EmeritusProfessor Stuart Hill in his study. (Photo: Belle Butler)
Life is made up of complex systems in which everything is inter-connected. Over his decades-long teaching career, Stuart Hill, a retired Emeritus Professor, and Linden resident, has helped hundreds of students understand the critical links between human actions and the health of our planet.
Key Points:
The interconnectedness of life systems: Professor Hill’s research on the ecosystem of a bat cave, and soil ecology, has highlighted the intricate relationships between organisms and their environment.
The importance of holistic thinking: By studying entire ecosystems, Professor Hill emphasised the need to consider all components of a system, rather than focusing on individual elements.
The potential of untapped resources: Professor Hill believes that understanding the unseen processes of nature, such as those occurring in soil, holds the key to addressing global challenges.
Professor Hill’s own thinking has stemmed from an everlasting love of, and connection with nature and has built on his early research as a zoologist in the mid 60s. His PhD involved the study of a bat cave in Trinidad: a complete, almost self-contained ecosystem in which it was actually possible to observe and measure all the complex relationships that create life. One of the smallest beetles in the world, that he discovered in that cave, is even named after him: Micridium hilli.
Ann Dale, his last PhD student at McGill University in Canada in the 70’s, went on to establish the government’s first ‘National Round Table for the Economy and the Environment’- recognising that our economies profoundly impact both human health and the health of the planet.
EmeritusProfessor Stuart Hill has inspired the work of many students and contributed to many publications. (Photo: Belle Butler)
Once known as ‘Mr Organics’ he was responsible for facilitating the research in the 70s that validated the benefits of organic farming. Much of the experience that he brought to this derived from his early studies in the Bat cave in Trinidad.
Learning from the bat cave
Professor Hill’s recollections of his PhD research:
“There were a quarter of a million bats and all sorts of other things in the cave, but it turned out that most of the cave life was in the guano, the bat droppings. In much of the cave the guano was half a metre deep, and when I actually measured its respiratory rate I found it was respiring at the same rate as a domestic cat. That’s how dynamic it was. It was a heaving living mass because of the presence of microorganisms, microarthropods, cockroaches, and a range of other arthropods.”
“In the process I became interested in life in the soil, which was the closest thing to this guano. When I finished the work I was essentially writing up a PhD thesis on the ecology of a very special type of soil. I had gained an understanding of soil ecology, way beyond what anybody else had discovered. Up to that time, those studying life in the soil were specialising — they were looking at the fungi, or the bacteria, or the insect life, but not at the whole system. Whereas I was studying the whole system and studied energy flow and community relationships in the guano, which was just like a very fertile soil.”
“I also compared guano with soil outside the cave. Through my research, my interest shifted from a focus on marine ecology to a focus on soil and terrestrial ecology, and particularly the relationships between micro-arthropods, especially mites, and the fungi.”
“In soil there are really three sub ecosystems. Soil is made up of little particles and those particles are surrounded by a water film. In between there’s a space. Some organisms are living in the water film, particularly bacteria, protozoa, nematodes, rotifers and things that swim.”
“Then there are fungi that grow out into the air spaces, and a whole lot of animals, such as mites and springtails, that are dependent on those air spaces to walk around and feed on the fungi, similar to cows feeding on grass. What I discovered was that those organisms were actually ‘farming’ the fungi. Nobody had really understood this because they mostly looked at the various types of organisms separately.”
“The third sub ecosystem comprises the organisms that can actually move through the soil by creating spaces, such as earthworms. They’re not dependent on the spaces that already exist, they’re actually pushing through and creating their own spaces. We humans have a mucus lining in our gut, while in contrast micro-arthropods have an extension of their exoskeleton lining their gut. They’re covered in chitin outside and that actually extends all through their gut as a sleeve, or lining.”
“When they eat fungi they eat the hypha and the spores, and chomp it all up. They digest the hypha but not the spores, the spores survive. Each time they poo they cast off a little bit of the sleeve of the gut lining and inside that little faecal pellet, which is like compost, are fungal spores. When this faecal pellet is deposited in the soil the chitinous sleeve protects it from being accessed by fungi other than those that have germinated from the contained spores. So, in a sense, they are practicing ‘weed control’.”
Stuart argues that it is the things that we can’t see, in this case the life in the soil and the processes going on, and what goes on in our subconscious, that are in a sense our greatest hope for the future. They’re our greatest untapped resource.
Until he retired in 2009, Stuart spent more than 20 years as the Foundation Chair of Social Ecology at Western Sydney University, training many more young people in systems thinking. He firmly believes that social change requires a willingness to learn both from nature and from other people, to pay attention to ‘the things we can’t see’ and to take a holistic and pluralistic approach, in which we pay much more attention to practitioners on the ground who gain their wisdom from actual experience.
This story has been produced as part of a Bioregional Collaboration for Planetary Health and is supported by the Disaster Risk Reduction Fund (DRRF). The DRRF is jointly funded by the Australian and New South Wales governments.
Recently we grew these stunning mushrooms with a kit from EarthRising Mushroom Farm in Lawson. If you`d like to learn how to grow your own, and get a kit to take home with you, we`ll be holding a Mushroom Cultivation workshop with Alex from EarthRising at our next Skill Share Saturday on 7 June. Bookings essential here: https://bit.ly/4dfc3nv (link in profile)
In a moving call for peace on Anzac Day, over 80 people gathered in the golden afternoon light at Peace Park in Katoomba to reflect on war and ask the hard questions about its grim reality. The day was interspersed with reflections, poetry, a minute of silence, and songs by The Bearded Ladies Choir. Read more, including about upcoming Peace events, in our new Planetary Health News here (link in profile):
Our newsletter is now out! Read about the launch of our new global Planetary Health News; about the Blue Mountains Peace Collective`s Anzac Day Reflection; about how future doctors are learning about Planetary Health; and about how science journalists from Indonesia visited the Planetary Health Centre to advance science communication for Planetary Health. You can also book in for our Mushroom Cultivation and T`ai-chi workshops. Read the newsletter here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/3YF3CvA
In May last year a group of local women launched Homes for Older Women Blue Mountains to address the housing crisis locally. They have now successfully secured affordable accommodation for 50 older women! Writer Julie Nance helped set up the program as a volunteer and recently finished a challenging but rewarding year as Program Manager. She shares the experiences of women involved with, and impacted by, the grass-roots initiative. Read more in Springwood Area Local News here (link in profile): https://springwoodlocalnews.com/gaining-hope-and-a-home/
What glorious weather for our Skill Share Saturday today! We had a fabulous day of sharing: T`ai-chi, Fashion Upcycling, Cool Climate Edible Gardens. and then a very enjoyable and productive Bushcare Session, in which we made real progress making a dint into the massive wall of invasive weed. It`s exciting to see beautiful bushland revealed when the weed is removed! And thanks Amanda for this photo of the little frog that leapt out of the rhubarb during our Cool Climate Edible Garden workshop. #skillshare #taichi #upcycling #coolclimategardening #bushcare #planetaryhealth #katoomba #bluemountains...
After a very wet week it looks like it will be the perfect day to enjoy our Skill Share Saturday tomorrow at the Planetary Health Centre: sunshine is predicted! Start the day with gentle calming exercise in our T`ai-chi class at 8am, view our Frogs of the Blue Mountains exhibition, get hands-on experience building a Cold Climate Winter Edible Garden from 9.30 to 12.30, then join us to help restore habitat for wildlife with our Planetary Health Bushcare Group and afternoon tea in the bush from 1.30-4.30. Bookings for T`ai-chi here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4iF9bkD Bookings for Build a Cold Climate Winter Edible Garden here (link in profile): https://bit.ly/4jqRerw
Contact Karen if you`d like to join our Bushcare Group via email at khising@bmcc.nsw.gov.au or call the Bushcare Office on 4780 5623.
The Planetary Health Centre was buzzing all day today as we welcomed over 100 first year medical students from the University of Notre Dame to learn about Planetary Health. We`re looking forward to more groups coming tomorrow! #medicine #planetaryhealth #medicalstudents #universityofnotredameaustralia #healthyplanethealthypeople...
Our Bushcare Group meets this Saturday 3 May from 1.30 to 4.30 pm. Join us! We`re restoring habitat for wildlife and `dreaming of a time when the land might give thanks for its people`. Our Bushcare group is part of the Planetary Health Centre`s Skill Share Saturday which starts at 8am with T`ai-chi and Qigong and is followed by different workshops each month, then Bushcare and a delicious afternoon tea in the bush! No experience is required. You`ll receive training on identifying native species, and invasive weeds, and training on how to treat/remove those weeds. All tools, gloves and training will be provided by Blue Mountains City Council’s Bushcare Officer. If you have any enquiries or are interested to attend, please contact Karen Hising (Bushcare Officer) via email at khising@bmcc.nsw.gov.au or call the Bushcare Office on 4780 5623. Full information as to what to wear and bring, where to meet and what to expect during the work session will then be provided. If you`d like to learn more about other Planetary Health Centre activities email planetaryhealth@bmcc.nsw.gov.au or ring 0407 437 553 #bushcare #planetaryhealth #wildlife #habitat #katoomba #bluemountains #biodiversity #robinwallkimmerer...
We`re looking forward to our next Saturday morning T`ai-chi and Qigong at 8am this coming Saturday 3 May. It`s the most beautiful gentle exercise to start the day (and the month!), and Virginia Field is a fabulous trainer with over 30 years` experience. Numbers are limited so book in here (link in profile):
Over 80 people gathered in Peace Park Katoomba today to reflect on all victims of war: those who died in battle; those who were maimed physically and/or psychologically; the suffering of loved ones and relatives on the homefront; and those who opposed conscription and war. It was an opportunity to reflect on the causes of war and call for a future of peace and reconciliation. @bm_peace_collective #peace #anzacday #peacenetwork #planetaryhealth #katoomba #bluemountains...
‘The resistance’ to the destructive forces at play in our world is alive, well and spreading infectiously in the welcoming and inclusive zine community. Zines are small, handmade independent `magazines` that are not-for-profit and made for love. Read about the recent inspiring Blue Mountains Zine Fair in our Katoomba Area Local News here: https://www.katoombalocalnews.com/blue-mountains-zine-fair/ (link in profile) and go along to the Mtns Zine Club`s monthly meet-up for making, swapping and sharing zines this Sunday 27 April at the Blue Mountains Cultural Centre from 1.30 to 3.30pm (usually on third Sunday of each month) @mtnszineclub #zines #independentpublishing #resistance #planetaryhealth #club #bluemountains #katoomba #artmaking #creative...
Do you have food growing in your garden over winter? At our next Skill Share on Saturday 3 May you can find out which edible foods grow well over winter in a cold climate, and get hands-on experience building and planting out a no-dig garden bed with a winter crop at the Planetary Health Centre. Through this process you will be given an introduction to permaculture and learn more about seed saving, seed germination, composting and cold climate gardening strategies. Seeds and seedlings will be shared to help you get started at home! Places are limited so bookings essential here: http://bit.ly/4jqRerw (link in profile) #coldclimategardening #wintergardens #ediblegardens #bluemountains #katoomba #planetaryhealth #permaculture #skillshare...
Blue Mountains City Council’s Planetary Health Initiative is working in collaboration with all sectors of the community to provide not for profit local news focused on solutions.
Bundjalung Yaegl woman and Bullaburra resident, Janelle Randall-Court, has a long history of working creatively to inspire people to care for Country. We interviewed her after watching her give a cultural presentation for Greening Australia’s Cooling the Schools Project.
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