Yesterday, I attended the launching of
a new book, Ecology, Environment, and Sustainable Development: Reflections
Spanning Five Decades, written by Dr. Percy E. Sajise, an
internationally known ecologist. Written
in the first person, the book tells of the
wide range of experience of the author presented as case stories analyzed
through the lens of interacting disciplines and dishing out significant lessons
learned aptly termed “messages.”
There are many insights one can gain
from this book. During the launch,
however, Dr. Sajise shared with the audience some of the more interesting
insights he had. For example, he said
that it takes some 25 years for results of research to finally get into actual
policy. Twenty-five years is way too
long for research results to actually affect policy, but the fact remains that
policy makers are not always aching to consider decisions based on scientific
study. Many formulate policies out of
personal agenda. Sometimes policies that
get formulated and officially put in place wee not studied carefully.
Out of the many messages that the book
carries, three issues stuck out as far as I’m concerned: first, we always make a lot of mistakes, but we
rarely gain any lesson from these mistakes; second, we talk too much, we do too
little; and third, what we teach is inconsistent with what we do.
There’s one more thing about the
over-all message of the book that I wish to highlight. The Sajise book reminds us very clearly that
we frequently fail to think holistically.
For example, Dr. Sajise told his audience a story about firewood
gatherers in Yunan, China. One time,
together with other scientists from other parts of the world, he visited a
mountainside where Yunan farmers cut their firewood. The farmers planted acacia (good fire wood
material) trees and when the time came they’d cut the tree at about 8 feet from
the ground. Intrigued, the visitors
asked the farmers, “do you cut the tree at 8 feet because it was the best
height for the trees to grow the most number of branches that could increase
the amount of firewood you can harvest?”
The farmers’ answer: “No. We just
don’t want others to steal our firewood.”
At 8 feet, it’s a bit more difficult to harvest in haste.
The visitors were, of course, all
technical people (foresters, plant physiologists, plant ecologists like Dr.
Sajise himself) who were unable to make sense out of the farmers’ comments that
had substantial social underpinnings.
The blurbs on the back cover of the
book say different significant points.
Here are three of them:
From the publishers, SEARCA and UPLB:
The
book underscores the importance of the interdisciplinary approach and
networking to effective environmental management, enhanced sustainable
development, and biodiversity conservation.
The notion of the primacy of people’s well being in development work
runs throughout the book. Students and
practitioners of environmental science, ecology, and development would find
many golden nuggets of wisdom in the book.
Dr. Delfin Ganapin, Jr., Global
Manager, UNDP/GEF Small Grants Programme, said:
I
find the book good reading … the message of the book is that in fact, action
can be done and things can be changed for the better.
Dr. Ben Malayang III, President of
Silliman University, said:
This
book talks of things that matter to us … and it does so in a way that exudes
the deep soul and commitments of Percy as a person, a scientist, an educator,
and a human being.
During the open forum that followed Dr.
Sajise’s remarks, Dr. Gelia Castillo, an internationally reknown Filipino rural
sociologist and one of Dr. Sajise’s mentors, profusely thanked the Author for
pointing out that what experts at UPLB are teaching their students is not
consistent with what they are doing. Dr.
Castillo’s clincher: “I have an assignment for you, Percy. Head a group that would do something about
the point you raised regarding the inconsistency of what UPLB experts are
saying and what they are teaching their students.” Dr. Sajise, more or less, accepted the
challenge if Dr. Castillo, herself, and perhaps including Dr. Willy Padolina
and others would be willing to join the group.
Percy clarified that he would be willing to be part of a team that would
work on the issue if the officials of UPLB identified the issue as an important
one that needs attention right away.
Let’s see what happens. UPLB Chancellor Rex Victor Cruz was in the
audience.
The book was co-published by SEARCA
and the UPLB, and expertly edited by Lily L. Tallafer. The 151-page book, paperback edition, sells
at P600 and the hardcover edition at P850, and may be bought directly from SEARCA. I understand this is the student price.
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