[APWG] QUESTION: Wildflower Seed Postcards
Olivia Kwong
plant at plantconservation.org
Tue Apr 24 11:44:41 CDT 2007
I thought I'd just bring this up as an interesting topic for discussion.
The Alien Plant Working Group Chair, Jil Swearingen, recently got an
e-mail from a bookstore manager for two National Park Service National
Monuments about wildflower seed postcards. Although the product in
question instructs the buyer not to open it within National Parks, it also
said that the packets can be sent & planted in most parts of the world.
The species used for the product being discussed were Wild Iris, Indian
Blanketflower, Primrose, Indian Paintbrush, and Blue Columbine. However,
quick Google search shows that all sorts of companies sell similar
postcards with a variety of species and I know I've seen cards made from
plantable paper with seeds embedded in the fibers. I know that people
already trade seeds for things via postal mail, but postcard products like
these have the potential to become popular with the general public and
increase planting of seeds outside their natural areas. There's also the
invasiveness question as well.
Anyone have any thoughts about the matter or know of any regulations that
come into play here? It seems like it would be nearly impossible to
enforce rules for mailed postcards because they might not be easily
detected.
Olivia
CPC/PCA
http://www.nps.gov/plants/
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