The Future is Abundant
A Guide to Sustainable Agriculture
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A healthy, well-integrated agriculture includes animal life. Wild and domestic animals are closely interconnected with plants, other animals and the physical environment. One of the roles of the numan animal is to protect, nurture and manage these interactions in a way that keeps the environment healthy, or moves it toward health, and produces usable surplus. Respect for the integrity of other animals is an important part of the system.
We begin this chapter by discussing the place of wildlife in sustainable ecosystems. We then focus on the importance of breed selection in domestic livestock management, highlighting unusual, endangered breeds or species which deserve more recognition. We conclude with some ideas about aquaculture and mariculture--growing and gathering fish and vegetables in ponds and in the sea.
It is not within the scope of this book to list all the functions livestock animals traditionally perform, or to discuss the many management decisions each animal's care requires. Please refer to the bibliographic and access references for information about choosing and caring for animals appropriate to your situation.
Tilth Producers of Washington Home | WA Tilth Assoc. | Conference | Directory | Journal | Placement Service | Calendar | Action Alerts
Legislative Update | Bulletin Board | Classifieds | Questions on Agriculture? | Photo Gallery | Links | Contact Us | Join Now | Volunteer