It seems as if worms aren't always good for the soil. In the Cordillera mountains of the Philippines, giant worms are destroying the unique terrain of the Banaue rice terraces, according to this piece in the Telegraph.
As usual, it's not actually the worms' fault, but the humans who have changed the environment around them:
Cut into near-vertical slopes by the Ifugao people of northern Luzon, the water-filled levels curve around the hills' maze-like contours, their waters reflecting the pale green of freshly-planted rice stalks. But since the arrival of the olang, as the worms are known to the locals, terraces have been collapsing at an ever-increasing rate.
The worms can reach 18 inches in length and half an inch in diameter and are believed to have moved to the terraces as their original forest habitat was destroyed.
This is an awesome post! Bookmarked!
-Ashley
Posted by: Philippine Flower Shop | January 06, 2009 at 10:41 AM