Subject: re: invasive exotics

From: [email-masked] (Sullys Maze)
Date: 15 Mar 1994 08:45:49 -0800

: [email-masked] (David R. Smith) writes:
Subject: Re: escaped exotics

I would like to comment on Karen's advocacy of native plants
and aversion to imported species.
I am also a concerned environmentalist and have spent some
time in the Bay area as well, in California.
I have enjoyed visiting areas which are kept as special
conserving parks, etc. for native plants only.
However, there is a broader view of the environment.
And that is that development and population is literally
aving the land, obviously killing all plants in the
process in the U.S. at something like 200 acres per hour
when averaged nationwide.
Further, when one wants to return a bit of natural land
to native plants only it is very labor intensive and a
slow process indeed.
Thus while such a battle is pursued to preserve native
species over imported ones, the land itself is disappearing
completely to building and freeways etc.
It is a question of perspective.
If I want to reclaim a hundred acre parcel that used to
be a storage yard for some factory I could spend ten
years trying to establish a native plant ecology that
existed millennia ago or I could plant fast growing plants
to restore it as quickly as possible against the ever
present onslaught of development all around it.
To me the choice is clear.
Another brief point of course is that in farming discussions
one is mostly talking about planting contrary to a native
primitive ecology (except for certain radical schools
such as permaculture from Australia, no-till, the one-
straw-revolution method from Japan, etc.).
I am most concerned about North America becoming a big
parking lot, still I enjoy and respect areas which are
preserved for native species.
David Smith
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Hi David.  I don't consider myself an "environmental whacko" as
someone called me, just want folks to THINK first before they dig a
hold and put a plant in the ground.  I don't really understand your
point about replanting the hundred acre parcel with fast growing
plants versus natives.  How would fast growing non-native plants
restore it or protect it from development?  Yes, you could plant
lawn and fast growing trees and shrubs and have something like a
gold course or park.  You would have a "green" area that people and
kids could enjoy.  YOu might support some bird life.  You would
also have a totally artificial environment.

Since this is misc.rural I think it appropriate to discuss this.
Think about how many people-kids especially-who grow up in suburbs,
spend leisure time at malls, theme parks, and other places that are
totally man-made. I don't understand why people who want to move
away from all this to RURAL areas want to then change the rural
areas to man-made ones.  I am not discussing agriculture which is a
different issue.  I am talking about people who move out to rural
areas and then LANDSCAPE with non-native plants. Planting the things
they were used to in the cities, andnot even trying to educate
themselves to the native flora.  These people who struggle with
their roses and the deer eating them are laughable.  Many native
plants have developed resisance to deer browsing and can co-exist
with the deer.  The issue of invasive ornamentals is important and
can have as much adverse effect on native areas as just plain
developing.

For a classic example-we have a local mountain we ride and hike on.
 People have been building some houses on parts of it.  Growing on
the upper slopes is a native creeping sage that is fire resisitant,
holds the soil, drought and cold tolerant, has flowers for
hummingbirds and seeds for songbirds.  Really a wonderful native
plant.  A lady was planting  her bank that had been cut with the
grader with English ivy.  the ivy, if it grows will spread and choke
out native species and provide NO HABITAT VALUE OR FOOD.  She could
be using the native groundcover.  This just seems like total
ignorance to me.

I don't consider myself a radical.  Many people are concerned by
this-enough that a bill prohibitin the sale of invasive exotics went
before the calif. legislature.  If you drive several hours to Pt.
Reyes to see the wildflowers in the spring, how will you feel if
they are gone, to be replaces by African Daisy or Vinca?

And, I think there are more people who selfishly move to the country
to "get away from it all" , then totally alter this country with
their domestic plants, cats and dogs.

Karen

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From: [email-masked] (Sullys Maze)
Date: 15 Mar 1994 08:45:49 -0800

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Karen