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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>I was so glad to hear of this effort; it
sounds like a wonderful partnership.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Since you mention future assessments, you
might want to take a look at the invasive plant assessments completed using this
protocol (it was co-authored by TNC’s own John Randall): <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><a
href="http://www.natureserve.org/library/invasiveSpeciesAssessmentProtocol.pdf">http://www.natureserve.org/library/invasiveSpeciesAssessmentProtocol.pdf</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>It was designed to be objective and transparent
and to, as Ellen says, get us away from personal opinion. The completed
assessments for degree of impacts in the <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region> are available at: <a
href="http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/">http://www.natureserve.org/explorer/</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>You can search for individual species by
name or search by the overall invasive impact rank (I-rank) by going to Search,
Plants & Animals, and then clicking on the Status tab. We will have
over 500 of these assessments completed and published on the site by this
summer.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy;font-weight:bold'>One nice
thing about this protocol is that, besides indicating which non-natives are
highly problematic, it also tells you which are NOT: which are Low or
Insignificant in terms of their impacts on native plants and animals (try
looking up “Common Lilac”). </span></font></b><font size=2
color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:navy'> I think that is an important aspect in helping to build
constructive partnerships with the nursery industry and others whose businesses
could be impacted.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'>Congratulations and kudos to Meijer stores
and the IPSAWG!<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=2 color=navy face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:navy'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><b><font size=2 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>From:</span></font></b><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>
apwg-bounces@lists.plantconservation.org
[mailto:apwg-bounces@lists.plantconservation.org] <b><span style='font-weight:
bold'>On Behalf Of </span></b>Patricia_DeAngelis@fws.gov<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Sent:</span></b> Monday, March 26, 2007 10:48
AM<br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>To:</span></b> <st1:PersonName w:st="on">native-plants@lists.plantconservation.org</st1:PersonName>;
<st1:PersonName w:st="on">apwg@lists.plantconservation.org</st1:PersonName><br>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>Subject:</span></b> [APWG] Fw: Good news from
the nursery industry!</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:
12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><font size=3
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><br>
</span></font><font size=2 face=sans-serif><span style='font-size:10.0pt;
font-family:sans-serif'>Forwarding the message below!</span></font> <br>
<br>
<font size=2 face=sans-serif><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif'>By
the way, IPSAWG = </span></font><font size=2 face=Arial><span style='font-size:
10.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Invasive Plant Species Assessment Work Group </span></font><br>
<br>
<font size=2 face=sans-serif><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif'>---_</span></font>
<br>
<br>
<font size=2 face=sans-serif><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:sans-serif'>FYI,
this press release on Meijer stores and their new initiative to help<br>
consumers choose non-invasive plants for landscaping is going out today,<br>
and I wanted you all to be aware of it. Meijer is based in MI and they<br>
approached TNC last year to discuss this idea. They solicited input from<br>
each state in their territory (MI, OH, IN, IL, and KY) on which species in<br>
their current inventory should be dropped due to invasiveness, and which<br>
species in the current inventory could be 'green certified' as<br>
non-invasive. I provided input from IPSAWG's assessments as to <st1:State
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Indiana</st1:place></st1:State>'s<br>
position on the invasiveness of plants in trade, and they considered that<br>
along with input from the other states. I've got to say, it was very nice<br>
to have information to provide them that came from an objective,<br>
consensus-based process rather than just personal opinion. In the end,<br>
they decided to drop Lombardy poplar and Norway maple from their sales<br>
list, and several native plants they sell were certified non-invasive.<br>
This is an ongoing discussion, so there will likely be more changes to what<br>
they sell next season. Thanks to everyone who has helped assess species<br>
through IPSAWG - these assessments and recommendations are turning out to<br>
be very helpful.<br>
<br>
<><><><><><><><>><><><><><><<><br>
Ellen M. Jacquart<br>
Director of Stewardship<br>
<st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Indiana</st1:place></st1:State>
Chapter of The Nature Conservancy<br>
1505 <st1:place w:st="on">N. Delaware</st1:place>, <st1:address w:st="on"><st1:Street
w:st="on">Suite</st1:Street> 200</st1:address><br>
<st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Indianapolis</st1:City>, <st1:State
w:st="on">IN</st1:State> <st1:PostalCode w:st="on">46202</st1:PostalCode></st1:place><br>
317-951-8818<br>
fax - 317-917-2478<br>
ejacquart@tnc.org</span></font><o:p></o:p></p>
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