Wheat Today, What Tomorrow?

World-renowned botanist David Bellamy is the host of this informative look at the plentiful wheat haul in Western Australia, and the steady erosion of the soil it has produced. Bellamy, who has enough personal energy to power a small village, leaps into gullies to discuss gully erosion, worms under low-lying trees to point out the benefits of healthy roots, or just plain hops up and down to cement a particularly relevant point (which occurs about every five seconds). We're talking a kinetic fireball, here. All of this energy goes into the most lucid explanation we've ever heard about how overproduction of the land results in compacted, infertile soil which is impervious to water, and therefore unamenable to new growth. In Australia, that translates to 70% of the wheat belt already unstable. But Bellamy outlines efforts (the Chatfield tree-planting family) and resources that farmers and environmentalists can use (must use) to halt the destruction of over 100 square miles of arable land per annum. Although shot in Australia, the information-dealing as it does with the rigid properties of dirt, water, and seed-are generally applicable anywhere. This is highly recommended for those libraries who can afford it. (See BANKING ON DISASTER for availability.)