Ella Rose - Ancient Environmental Problems

As our class has ventured further into the Italian countryside, we’ve found ourselves surrounded by the pastoral landscapes of Abruzzo. The patchwork green of farmland rolling into the snow-capped Apennine peaks makes me feel like I’ve stepped into the past, a time before the earth was scarred by human industrialization. 

However, our recent discussion on J. Donald Hughes’ book Pan’s Travail has changed the way I think about these idyllic scenes. Humans’ tumultuous relationship with nature did not start with industrialization. Hughes argues that the damage the Greeks and Romans did to the environment was a factor in the fall of their civilizations.

The biggest problem caused by the ancient Mediterranean civilizations was deforestation. Ninety percent of the timber they harvested was burnt for fuel, either in homes or industrial kilns. It was also required for any kind of construction, especially warships. This placed incredible pressure on forests, and many hillsides were stripped completely bare.

Today, the hills have returned to green, but their scars are not invisible. During the hike to Bominaco, our Italian guide Alessio pointed out a thick patch of pine trees. He said they were planted as a pioneer species to restore the soil, before being removed to let native oak trees reclaim their habitat. Of course, they were never removed and now pine and oak grow side by side.

The environment was not always kind, either. The wrathful gods of nature in Greek and Roman mythology are reasonable interpretations of the earthquakes (and volcanic eruptions!) common to the Mediterranean. These earthquakes influenced architecture throughout Italy. In the north, you will find tall cathedrals with even taller spires such as the Duomo di Orvieto. Further south, they are short and square, with humble bell towers, like this one in L’Aquila. This construction makes the cathedral more resistant to earthquakes.

Modern Italians are still affected by earthquakes. In 2009, an earthquake struck Abruzzo and which killed hundreds and left 66,000 homeless. Sixteen years later and restoration is still in progress. Our class visited a former palace which is being restored as an art museum. The walls have been reinforced with braces and someday will be decorated with their original 16^th century frescoes, which are being puzzled together by a specialized group of archeologists.

We’ve also visited several farms, all owned by women who are upholding sustainable practices. Saskia, who runs a donkey tourism business, told us that she collects rainwater during the winter for her animals to drink through the summer. Water scarcity was another Roman issue, still felt today. Sheep farmer Manuela pioneered an “adopt a sheep” practice which connects people worldwide with organic, truly pasture raised dairy products.

Reading Pan’s Travail and learning that humans have been hurting the environment from the start left me feeling a bit hopeless, but meeting these women and seeing their successful, sustainable farms reminded me that harmony is possible.