[APWG] The McDonaldization of the natural world

[Bill Stringer]

Bob, I'm sure that you know the literature, and the research ongoing 
in control of invasive plants.  You are most likely aware that there 
are lots of herbicidal, IPM and non-chemical alternatives that are 
being used and developed for this purpose.

I'm sure you are aware that the definition of invasive is more 
inclusive than invasive exotic.  There are very few knowledgeable 
folks who think that only exotic plants can be invasive.

Yes, livestock grazing of certain invasive weeds can be very 
effective, where livestock grazing is a viable option.  We find very 
little kudzu on the livestock  side of pasture fences.  Grazing can 
also damage indigenous species as well.  There are many situations 
where livestock grazing is not an option.

I would hope that you would tackle the literature on the 
relationships among native plants, insect herbivores and song birds 
and game birds. That might help you to understand why native plant 
people are passionate about reducing the impact of exotic and 
indigenous invasive species.

Bill Stringer

At 03:43 PM 7/30/2010, Robert Layton Beyfuss wrote:
>Mr Barr
>If my arguments are "straw men" they should be easy to refute or 
>blow away. You are welcome to do so. You wonder about my motives. I 
>wonder about the motives of the chemical companies that sell the 
>thousands and thousands of pounds of herbicides that are used for 
>the eradication programs. There is a lot of money to be made killing 
>weeds.  The local director of our Nature Conservancy told me he 
>could easily spend his entire operating budget trying to eradicate 
>garlic mustard just along the roads in his region with the assurance 
>that he would need to repeat it all over again within 2 or 3 years. 
>Like it or not, invasive plants are not going to go away. I would 
>much rather see some efforts towards finding uses for some of these 
>weeds. The sheer biomass that many of these plants are capable of 
>producing is amazing. Many of these plants were intentionally 
>introduced because they offered benefits such as providing food or 
>forage, stabilizing soil, protecting water. The fact that t!
>  hey have become weeds does not negate their other values. A local 
> livestock owner I know has managed to keep Japanese knotweed, aka 
> Mexican bamboo, aka Filipea cuspidatum completely under control on 
> her property by allowing her horses, sheep, goats and pigs to graze 
> it, which they do with great  enthusiasm! If anyone is interested I 
> have photos of all these animals happily eating this weed.
>
>
>________________________________________
>From: apwg-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org 
>[apwg-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org] On Behalf Of John Barr 
>[jmbarr at academicplanet.com]
>Sent: Thursday, July 29, 2010 11:17 PM
>To: apwg at lists.plantconservation.org
>Subject: [APWG] The McDonaldization of the natural world
>
>You can have your science.
>
>I mourn the aesthetic of the McDonaldization of the natural world.  As
>we go forward in time, I see a future where everywhere looks like
>everywhere else.  Vast swaths across the globe of the same successful
>generalists. Sameness, sameness, sameness........
>
>Mr Beyfuss, I think you construct many a straw-man with your
>arguments.  When someone takes the time to erect so many straw-men and
>then smites with such zeal, I can only wonder about their motives.
>
>john
>
>
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