. Some of these fields have been cultivated for thousands of years. Entire nations rose and fell based on how these lands were managed.
Agriculture was practiced in a dry climate by irrigation with muddy water from the Tigris and Euphrates rivers. As muddy river water slowed down, silt choked up the canals. It was necessary to keep silt out of the canals to supply water to the farms and cities. This great system of canals called for hand labor to keep them clear. Erosion in the uplands also aggravated the silt problems in the rivers. The canals eventually became stopped up by silt, depopulating villages and cities more effectively than any invading army.
IECA's members throughout the world are tied together solving problems caused by erosion and its byproduct—sediment. We are engaged in one of the most important professions there is, one that ensures civilization's very survival. How often do we think of our contributions in that way? Occasionally something happens to give our profession more visibility. Last year a Kenyan woman, Wangari Maathai, won the Nobel Peace Prize for planting 30 million trees across Africa to combat deforestation and reduce erosion. She said, "Many wars are fought over natural resources. In managing our resources we plant the seeds of peace, both now and in the future." IECA's Nihat Gokyigit from Turkey was instrumental in founding TEMA, the Turkish Foundation for Combating Soil Erosion, for Reforestation and the Protection of Natural Habitats. TEMA has many ambitious erosion control projects underway in Turkey thanks to Nihat's leadership.
Preserving the integrity of the soil falls to governments as well as individuals. IECA members realize this and are working more with those that legislate and regulate, thus safeguarding the national welfare. We IECA members are "tied together" as we support one another in solving problems and serving mankind. Our chapters share information and our conferences offer leading-edge technology from all over the world.
I will close with Dr. Lowdermilk's "Eleventh Commandment": "Thou shalt inherit the Earth as a faithful steward, conserving its resources and productivity from generation to generation. Thou shalt safeguard thy fields from soil erosion, thy living waters from drying up, thy forests from desolation, and protect thy hills from overgrazing by thy herds, that thy descendants may have abundance forever. If any shall fail in this stewardship of the land, thy fruitful fields shall become sterile stony ground and wasting gullies, and thy descendants shall decrease and live in poverty or perish from the face of the earth."