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<title>The library has in its collection the Encyclopedia of Hardy Plants, a
book by Derek Fell, copyright date 2007, published by Firefly Books, LTD</title>
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<div id=cover-sheet>Hello, Steve,<br>
When I asked the APWG about what to do about the invasive plant suggestion in
Derek Fell's The Encyclopedia of Hardy Plants, you suggested a polite letter to
the author. I liked the idea; here is the result. The letter will go out in today's
mail. Happy Holidays to you all! Grace Lilly pembrokes@ne.rr.com
<hr>
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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on"><font size=3
face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>63 Talbot Hill
Road</span></font></st1:address></st1:Street><font face=Arial><span
style='font-family:Arial'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><font size=3
face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Swanzey</span></font></st1:City><font
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'>, <st1:State w:st="on">NH</st1:State>
<st1:PostalCode w:st="on">03446</st1:PostalCode></span></font></st1:place><font
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>December 22, 2008<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Dear Mr. Fell,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> Our library recently purchased your book <u>The Encyclopedia
of Hardy Plants</u>. The collections librarian told me that a feature article
in the <u>Library Journal</u> entitled "Regional Gardening North by
Northeast" gave your book a starred review.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> I’m an amateur naturalist who loves to
garden. I have had horticulture training as a plant conservation volunteer for
the New England Wild Flower Society and as a Pennsylvania Master Gardener. Your
book title sounded interesting, and I looked forward to reading it. After I saw
your hardy plant choices, I was confused. I asked myself, why did an
internationally respected gardening expert recommend plants that degrade our
environment? Then, I answered my own question. I recognized that someone who
loves the landscape as you do would not deliberately choose to harm it. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> I knew that you would be delighted to read this
letter as it explains why some of the plant choices in <u>The Encyclopedia of
Hardy Plants</u> would be harmful to many gardens. I hope that you will receive
the information as it is intended, with the best of intentions.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> My deep concern, and an area that I wanted to
explore with you, is invasive plants. Several of your choices are considered
invasive species in many states and should not be planted under any
circumstances, hardiness aside.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> Here is how The Nature Conservancy describes as
invasive species: “On their home turf, plant and animal populations are
kept in check by natural controls, like predators and food supply. However,
when a species is introduced—accidentally or intentionally—into a
new landscape that is not used to its presence, the consequences can be
devastating. Most of these ‘non-native’ species do not misbehave. But
some non-native species spread unchecked by the lack of natural competitors and
predators. They push out native species and cause ecological chaos. These
are known as ‘invasive’ species. All habitats are vulnerable
to these invasions, from lakes, rivers and oceans, to plains and forests.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> One plant you recommended, Chinese bittersweet,
did come with the caveat, “is similar to American bittersweet, but tends
to be more rampant. While it is handsome in fruit, it has become a rather
noxious weed in the northeastern <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">U.S.</st1:place></st1:country-region>”<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> I think that your caveat might have been stronger
had you known that the National Park Service’s Alien Plant Working Group lists
oriental bittersweet on its “Weeds Gone Wild” website (http://www.nps.gov/plants/alien/vines.htm).
The government’s Forest Service, Northeastern Area, Forest Health
Protection's Invasive Plants Website includes oriental bittersweet in its
“Weed of the Week” literature <i><span style='font-style:italic'>(http://na.fs.fed.us/fhp/invasive_plants/weeds/oriental-bittersweet.pdf.)
<o:p></o:p></span></i></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> Another hardy suggestion is Scotch broom. It is
considered invasive in CA, DE, GA, MA, NC, NY, OR, SC, TN, VA, and WA. The <st1:place
w:st="on"><st1:PlaceName w:st="on">USDA</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">National</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Invasives</st1:PlaceName> <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Species</st1:PlaceName>
<st1:PlaceType w:st="on">Center</st1:PlaceType></st1:place> lists different
sources that explain the plant’s destructiveness. The USDA National
Agricultural Library in its “Weed of the Week” format explained that
Scotch broom is “an aggressive, rapid spreading plant can grow 3 feet in
the first year. It can form dense impenetrable stands that degrade rangeland,
prevent forest regeneration, and create fire hazards. It invades rapidly
following logging, land clearing, and burning. It can form pure dense stands
for miles along highway and country roads to crowd out native species and
destroy wildlife habitat.” (<i><span style='font-style:italic'>http://na.fs.fed.us/fhp/invasive_plants/weeds/scotch-broom.pdf</span></i>)<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> Although other plant choices in the encyclopedia are
also problematic as invasives, I thought I would end this letter talking about Acer
platanoides. I found this information from the National Park Service (<i><span
style='font-style:italic'><a
href="http://www.nps.gov/plants/ALIEN/pubs/midatlantic/acpl.htm"><font
color=black><span style='color:windowtext'>http://www.nps.gov/plants/ALIEN/pubs/midatlantic/acpl.htm</span></font></a>):</span></i>
“Norway maple is found in 13 states in the eastern <st1:country-region
w:st="on">United States</st1:country-region>, from <st1:State w:st="on">Maine</st1:State>
to <st1:State w:st="on">Virginia</st1:State> and west to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:State
w:st="on">Wisconsin</st1:State></st1:place>. It is recognized as an invasive
plant in many of these states. Norway maple has escaped cultivation and invades
forests, fields, and other natural habitats. It forms monotypic stands that
create dense shade and it displaces native trees, shrubs and herbs.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> One state that has Norway maple on its invasive
plant list is <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New Hampshire</st1:place></st1:State>,
my native state. Norway maple causes problems with our NH maple syrup industry
since it outcompetes our native sugar maples because it is a prolific seeder,
leafs out earlier, and keeps it leaves longer. I truly hope that one day we <st1:State
w:st="on">New Hampshire</st1:State> residents don’t look at our hillsides
in the fall and see the yellow leaves of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place
w:st="on">Norway</st1:place></st1:country-region> maples instead of the red
leaves of sugar maples.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> I wanted to recommend the book <u>Bringing Nature
Home, How native plants sustain wildlife in our gardens</u> by Douglas W.
Tallamy, Timber Press, copyright 2007. This landmark book beautifully
illustrates the relationship between native plants and native wildlife. Tallamy
is a Professor and the Chair of the Department of Entomology and Wildlife
Ecology at the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:PlaceType w:st="on">University</st1:PlaceType>
of <st1:PlaceName w:st="on">Delaware</st1:PlaceName></st1:place> and a
nationally respected authority on native plants. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> I look forward to hearing from you. My email
address: <a href="mailto:pembrokes@ne.rr.com"><font color=black><span
style='color:windowtext'>pembrokes@ne.rr.com</span></font></a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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