There is a tree called eucalyptus. It come from Australia: this means two things; first that can develop and grow in adverse climate conditions for vegetation; needs very little water. Said this, then anyone can think that, of course, in less adverse conditions for its growth and more water this kind of tree will grow and expand as a comet. Quite right.
A native cantabrian richman of his, more than 100 years ago, brought into Cantabria the first tree of this kind. Of course like everyone of his kind he was analyzing the situation and thinking of ways of making money through his importation and of the Cantabrian Land, that was going to be host to the alien body. Time has proven the cancer that it was despite the money that many people of all conditions had made of it, mainly the owners of a factory in the second biggest city of Cantabria, Torrelavega. But this is financially. The really main beneficiary has been spain itself.
The man that brought the first specimen of that tree didn't see much related with it. Not many, among the native population, was really interested in that. It was a time, that talking from a natural perspective (still respectful mentality to the Land, ways of living traditional and natural, a big forest portion of land, a forest of native species, clean rivers, countryside natural, clean, not plastic around, modern industrial-chemical techniques even introduce -apart of maybe one or two experimental projects if any), Cantabria was quite and Eden, something lost in the last years of XX century and first of the XXI century. The native forest, apart of been a Life reservoir and much more beautiful, give the Cantabrian Native Population food, medicinal plants .... and plenty of wood and of quality. There was no need it was no good and the native land gave more and better in all senses: it was not a good business from any perspective. It did not go ahead. The richman therefore had to give up in front of the native people and the land.
Fast forwards to recent times. Since 3, 4 decades anyone going to or growing up in the Cantabrian Nation will see and consider this tree as part of the native life, as an integral part of the landscape, and in many, many place will the most common, and sometimes the only, species of tree.
Been said the things above, how can it be then the present situation. What did change?
In this blog we have already talked in several post about the genocide against the Cantabrian Nation and the massacres against her People, the treachery of the spanish left and so on. This subject, is something to add to this.
With the spanish victory in 1937, the surrender of the Cantabrian Army and the beginning of the repression and, maybe the last step, deep and radical latinization of the population.
Hand in hand with the spanish came the moroccan troops and the CTV, the whole Italian expeditionary force, and the germans with the Condor Legion. All the military weight of the spanish fascist was put to conquer as fast as possible the Cantabrian Nation. But, in case, this was not enough, as said but can't be repeat enough, the treason of the highest levels of the spanish republic and many individuals, some native but many spaniards living in Cantabria, in the different forces and organizations (police, parties, trade-unions...).
Has to be said that Cantabria, even in the Souh west part of the Continent of Europe had a very humid climate. Grey and cloudy skies were more usual that blue and sunny. Rain was normal, frequent and in quantity. Therefore a nice green was to be seen in valleys and lands across the Cantabrian Country.
But since the beginning the spaniards had in mind one thing in top of the list: make Cantabria a tourist destination for spanish people. This weather and natural condition, apart of a native population independent minded, willing to keep their ways of life and means, ability and capacity for a proven, traditional and historical self-suffiency was not of help for this and more ideas they had. In fact all this were obstacles.
The genocide, in its physical and repressive form, began since 0 hour the first day. But many other things went parallel in the same direction. And here is were, we are going back to the issue of the alien tree and the "green deserts".
(above the first stone put in place, below the inaguration)
The Italian were to construct a major factory in Torlavega, Cantabrian second biggest city. Making paper was it main purpose. By the way, its method of making it, was and is one of the most polluting you can find. When the activity of the factory, now nearly stopped, was at its peak the stench that produce in most of the city was legendary. Not only that, workers in most of the factory knew it was a lottery for their health, and dozens upon dozens loosing it, and some special sections of it were a sure loss.
What was the main product to work with in this factory? Tree pulp. Tons of tree pulp were wanted to be able to keep the production at the levels the owners and managers wanted.Of what tree came? Yes, eucalyptus. And was a round business for them:
this tree, in the Cantabrian condition, was like in paradise; they grow really fast and in sort period of time achieved the necessary measures for production, and always was a supply. The cut some sectors, while other sectors were nearly grown, and other were being planted, and others, as there were many land, were just kept there. They did not have to worry.
In the other hand, the natives that were in the land (this is the ones gone into exile, not imprison in concentration camp or killed), saw, all around the Cantabrian Country, many of the traditional farming and agricultural lands suddenly planted with thousands of this trees. Who was going to say something? To whom? To the military authorities or the police? Someone looking for a quick trip to prison or concentration camp?
In some areas, mainly near the coast and in the middle lands, this was massive. A real invasion, in a ecological sense. Not only farming and agricultural lands, but native forest directly rooted out and replaced with this trees. This tree became the main specimen in many places, and around many villages.
By the way, the factory itself was built by slave labor of some hundreds of Cantabrian POWs.
After the dictatorship, anyway, all this was kept. The factory still was running. The green desert was still there. They impose it. After this first step,and after years, the normalize it. And then, the expand the number of people receiving money for having this trees in their lands. Farming and agricultural activity was been diminish, then for many people having a few of this trees was a source of some steady money. And at a bigger level some council had hill after hill of this, and of course the usual type of people benefiting. Apart of land confiscated at the beginning, and with the pass of the years, bought by the factory itself.
The curiosity is that even for close quarters near the administration, named the University of Santander y Cantabria many years ago they made studies to see the impact of this tree. The results wer so, that still today, has not been fully publicize. Some people now there is a study. This people know a couple of things of this study: they establish the extension in hectares in which, this tree been planted till that point but not be a hazard to the Cantabrian ecosystem; and they say, in the moment of the study (now there is even more as less agricultural and farming activity had push some to plant this trees, that still is being subsidize and the fact that is growing wildly now) that they it was between 3 and 4 times more to that limit, the extension of land dedicated to this tree.
In one word a ecological crime. The consequences? That the forest of this type of tree are nearly deserts. Nothing much really grows in them, apart of brambles and weeds. Not only that the very leaves of the tree once they fall into the land, acidified the soil beyond belief and drying out the surface. This, combine with the other fact. The roots of the tree, are manly subsoil dryers. They use very drop of humidity of the soil. And not only that the roots grow towards the the subsoil water sources in case of been near. The result, they used them so much that they finally dry them. Many many lands used to grow this tree, after several years and cycles of tree growing, been before fertile became useless.
(above the impact of the traced of the machinery use to cut and take the trees)
From the top with the leaves and for the bottom with the roots, this type of tree is enemy of humidity and water sources. And we know that water is Life. Two words: crime, crazy.
In the outside you see a little green, but is a desert that creates more desert. Another good importation force upon a Native Nation, in this case the Cantabrian
Today, in Cantabria the tourist industry (sic) is the main one. Humidity is not as bad (sic) as years ago, and even rain less.
This tree, has to be remember, even in Australia is used close to marsh. And is used to dry swampy areas. The result we see today, whatever they say, is the result of a conscious process.
And of course in some places of the world they will use this tree for drying lands, but..
"how are going to do that to Cantabria"?
They had simply done it.
(just look the color of the soil, below this small forest of eucalyptus that has been in place for only a few decades: yellow.)
No comments:
Post a Comment