Beacon Ecological Loss

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The issue of what to do about alien life became a question of real significance the day humans first set foot on Tau Ceti 2. The early colony found itself battling to survive and adapt in a challenging environment. The priority of preserving the indigenous life was secondary to preserving the lives of the colonists themselves, and indigenous life was suffering due to being out-competed by imported but feral Earth life forms (both intentionally (pets, crops) and accidentally (disease etc.) imported). This hardy 'survival' attitude did not abate as things grew easier and the colonists, led by John Taylor, saw the environment as something to master. When automated agricultural systems came online, hunting, which had been a necessity, became a trade. Taylor was elected civilian administrator in 2161 and immediately pushed for the colony to become fully independent from Earth. In response and at the behest of the mission's corporate backers, Earth sent a delegation to Tau Ceti 3 to scrutinise its practices. What they found was widespread active destruction of the planet's native ecosystem. The Authority for Ecological Control issued guidelines for habitat conservation and recommended a second mission be sent in twelve months to judge if any improvements had been made. When this arrived in 2163 and found the situation had grown worse, trade sanctions were recommended and imposed. This further strengthened the hand of Taylor who in 2165 proposed a referendum on independence, which was narrowly defeated in the colonial forum.