[APWG] Fw: [PCA] princess tree/Paulownia

Fri Apr 15 17:59:53 CDT 2011

Dear APWG:

For what it's worth, I find a lot of customer complaints on the internet
about trees ordered from gardenerschoice.com, which has the same customer
service address in Hartford, MI as royaltreedeal.com.   This does not seem
to be a reputable company.

I am more concerned about the  ECO2 Forests story.  If you follow the link
to their website, you will see they are selling carbon credits.  Carbon
credit selling is what is behind a lot of the genetic engineering or forest
trees.

Paulownia has been genetically engineered for mass production.  It already
sequesters a lot of carbon.  Other trees are genetically engineered to
increase their carbon sequestration abilities and thereby create a market
for carbon sequestration.  Other reasons for genetically engineering trees
include the creation of mass plantations of weak, reduced-lignin trees to
increase the profits of the paper industry.

Paulownia is not an evil tree.  There is a place for it on our planet.

There is a problem, however, with mass introduction of any plant for
economic investment purposes, and manipulating entire genomes for the
convenience and profit of industry. .

The Global Forestry plan caters to multinational corporations that want to
purchase carbon credits (that they can get from the mass planting of cloned
Paulownia) so they do not have to reduce their carbon emissions.  Exotic
plants (unmanipulated but from other countries) are nothing compared to the
problems we will be facing down the road from the invasion of genomes with
foreign DNA  from other genera and other kingdoms.

It is the natural order of genera and kingdoms now that is being  invaded
--- not just habitats.

The problem, as usual, is not the plant.  It's people.

best regards,

Gena

On 14 April 2011 16:42, Chang, David <dchang at co.santa-barbara.ca.us> wrote:

>  I investigated a story I saw about an intentional planting of princess
> tree in Reno, Nevada.  The trees to be used are supposedly sterile.
>  Hopefully, the trees sold by https://www.royaltreedeal.com will also be
> sterile.
>
>
>
> There is probably a regulatory process to nominate a species for noxious
> status in your area.  Unfortunately, California’s regulations include a
> stipulation that designation of a species as noxious cannot detrimentally
> impact agriculture.
>
>
>
> Sincerely,
>
> David Chang
>
> Agricultural Commissioner's Office
>
> County of Santa Barbara, California
>
> www.agcommissioner.com/wma
>
>
>
> Below is the story I included in my local WMA newsletter.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> *ECO2 Forests Smoke Creek Project 'A Tremendous Boost' Says Reno Mayor<http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/ECO2-Forests-Smoke-Creek-Project-A-Tremendous-Boost-Says-Reno-Mayor-1143812.htm>
> *
>
>
> http://www.marketwire.com/press-release/ECO2-Forests-Smoke-Creek-Project-A-Tremendous-Boost-Says-Reno-Mayor-1143812.htm
>
>
>
> ECO2 Forests, http://www.eco2forests.com/,  wants to plant, near Reno,
> 14,000 acres of Kiri trees, also known as princess trees, (*Paulowniatomentosa
> *), in order to sequester CO2 and as a sustainable yield forest.
> Ironically, this environmentally beneficial project could become an
> environmental nightmare.
>
>
>
> *Paulownia** tomentosa* is an invasive tree in the eastern United States
> and* *is listed as an invasive plant on the Invasive Plant Atlas of New
> England<http://nbii-nin.ciesin.columbia.edu/ipane/ipanespecies/current_inv.htm>,
> with the Invasive Plants of the Southeast<http://www.se-eppc.org/weeds.cfm>,
> and with the Alien Plants Working Group<http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/fact/pato1.htm>
>
>
>
> Princess tree is an aggressive ornamental tree that grows rapidly in
> disturbed natural areas, including forests, stream banks, and steep rocky
> slopes. It tolerates infertile and acid soils and drought conditions.  It
> easily adapts to disturbed habitats, including previously burned areas, and
> landslides and can colonize rocky cliffs and scoured riparian zones where it
> may compete with rare plants in these marginal habitats. Its ability to
> sprout prolifically from adventitious buds on stems and roots allows it to
> survive fire, cutting, and even bulldozing in construction areas. A single
> tree is capable of producing an estimated twenty million seeds that are
> easily transported long distances by wind and water. (Adapted text courtesy
> of Alien Plants Working Group)
>
>
>
> ECO2 Forests has a Global Forestry Plan that is frightening in its scope.
>  Those concerned about the spread of *Paulownia tomentosa* may want to
> question their Global Forestry Plan by contacting ECO2 Forests<http://www.eco2forests.com/contact-us.html>
> .
>
>
>
> *ADDENDUM – ECO2 Forests Apparently Not Invasive***
>
>
>
> In response to my request for a clarification to ECO2 Forests’ Global
> Forestry Plan, I received the following email from Andrew Laing, Marketing
> and Communications Manager with ECO2 Forests:
>
>
>
> “The US Sustainable Forest program will not be using the Tomentosa strain[SIC].
> The following link discusses the non-invasive attributes of our Kiri that
> will be planted in this project -
> http://www.eco2forests.com/ECO2_Forests_Secure_US_Sustain-279-5-98.htm“
>
> Regards,
>
> *Andrew Laing*
>
> Marketing and Communications Manager
>
>
>
> ECO2 Forests' website,
> http://www.eco2forests.com/ECO2_Forests_Secure_US_Sustain-279-5-98.htm,  states
> they obtain their non-invasive stock from the Pauwlonia Tree Store -
> http://www.paulowniastore.com/
>
>
>
> [I was informed by a knowledgeable source that,] CLIMEX modeling indicates
> that survival in Reno, Nevada even with supplemental watering will prove
> difficult, and the likelihood of escape and naturalization of a reproductive
> type is low.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>  ------------------------------
>
> *From:* apwg-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org [mailto:
> apwg-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org] *On Behalf Of *
> Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov
> *Sent:* Thursday, April 14, 2011 10:35 AM
> *To:* apwg at lists.plantconservation.org
> *Subject:* [APWG] Fw: [PCA] princess tree/Paulownia
>
>
>
>
> Perhaps someone on this listserve can advise this discussion. Be sure to
> respond to the original message sender in your reply.
>
> Thanks,
> Patricia
>
> Patricia S. De Angelis, Ph.D.
> Botanist - Division of Scientific Authority
> Chair - Plant Conservation Alliance - Medicinal Plant Working Group
> US Fish & Wildlife Service
> 4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 110
> Arlington, VA  22203
> 703-358-1708 x1753
> FAX: 703-358-2276
>
> Promoting sustainable use and conservation of our native medicinal plants.
> <www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal>
>
> ----- Forwarded by Patricia De Angelis/ARL/R9/FWS/DOI on 04/14/2011 01:33
> PM -----
>
> *Lewis_Gorman at fws.gov*
> Sent by: native-plants-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org
>
> 04/14/2011 12:53 PM
>
> To
>
> Susan <sggarden at skybest.com>
>
> cc
>
> native-plants at lists.plantconservation.org, Olivia Kwong <
> plant at plantconservation.org>,
> native-plants-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org
>
> Subject
>
> Re: [PCA] princess tree/Paulownia
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> It's a pretty slick advertisement they have.  Seems you'd at least need a
> similarly slick one to educate consumers and potential buyers.
>
> Lew Gorman III
> Partnerships Coordinator
> Division of Partnerships and Outreach
> Endangered Species Program-Washington Office
> US Fish and Wildlife Service
> 703-358-1911-w
> 703-358-1735-Fax
>
> "If your actions inspire others to dream more, learn more, do more and
> become more, your are a leader"  John Quincy Adams
>
> *Susan <sggarden at skybest.com>*
> Sent by: native-plants-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org
>
> 04/14/2011 12:20 PM
>
>
>
> To
>
> Olivia Kwong <plant at plantconservation.org>
>
> cc
>
> native-plants at lists.plantconservation.org
>
> Subject
>
> [PCA] princess tree/Paulownia
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Anyone know how to stop these from being sold.
>
> https://www.royaltreedeal.com/?mid=1140692&a=168468&s=600352&ClickID=04_53269907_6a5179b9-8b8c-480c-bede-3d7b4a753e86
>
>
> Susan Wright
> Shady Grove Gardens & Nursery
> 828-297-4098
>
>
>
>
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>
> <https://www.royaltreedeal.com/?mid=1140692&a=168468&s=600352&ClickID=04_53269907_6a5179b9-8b8c-480c-bede-3d7b4a753e86>
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