Summary: The great swathes of the Western Australian wheatbelt were created a century ago when 1000 acres of bush were burned a day and the land became the nation?s breadbasket. What?s today?s legacy of that intensive clearing? Salt.
This is a well put together documentary that chronicles the transformation of Western Australia?s bush country into farmland, and the grim ecological aftereffects of this change. The reporter pulls together a variety of compelling voices to build a narrative that explains what?s at stake because of this practice. There are compelling first-hand accounts of how thousands of acres of vegetation were burned each day in the 1950?s and ?60?s, and how animals were desperate to escape the blazes. The science behind the degradation of the soil is explained thoroughly, although there are a couple of terms that aren?t defined. The story also touches on the anguish felt by today?s farmers who consider themselves stewards of the land, yet whose heritage is tainted by the destructive practices of their ancestors. All in all, this is a story worthy of considering for broadcast, particularly given the current national discussion about environmental issues.
Comments for RN Documentary: Taming the Salt Monster
This piece belongs to the series "RN Documentaries"
Produced by Dheera Sujan
Other pieces by Radio Netherlands Worldwide
Rating Summary
1 comment
Taki Telonidis
Posted on January 27, 2007 at 05:15 PM | Permalink
Review of RN Documentary: Taming the Salt Monster
This is a well put together documentary that chronicles the transformation of Western Australia?s bush country into farmland, and the grim ecological aftereffects of this change. The reporter pulls together a variety of compelling voices to build a narrative that explains what?s at stake because of this practice. There are compelling first-hand accounts of how thousands of acres of vegetation were burned each day in the 1950?s and ?60?s, and how animals were desperate to escape the blazes. The science behind the degradation of the soil is explained thoroughly, although there are a couple of terms that aren?t defined. The story also touches on the anguish felt by today?s farmers who consider themselves stewards of the land, yet whose heritage is tainted by the destructive practices of their ancestors. All in all, this is a story worthy of considering for broadcast, particularly given the current national discussion about environmental issues.