Fjölrit RALA - 05.12.1999, Page 20

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Future deserts and sustainable communities
viejos
cannot remember cedar
on that dry west facing slope
though centuries
the tree grew
it fell
in modem times
it stood proud
against drought
and twisting wind
a rare
dark green dot
on a purple hill
a pioneer
climbed that hill
swung his axe
removed the life
that clung to stone
did it make
vigas for adobe hut
spokes for w'agon wheel
fíre to warm a newbom babe
in rare Mesilla snow
the axema
judge him not
he was a product
of a harsher time
We will not benefit from judging what our ancestors did to the land. Whether they
did it for survival, for the building of our modem society, or out of pure greed does
not change the fact that the land’s future is in our hands. Our success will be deter-
mined by whether we can adjust, change, lead.
If we concentrate on education, unleashing creativity and application of science, we
can move to a culture in which social justice is balanced with resource use. We can
create a world where desertification is stopped, past abuse repaired, and development
is tmly sustainable.
Our future is bright if we remember to work for equity for today’s generation, a
better life for our grandkids, options to remain open for those who follow us and
leaving the world better than we found it.