[APWG] AGREEMENT on EXOTIC SEEDS into natural ecosystems?

[Craig Dremann]

Dear Bob and All,

Thanks for your feedback.  

I feel that we are getting somewhere in establishing some definitions,
regarding these exotic plant issues.

If you ever have an opportunity to travel the awesome 2,000 miles back
and forth across the Great Basin, like I did in 1997, between Reno NV
and Grand Junction Co., and then back from Montpelier, ID to Bishop,
CA., you see a remarkable "natural ecosystem" which is still (at least
in 1997) practically weed-free.

You can see the mile-by-mile data of that survey compiled at 
http://www.ecoseeds.com/megatransect.html 

The accidentally-introduced weedy plant cover over that 2,000 miles, was
only 3% on average, with a high of only 8% of the miles in Utah.  By
contrast, we have 90-99% exotic weed plant cover in California below
3,000 ft. elevation. 

Unfortunately, the largest extent of exotic plants in that 2,000 mile
stretch of the Great Basin, is the intentionally-sown exotic perennials,
like what is on that BLM list of the over a million pounds of seed that
are being sown every year.  

In half of the States, the BLM-type exotics comprised 4-10% of the miles
surveyed, and in three of the states, 21-35% of the miles had those
exotics firmly established.

That means, on average, the intentionally-sown exotics were covering
about three to ten times as much area, as the accidentally exotics
were.  

What that also means, is that by continuing to sow over a million pounds
of exotic perennials a year into that grassland/shrubland Great Basin
ecosystem, we are increasing the percentage cover of those exotics every
year, permanently forcing out the native components of that ecosystem.

Because most of the Great Basin ecosystem are BLM managed lands, that's
why I'm suggesting that BLM become "Exotic-Free by 2011".

Sincerely,  Craig Dremann (650) 325-7333