“WEEDY BY NAME ONLY, NOT WEEDY BY NATURE” —
A NEW BOOK on WEEDS AND HUMANS
They are a critical component of Mother Earth’s rich biodiversity. As frugal, thrifty and simple beings, which never ask for too much but give back more than they take, weeds are also Nature’s Gifts from which humans can learn many lessons.
Weeds also spotlight the mistakes man has made in managing our environmental assets by large-scale land-clearing, destruction of vegetation and soil resources, as well as unsustainable agricultural practices and urban developments.
The book provides compelling evidence of the virtuous side of weeds and their utilization potential for people’s livelihoods and sustainable future societies.
According to reviewers, the book is not just a “garden of weeds”, it is an “orchard”, a “storehouse” of information that would enlighten general readers on the history of weeds and how to relate to them more effectively with understanding and empathy.
Weeds have special botanical and ecological attributes related to life cycles, growth habits, reproduction and dispersal that allow establishment in disturbed areas and then easily spread into new habitats. The author clearly explains that all weeds are nothing but colonizing plants, which grow and thrive in disturbed habitats and environments, especially those modified by humans.
But weedy species are not limited to human-modified environments. Natural disturbances, such as those caused by floods, cyclones, wind, fire and the like, also create conditions in which habitats are ‘opened-up’ for the colonizers to move into. Needless to say, weeds are highly opportunistic plants.
From agricultural beginnings, now dating back to well over 12,000 years of man’s history, weeds have been our constant companions. They have followed us wherever humans went as shadows of men.
As phenomenally successful plants, weeds earned mankind’s wrath, almost as if humans are not able to psychologically cope with other successful and ‘pest-like’ species (for instance, the house fly, European rabbit, European fox, Indian mynah, and a host of others).
Stories about weeds that are mostly written and read in popular media, including the internet, are mostly concocted to invoke fear and loathing, instead of a proper ecological understanding. Many species have long been invaluable herbal medicines and food. The literature on the utilization of weed species by humans goes back several millennia and is traced well in the book.
Colonizing species are also the ‘ecological ‘Red Cross’, as Nimal explains, that rush to help stabilize and restore lands cleared of vegetation by the human hand or natural disasters. They can also be effectively used in the ecological restoration of damaged ecosystems, such as national parks
Powerful and emotive phrases like “War-With-Weeds” are commonplace in weed discourses, especially in developed countries, such as the USA, Canada, Western Europe, Australia and New Zealand. This ‘war’ has led to various groups, such as “weed busters” and “weed warriors”, whose efforts at controlling weeds are by and large of limited local success, and essentially, unsustainable in the long term.
More importantly, such viewpoints of antipathy towards weed are not universal. Many African, South American and Asian-Pacific developing Nations and emerging economies are now questioning why weeds are blamed for always being an agricultural production constraint, or why we cannot manage our ecosystems better. Agro-ecology concepts, explained by the author, show that for many thousands of years, humans and other animals have tolerated and ‘co-existed’ with weedy species.
The book is replete with examples of weeds that have been crucial to human survival.
Traditional cultures in such societies greatly value species, such as Centella asiatica (Gotu-kola), Alternanthera sessilis (mukunuwenna), Ipomoea aquatica (Kang-kung), Aerva lanata (Polpala), Portulaca oleracea (Genda), Trianthema portulacastrum (Sarana), Basella alba (Nivithi) and a large number of other ‘edible weeds’.
A vast range of ‘healing weeds’ have been known from the times of ancient Egyptians, and include Papaver species (poppies, opium), Cannabis sativus (ganja), Catharanthus roseus (Mini-mal), Datura stramonium (Aththana-Eta), Bacopa monnieri (Lunuwila), Asparagus racemosus (hathawariya), Cardiospermum halicacabum (Wel-penela), Polpala and Gotu-kola. Many species are the only sources of critical, life-saving western medicines, which are used in cancer treatments (such as the vincistrine alkaloids — from Mini-mal), pain relief (morphine, codeine, etc.) or herbal drugs used in the treatment of Central Nervous System (CNS), bladder and kidney disorders.
Colonizing species, such as common reed (Phragmites australis), cattails (Typha species) and even water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) play critical roles in purifying and remediating waterways by absorbing and retaining urban pollutants. Many are important in stabilizing food webs in disturbed environments.
A vast array of fast-growing species are critical biofuels for rural people (as firewood) and are also biomass for biogas and power generation. The utilization of many species as sources of essential oils, plant dyes and plant fibres goes back more than 5000 years of history.
Blaming weeds for human follies of mismanaging our fragile earth is common. Weeds are also called ‘the second greatest threat to biodiversity’ on the earth, a highly contentious viewpoint.
The book will surely open a critical dialogue on weeds, across borders that separate divergent views. Can weeds be appreciated for their critical ecological roles? Can they be managed in situations where they may become problematic?
A change in basic assumptions to tolerate the extraordinarily resourceful weedy taxa (‘living with weeds’) appears prudent as plants and animals, as well as human societies, face uncertain times in a changing global climate. Human psychology is involved in our responses to weeds. In promoting the ‘virtuous’ side of weedy taxa, I argue for a better understanding of weeds as part of Nature and ending unsustainable approaches, such as a ‘war-with-weeds’.
A Testimonial — Robert L. Zimdahl, Professor Emeritus, Colorado State University, USA
Nimal Chandrasena recognizes the wisdom of the last lines of the neglected words of Gerard M. Hopkins’ 1918 poem — Inversnaid.
What would the world be, once bereft,
Of wet and wildness?
O let them be left; wildness and wet;
Long live the weeds and the wilderness yet.
Hopkins and Nimal Chandrasena recognize the error of the mindset of many agricultural people, including many weed scientists — that weeds have no redeeming qualities and must be controlled at all costs.
Nimal says — Wait a minute. Consider whether your weed control views and over-reliance on herbicides may have harmed your science’s reputation. Does your scientific view conflict with the societal view of weedy plants?
Has it harmed your science’s reputation and its public image? Read Chandrasena’s book. It may convince you there are other ways to manage vegetation. It may not change your mind, but it will make you think.
The book can be purchased through the Publisher’s Book webpage:
http://www.vividpublishing.com.au/thevirtuousweed/
It is priced at Aus $ 32.95 + $ 9.95 (P&P).
The Author invites anyone interested in weeds to join him in having a broader conversation. Nimal.chandrasena@gmail.com (Mobile: +61–408 279 604)
