[APWG] Mathematical constants, so we can stop weeding like Sisyphus

[Craig Dremann - Redwood City Seed Company]

Dear Wayne and Ty,

For a real-life example of the value of mathematical constants developed
from plant cover measurements, used when fighting weeds or restoring
ecosystems, we can look at the Listed Endangered San Mateo Thornmint at
Edgewood Park.

The Thornmint is endangered by its low numbers, and because of threats to
its survival such as exotic plant species.  But the biggest threat, is in
its reproductive life cycle as an annual plant.  If the exotic seeds in
the area are able to germinate and cover ground before the Thornmint
seedlings can each year, it can be snuffed out very quickly, when it is
unable to grow and reproduce seed that year.

If you look at my local grassland census at
http//www.ecoseeds.com/MWA.html you will see the percentage cover of both
the weeds and the native plants for 2011 and 2012 at Edgewood Park for the
Thornmint site.

There have been thousands of dollars invested to pay researchers to weed
those Thornmint areas, and to harvest seed and grow seedlings to replant
in this tiny 1/10th of an acre, but no work so far to replace those weeds
permanently with local native plants.

But even after several years of work, the native grass cover is only 4%
and the native wildflower cover only 36%.  By using my mathematical
constant concept based on cover measurements, that could tell you how much
of each native you should add to permanently take the place of the weeds.

By using the mathematical constants idea, you may find that the weed
problem is just a function of the lack of native plant-players in the area
you are working in, or the natives are not on the field in sufficient
numbers to hold the ground against the exotics.

Like a baseball game, you want all bases and the outfield covered so your
team has a chance to win.  Just like an ecosystem, a missing member of
your team such as someone covering second base, can allow the other team
to take advantage of that vacancy and score points.

For example the legume family is poorly represented in the Thornmint area
currently, because Statewide the legume family throughout California was
brought close to extinction over 100 years ago.  There are several species
of native clovers that should be present on the site, based on relict
stands in the area and based on old herbarium specimens from the 1800s
that were collected before the extinction event occurred.

Other important species missing and extinct on the Thornmint site, but
present just a few hundred feet away in the same park, is the Indian Paint
brush family such as Owl’s clover and the native plantain.

By using my mathematical constants idea, a cake mix recipe could be put
together, and the recipe could be added, for example a certain percentage
cover of native legumes, owl’s clover and Plantago to permanently take the
place of the weeds that are removed each year.

We certainly do not want to have to keep weeding these Endangered plant
habitats for decades or centuries into the future.  A simpler and quicker
plan that I am proposing, is to determine which natives and in what
amounts need to be added to permanently take the place of the exotic
plants.

That way, we can fix the problem, and have time to take our families to
the beach or the mountains and have a good time, and allow us to stop
weeding like Sisyphus  year after year after year?

Sincerely,  Craig Dremann (650) 325-7333