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

[Philip A. Thomas (HEAR)]

P.S. - Also, note that "indigenous" and "native" are biologically 
synonymous, so both definitions presented are tautological.

pt at hear.org


Philip A. Thomas (HEAR) said the following, on 6/27/2006 7:52 AM:
> 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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>>
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>>
>>
> 

-- 
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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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