[APWG] "Native plant" definitions of government agencies?

[Philip A. Thomas (HEAR)]

Craig,

It would be interesting to know the specific errors to which you refer.

If we assume the basic concept of the newly-proposed revision is 
correct, you might want to try "The indigenous plant species, both 
aquatic and terrestrial, of a particular area that are natural members 
of the local ecosystem" (to put the phrase "both aquatic and 
terrestrial" adjacent to its respective noun [vs. adjacent to "area," 
which it seems to {ambiguously} modify] in your proposed structure).

What's wrong with saying that a native plant "evolved naturally" in an 
ecosystem?

(Actually, I would suggest defining native plants as those that "arrived 
and live [or have lived] in a particular area/ecosystem without the 
direct or indirect influence of humans."

I'm very interested in hearing your comments about this.

Aloha,
Philip Thomas
pt at hear.org - http://www.hear.org/personnel/pt/
Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR)
http://www.hear.org/


Craig Dremann said the following, on 6/27/2006 6:06 AM:
> Dear All,
> 
> Government land management agencies write manuals and definitions for
> the work they do.
> 
> The US Forest Service manual has a definition for "native plants", to
> differentiate the native plants from the exotic plants.
> 
> Andrew Kratz, a Forest Service Regional Botanist in Colorado and I were
> having a discussion about the Forest Service’s current definition of
> “native plant”, which follows:
> 
> “All indigenous, terrestrial, and aquatic plant species that evolved
> naturally in an ecosystem." (FSM 2070.5)
> 
> Unfortunately, at first glance, the sentence looks correct, but has
> numerous errors in it.   We are suggesting a rewrite, as follows:
> 
> "The indigenous plant species of a particular area, both aquatic and
> terrestrial, that are natural members of the local ecosystem."
> 
> Are there any other government agency definitions of “native plant” out
> there?
> 
> Sincerely,  Craig Dremann (650) 325-7333
> 
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     Philip A. Thomas - Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR)
    pt at hear.org - P.O. Box 1272, Puunene (Maui), Hawaii  96784  USA
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   Opinions expressed are my own and do not necessarily reflect the
  stance or policy of HEAR, USGS, HCSU, RCUH, or anyone but "just me."
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