Page 10 RAIN June 1982 Bhagwanecology Riparian Recovery at Rajneeshpuram One model of land tenure has received an uncanny amount of attention this last year — the religious commune. (For a good overview see "Spiritual Communities," April '82, special issue of Communities, $1.50 from Communities, Box 426, Louisa, VA 23093). The followers of a controversial Indian mystic, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, have been making waves worldwide since their $6 million purchase last July of the 64,000 acre (about 100 square miles) Big Muddy Ranch on the high desert of north- central Oregon. Their vision is to turn the desert into a "green oasis of farmland" and establish a "planned community" of some 2000 inhabitants on a part of the ranch. This kibbutz-like city will be called Rajneeshpuram ("expression of Rajneesh"). In nearby Antelope (pop. 40), however, the neighbors are quite convinced they are the victims of an "invasion” of these orange- and maroon-clad disciples from Western Europe, India, Australia, and the U.S. Unlike the people at Alpha Farm (described elsewhere in this issue), the Rajneesh have made little effort to befriend the existing community, and town-gown relations have gone from cool to hostile. The media, smelling blood, have arrived in force — over 100 different crews were there on the same day in April — yet the reports also indicate that few of the reporters have even the vaguest understanding of what the Bhagwan and his followers are about. There is more than one side to this story, and in all modesty the only report 1 can in good conscience recommend is my own ("Om,OmOn The Range,” New Age, Jan. '82, $2.50 from New Age, 244 Brighton Ave., Allston, MA 02134). Most of the attention is focused on the effort to incorporate Rajneeshpuram, which at this writing is tied up in two ludicrous elections and a series of court battles. In addition, the Governor has made some foolish comments, the federal immigration service is trying to deport nearly a third of the Rajneesh community — Bhagwan himself may be up for review in June — and a "watchdog” group has sprung up called "Citizens for Constitutional Cities." Meanwhile, back at the ranch, the work continues. To our knowledge, the following report is the first to describe what is actually being done to create this "green oasis" in Oregon's high desert. —Mark Roseland by John Perry The modem mind has been too aggressive against nature, and it has created the ecological crisis. Our whole approach is wrong, it is destructive. We only take from the earth, we never give anything back. We only exploit nature; we only go on taking, and all the resources are being spent. But things have now gone to the extreme. Either man has to drop his aggressive athtude or man has to get ready to say good-bye to this planet. —Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh Last summer a number of followers of Bhagwan Shree [Rajneesh purchased and settled on the one hundred square mile Muddy Creek Ranch in semi-arid central Oregon. Their objective was "a place that could be restored to a green oasis as a tribute to a living and loving Master." They could hardly have taken on a more difficult task. They chose a land overlooked by nature and abused by humans. The thin soil, steep slopes and low rainfall combine to create an ecologically fragile environment that has suffered over the years from shortsighted and insensitive fanning and ranching pracHces. The ranch land is sculpted out of the high lava plateaus that lie to the north and west. It constitutes nearly two complete watersheds — the Muddy and Currant Creeks — which slope to the east where they join the John Day River. Looking east from the ranch one can see the beginning of Oregon's northeastern highlands, the alpine-like Blue Mountains. This is open range, big sky country and it is beautiful. The low annual rainfall (12V2" average) was once enough to provide a continuous flow of clean and clear water, even in the driest months. Wherever water exists in arid lands nature usually provides a bloom of life, a plant life which in turn provides a rich and varied habitat for animals large and small. This interactive system of water, plant and animal life, the riparian system, over the years becomes fine tuned to provide mutual support for all its parts. Science is just beginning to understand the important role that the plants in a riparian system play in regulating the flow of water as well as cleansing the water through filtration of soil particles. Streams with a healthy riparian system carry clean water. If the riparian community is destroyed, one can expect streams with high sediment loads. One can also expect lower ground water levels if the rate of runoff is not checked by plants. Healthy up-
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