“You don’t have a slug problem, you have a duck deficiency!”

From The Guardian:

Bill Mollison had a brilliant mind. He observed, he catalogued, and his systematic approach helped him to weave seemingly disparate ideas into the most detailed tapestry. In this sense he was a true visionary. He was also challenging, angry, driven by a deep sense of injustice, and merciless if crossed. He used to say: “First feel fear, then get angry. Then go with your life into the fight.”

He held that “although the problems of the world are increasingly complex, the solutions remain embarrassingly simple”. Ecological systems would enable people to meet their own needs, take back control of their lives and reinforce nature rather than deplete it.

Elements such as plants and animals need to be placed together so they are mutually beneficial – as once when he pointed out: “You don’t have a slug problem, you have a duck deficiency!”

“You don’t have a slug problem, you have a duck deficiency!” Here is how it works in real life: Mighty ducks fight pests in South Africa. White dune snails are wreaking havoc on grape vines in South African vineyards. Ducks - and not chemical pesticides - are being used to fight them. That's good news for bees and other insects:



References:

Bill Mollison obituary - The Guardian http://buff.ly/2duJuUj