I have never been to Baguio City. But, I am sure with a little more thought someone could have figured out how NOT to kill the giant earthworms that live in their fields.

It appears that the towns people are satisfied because they are killing the worms with a natural substance.

Why don't they figure out a way to divert them away from these fields and place them in an area where they would be benificial?
http://www.wormdigest.org/content/view/361/2/

I agree with you. With giant earthworms being so rare now days, relocating them sounds much better than killing them.

What's so great about rice terraces if they have poisoned the giant earthworms that help till the soil?
Isn't change a part of nature anyway? Who said the
rice terraces were meant to last forever?
Besides, if they are poisoning the earthworms, will the terraces survice, but grow only poisoned rice?

Ranji

I also agree!
I don't understand why you would want to kill something that helps the environment. Diverting them does sound like a much better idea. Ranji makes a good point too. Why grow poison?

Nikki

I think it might be interesting if they used the fiddling technique. They could set up metal poles around the perimeter of their field and have them sending vibrations deep into the earth. The worms would not want anything to do with said vibrations and they'd stay away from the fields.

Another thought is to have the fields not actually be in the earth. The reason the worms are hurting the fields are that they are draining the water away from the rice. So why don't they grow the rice through hydroponics or something equally as effective. Hydroponic plants also are easier to control and maintain once the science is perfected into an art.

Just an idea.

I am from Philippines and I am saddened by the acts of the farmers who tilled the rice terraces, but also please, it is not their mistake to kill those worms, if only our government have them educated about the benefits of those precious creatures surely they would not killed the worms. So I am asking you to support the conservation efforts or if anyone have friends from greenpeace maybe we can ask for their help.