PATRIOTISM - A BLEMISH OR A BLESSING?

Is it just me or does it tick you off when you see a mulleted meat-head toss a cindering ciggie butt into the bush with little thought or care? Is it only my heart wincing when witnessing these stubby-swilling yobbos purposefully mowing-down a roo, swerving to flatten a basking snake on the road or desecrating an ancient, grandiose giant of the forest with genius statements such as “Robbos a dickhead”?

I often wonder why Bazza and Shazza don’t bat an eyelid when espousing support for certain politicians and their mining-magnate mates, when their little Johnny and his buddies are going to have to contend with the consequences of worsening climate change.

I find it flummoxing to see the majority of the population out and about on January 26th (I won’t go into the insincerities of this here) exhibiting their affection for this fine country, and then a few months later, voting for a party that is pushing for its destruction so a few select people can make a quick buck. Is it just me or is this lunacy?

To the environmentally insensitive Southern Cross-imprinted population of our country; why do you hold those five inky stars so dear?

One would assume that it indicates the person in question is patriotic but isn’t this term widely and simply defined as; “loving one’s country”? Why then is our natural environment, which ultimately defines the country, so seldom receiving of this love, reserved instead for sporting figures, an unhealthy binge drinking culture and xenophobes such as Pauline Hanson? This is despite the fact that many would argue that nature (our unique landscapes and the astonishing biodiversity they harbour) is integral to and intangibly intertwined with Australian culture.

This irrationality is possibly explained by how people perceive the natural environment, which stems directly from their personal context and experiences. Many of my friends, family members, and myself have spent the majority of our lives immersed in nature and have derived immense joy and meaning from these experiences. We are fascinated and stimulated by the salacious processes of the natural world, can distinguish how our wellbeing is tethered to its fate and therefore wish to protect and enhance what remains.

The extensive Indigenous Australian culture adds further clarity to this argument. They have lived in harmony with the natural environment for thousands of years (although these connections have been weakened by European settlement) and they are intimately, spiritually tied to it by their Dreaming stories and, in a more primal sense, by their dependence on it for resources. Subsequently, many Indigenous Australians identify themselves as stewards, endeavouring to protect their country so that it, and their way of life, may persist indefinitely.

However, despite the existence of such ideologies, the overall state of Australia’s environment is relatively poor and is still in a steady state of decline as a result of insidious threats such as habitat loss, climate change, invasive species, mining, and the weakening of environmental legislation by back-pocketing politicians amongst a swathe of others. Evidence of this decline is illustrated by the fact that since European settlement a staggering 40% of original vegetation cover has been lost and the current rate of land clearing goes on unabated at around 5,000km2 per year. This, in combination with the aforementioned threats, has translated into widespread declines and extinctions of our unique species. For example, we now shamefully boast the world’s worst extinction record for our native mammals, with the 30 species lost accounting for 35% of the global total over the past 200 years. The allowance of this past and present destruction and lack of greater public concern indicates that the extrinsic and inherent values of our natural heritage have not yet been recognised as part of our national identity. Consequently, it is being unwittingly eroded.

Perhaps then, to give nature a greater standing in Australian society and lay the foundation for successful conservation of our natural heritage, the most effective, simplest step that can be taken is to foster meaningful natural connections within current and future generations.

The onus for this falls mostly on those of us who are already impassioned. We need to realise that we have the ability to share our innate love with those in which it is lacking. It can be as simple as asking a friend to go for a stroll through the patch of remnant bushland down the road or planning a coastal weekend road trip getaway with some city slicking mates. Mounting pressure must also be placed on all levels of government to convert our concerns into meaningful laws and actions such as more-fully integrating the wonders and values of nature into school curriculums and encouraging industries such as ecotourism. Taking small steps such as these will produce a new wave of patriots who truly love this country and are not afraid to stand up for the voiceless.

If you proclaim to love this country go out, see it, treasure it, create memorable experiences and share them with as many people as you can. If you don’t, we stand to lose our special places, our unique ecosystems and our sense of self at the individual, community and national level.

Billy Ross is a PhD student studying the interactions between feral cats and quolls, a definite lover of this country and sometimes overly cynical.