[APWG] Why remove invasives

[Philip Thomas (www.HEAR.org)]

My take is that site-based management of weeds generally *is* futile 
unless there is a long-term (i.e., PERMANENT) plan that is actually 
implemented for perpetual care of the area.  If the area you're 
protecting is small enough and you have an onoing dedicated labor force, 
maybe you could paint a rosy picture.  Start small; make sure folks can 
see success (e.g., from previous groups' work, and at the end of their 
own day).

Aloha,
pt at hear.org


jmbarr wrote:
> No inspiring message here, sorry.
> I am a volunteer who has spent hundreds of hours removing invasives.  I 
> am increasingly frustrated at the shear waste of volunteers time and 
> energy in what I fear are exercises in futility.
> 
> I would love detailed information on best practices for invasives 
> control for land managers.  For example, does hand pulling by volunteers 
> make sense or would professionals with herbicides make more sense?  When 
> beginning an effort in a natural area, do you start in the center of the 
> property and work out, begin at a random point and work out from there, 
> do you try to identify the furthest entry point and work back to the 
> point of origin, does it make any difference?
> 
> Thanks for letting me vent,
> john
> 
> 
> 
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> 
> 
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> opinion of the individual posting the message.
> 
> 

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Hawaiian Ecosystems at Risk project (HEAR) - http://www.hear.org
P.O. Box 1272
Puunene (Maui), Hawaii  96784  USA

Philip A. Thomas - pt at hear.org

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