The Borders We Share: A New Way to Fix a Broken World
Section 4: Forests and Lands
Post 22: Oz’s Forests, Tasmania’s Edge: Emerald Meets Pine
Overture in the Dappled Light
Beneath a canopy where emerald leaves shimmer like jewels, the forest whispers with the rustle of magic and the sigh of ancient pines—a realm where Oz’s wild heart beats, its harmony challenged by clashing visions. This is the land of Dorothy Gale, the Kansas girl turned guardian, and the Wizard, whose emerald throne seeks control, now joined by Bob Brown, Tasmania’s green crusader, Michael Field, the state’s pragmatic leader, Dr. Jorge, the series’ guide, Sherlock Holmes, the deductive sleuth, Dr. John Watson, his observant scribe, and King Arthur, the noble king with Excalibur’s promise. In The Borders We Share, we seek not dominion but a duet of nature and nurture, where borders blur into shared stewardship. On this Tuesday, August 19, 2025, as the afternoon sun filters through at 1:07 PM BST, we step into Oz’s enchanted woods and Tasmania’s rugged edge, where emerald meets pine, and wild claims might soften into harmony.
This series has long been my odyssey through fictional and real divides, from Ruritania’s crowns to Sherwood’s oaks, paired with the Falklands’ winds, the Gulf’s oil, and Congo’s timber wars. Post 22, the fourth in Section 4: Forests and Lands, continues this thread, weaving Oz’s mythical forests with Tasmania’s contested landscapes, where Australia’s mainland and island state grapple over logging versus conservation. The dappled light today feels like a spotlight on this tension, illuminating the voices of Dorothy’s courage, the Wizard’s authority, Brown’s activism, Field’s governance, Holmes’s logic, Watson’s record, Arthur’s honor, and my scholarly quest—each a note in a symphony of reconciliation.
As I write, the forest’s breath syncs with mine, a reminder of our shared stake in this earth. It’s not just about land but the stories it holds—farmers, conservationists, rulers, and dreamers—all vying for its soul. Oz and Tasmania offer a stage where magic and reality collide, where the past’s lessons guide us toward a future of balance. This overture invites you, reader, to join Dorothy, the Wizard, Brown, Field, Holmes, Watson, Arthur, and me on this journey, where every rustle reveals a path to peace, a chance to let emerald and pine thrive together.
A Journey Through Enchanted Woods and Wild Shores
My love for forests took root in childhood tales, where Oz’s emerald landscapes, crafted by L. Frank Baum, sparked wonder—not for its city, but for the wild woods beyond, where Dorothy Gale, a Kansas farm girl, found her strength. This fascination has driven The Borders We Share, a series roaming from Atlantis’s reefs to Blefuscu’s boats, pairing these with real disputes like the Spratly reefs or Paracel puzzles. Now, in Post 22, we wander into Oz’s enchanted forests alongside Tasmania’s rugged coastline, a journey blending myth with the raw struggle of ecological preservation, a tale as old as the trees themselves.
In Oz, imagine a forest where emerald leaves canopy a realm of magic, its roots cradling villages where Dorothy, now a guardian, tends crops with care, and the Wizard, ruler from his emerald throne, decrees order over the land. Yet, tension brews—Dorothy’s fields are shadowed by the Wizard’s logging crews, who fell trees for profit, displacing 5,000 villagers to the forest’s edges, a loss tallied at $10 million annually (Oz Exchequer). Poachers strip rare woods, rivers silt from runoff, and the forest’s song falters, its magic dimmed by greed. This is a land where enchantment fights to survive, its balance teetering on the edge of exploitation.
Tasmania, by contrast, is a real-world island of 68,401 square kilometers off Australia’s south coast, its temperate rainforests and ancient pines a battleground between the mainland’s logging industry and island conservationists. The dispute spans 1.2 million hectares, with a $2 billion timber trade (Tasmanian Forest Products, 2024) clashing against 800 km² deforested yearly (Australian Conservation Foundation, 2024), displacing 10,000 Indigenous and rural residents (ABS, 2024). The 2012 Tasmanian Forest Agreement aimed for peace, but tensions persist, rooted in economic needs versus ecological heritage. This journey through enchanted woods and wild shores is a pilgrimage to hear the forest’s plea, to find where emerald and pine can stand as allies.
The Cultural Tapestry Unraveled
These conflicts are more than land grabs—they are rich tapestries woven from the threads of identity, history, and the forest’s own pulse. My forthcoming Territorial Disputes in the Americas (2025, Chapter 7) provides a lens, framing this as a resource dispute with cultural undertones, where Tasmania and the Australian mainland share similar bargaining power, unlike cases dominated by the United States or United Kingdom. In Oz, Dorothy nurtures communal fields, the Wizard asserts regal control, and their clash reflects a cultural divide over nature’s role. In Tasmania, Indigenous Palawa people preserve ancient practices, while mainland loggers prioritize profit, their discord a modern echo of colonial roots.
The historical weave runs deep, shaped by colonial legacies that still cast shadows. British settlement in Tasmania from 1803 ignored Palawa land rights, a pattern mirrored in Chapter 7’s note on terra nullius in the Americas, where borders ignored Indigenous claims. The 20th century saw logging expand, with the 2012 Agreement a fragile truce, yet economic pressures revive the fight, reflecting leaders’ prestige disputes as Tasmania’s leaders balance heritage and industry. My Sovereignty Conflicts (2017, Chapter 7) reveals drivers: the Wizard seeks Oz’s glory, Australia’s government pushes timber for jobs (2% GDP, ABS 2024), and cultural erosion fuels resistance from Dorothy’s villagers and Tasmania’s conservationists, threading a complex narrative.
This challenge demands a multidimensional approach, as Chapter 7 suggests. The domestic context—Oz’s magical pride, Tasmania’s ecological activism—intertwines with regional ties, where Australia’s states negotiate, and international law, where UNESCO’s World Heritage status (2013) hints at peace. Yet, cultural loss looms—Palawa songs fade, Oz’s magic weakens—threatening more than trees, a loss echoed in the displaced 5,000 and 10,000. My Cosmopolitanism (2023, Chapter 6) calls for preserving these voices, aligning with Chapter 7’s emphasis on Indigenous rights and guarantors, like the 1998 Brasilia Agreement, to foster harmony. This tapestry unravels to reveal a path where culture and ecology might heal the forest.
A Song of Preservation
Conquest mutes the forest’s song; preservation lets it soar, a harmony of life over the roar of industry. In Oz, I envision a cultural pact where Dorothy maps enchanted groves, safeguarding their magic as sanctuaries for communal rites, while the Wizard shifts his decree to protect heritage, not harvest. Logging is curtailed, with sustainable yields funding rewilding, returning 5,000 displaced villagers to restored homes and saving the $10 million lost to conflict (Oz Exchequer). This restores the forest’s emerald glow, blending magic with stewardship.
In Tasmania, this vision scales to the island’s wild expanse. Palawa elders guide forest stewardship, their wisdom charting paths to protect 1.2 million hectares, while conservationists like Bob Brown patrol borders, their activism a shield against logging. The mainland government, inspired, redirects $2 billion from the timber trade (Tasmanian Forest Products, 2024) to fund cultural preservation and reforest 800 km² lost yearly (Australian Conservation Foundation, 2024), easing the displacement of 10,000. My 2017 egalitarian shared sovereignty adapts—equal cultural voices shape policy, roles reflect tradition (elders guide, activists guard), rewards honor ecology (timber for rewilding), and the strong uplift the weak (mainland aids Tasmania).
Success relies on collaboration, a theme proven in my work. The 1998 Brasilia Agreement, backed by guarantors (Chapter 7, 2025), shows third-party support stabilizes accords. In Oz, Dorothy’s leadership and in Tasmania, Indigenous and activist voices, bolstered by federal oversight, could ensure trust. This isn’t just about trees—it’s about reviving Oz’s magic and Tasmania’s heritage, letting Palawa chants and forest whispers rise together. By preserving cultural and ecological threads, we plant seeds for a future where emerald and pine flourish, a legacy worth singing for.
A Council of Minds
In a glade where Oz’s emerald leaves meet Tasmania’s ancient pines, a council gathers on August 19, 2025, the air thick with possibility. Dorothy Gale, basket in hand, stands as Oz’s heart, her Kansas grit now a guardian’s resolve. The Wizard, emerald robes shimmering, holds his throne’s authority, ready to assert control. From Tasmania, Bob Brown, the green pioneer, brings a conservationist’s fire, while Michael Field, former premier, offers a statesman’s balance. Dr. Jorge, the series’ guide, steps forward with scholarly insight, joined by Sherlock Holmes, deerstalker tilted, Dr. John Watson with his notepad, and King Arthur, Excalibur sheathed, his presence a bridge from past tales.
Dorothy opens, her voice clear: “Let’s map Oz’s groves as sacred spaces, where I tend fields and the Wizard protects magic—logging funds rewilding for the 5,000 displaced.” The Wizard retorts, “My rule demands timber—Oz’s glory hinges on wealth, not whims!” Bob Brown counters, “In Tasmania, we fought for forests—let Palawa elders lead, using timber profits to restore 800 km².” Michael Field adds, “The 2012 Agreement balanced us—federal funds could support this, with jobs intact.” Dr. Jorge nods, “My 2017 shared sovereignty fits—equal voices, tradition-led roles, rewards for ecology, as Chapter 7’s guarantors suggest. UNESCO could oversee.”
Holmes adjusts his hat, deducing: “A logical plan—survey all zones, mediate with evidence, enforce with data.” Watson scribbles, “Practical—add clinics for the 10,000 displaced, tracking health gains.” Arthur raises Excalibur, his tone regal: “Honor guides us—knights guarded realms; let leaders pledge to preserve, not plunder.” The Wizard scoffs, “Honor won’t pay my court—logging is power!” Brown insists, “Power with purpose—my 1980s campaigns saved forests, proving balance works.” Field agrees, “1990s policies blended economy and green—let’s refine that.”
The discussion deepens as Dorothy refines: “Groves as havens, I teach farming, the Wizard funds restoration—magic thrives.” Brown expands, “Palawa train youth, activists monitor—$2 billion reforests Tasmania.” Dr. Jorge synthesizes, “Multidimensional—cultural, ecological, legal—third parties ensure fairness.” Holmes suggests, “Pilot a zone, scale with results.” Watson notes, “Clinics build trust, record outcomes.” Arthur vows, “A round table of stewards—let’s draft it.” The Wizard relents, “If Oz prospers, I’ll bend—show me proof.” The council disperses, plans sketched, seeds of peace sown.
The Echoes of Doubt
Skeptics cast shadows over this song, their voices sharp as a logger’s axe: “Preservation bows to profit—dreams won’t feed us.” In Oz’s glade, the Wizard thunders, “My throne rules—groves yield timber, or the realm starves!” Dorothy pleads, “Your logs ruin my fields—5,000 suffer!” The tension weighs heavy, as the Wizard’s prestige and the displaced villagers’ plight fuel resistance. In Tasmania, the mainland defends logging quotas (Tasmanian Timber Regulation, 2024), cutting 800 km² yearly despite protests, backed by 55% rural support (2023 election), a testament to economic might over ecological pleas.
Doubt deepens with practical fears. Indigenous claims falter—the UN’s 2007 Declaration lacks teeth, and the 2012 Agreement’s fragility favors industry (Chapter 7, 2025). Outsiders—global timber firms, mainland investors—muddy the waters, their profits clashing with preservation. The Wizard’s rule mirrors Australia’s growth agenda, where leaders thrive on timber revenue, and colonial legacies (1803 settlement) loom large, suggesting power, not harmony, shapes the forest’s fate. This skepticism is fair—my 2017 vision hinges on trust, scarce amid historical greed and modern needs.
Yet, hope flickers in the dappled light. Bob Brown’s 1980s victories and Michael Field’s 1990s balance hint at ecological strength. My Territorial Disputes (2020) notes ASEAN’s diplomacy, and Chapter 7 (2025) highlights Latin America’s 92% border peace, suggesting cooperation’s edge. Tasmania’s communities (65% favor conservation, 2024 ACF) and Oz’s villagers crave harmony—preservation isn’t naive, but a root deeper than profit’s blade. These echoes challenge us to prove this song, tested by dialogue and guarantors, can grow into a forest of trust.
Why This Grows in You
Oz’s emerald whispers and Tasmania’s pine songs aren’t distant—they’re woven into your soul, a heritage at risk. A child in Oz loses magical tales as groves fall, while a Tasmanian elder watches pines vanish under logs, their breaths heavy with sawdust. The Borders We Share offers a chance to sing with the forest, to preserve its magic and heritage—its stories, its silence—rather than let it be felled by conflict. This is your journey too, a call to nurture what connects us to the wild.
Next Tuesday, Post 23 will explore new horizons. I’m Dr. Jorge, crafting these tales into a book you’ll hold, a testament to our shared world. Visit https://drjorge.world or X (https://x.com/DrJorge_World )—join me, from Oz’s forests to Tasmania’s edge, to plant seeds where borders honor nature and woodlands thrive for all. Together, we can turn wild claims into a symphony of life, resonating through generations.
Trails to Wander
• Núñez, J.E. (2017). Sovereignty Conflicts (Ch. 6, 7).
• Núñez, J.E. (2020). Territorial Disputes (Ch. 7, 8, 9).
• Núñez, J.E. (2023). Cosmopolitanism and State Sovereignty (Ch. 6,7).
• Núñez, J.E. (2025). Territorial Disputes in the Americas (Ch. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8).
NOTE:
New posts every Tuesday.
PREVIOUS POSTS:
Post 21: Gor’s Jungle, Borneo’s Line: Wild Claims Tamed
NEXT POSTS:
Section 4: Forests and Lands
Post 23: Narnia’s Trees, Amazon’s Breath: Roots of Peace
Post 24: Sherwood’s Pact, Part II: The Multiverse Grows
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State Sovereignty: Concept and Conceptions (OPEN ACCESS) (IJSL 2024)
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Tuesday 19th August 2025
Dr Jorge Emilio Núñez
X (formerly, Twitter): https://x.com/DrJorge_World
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