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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Dear Craig and All:</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><?xml:namespace prefix = o ns =
"urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" /><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">I agree that alien plants, such as
the various bromes and the like do alter the ignition, burn, and fire spread
characteristics of wildland fires, and I agree that planting indigenous grasses
would help a lot (however, restoration of indigenous grasses simply is not the
most cost-effective way to prevent the loss of lives and property). I also agree
that planting small colonies of indigenous grasses, in locations (soils, etc.)
<EM><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial">to which they are adapted</SPAN></EM> would
help alter those characteristics for the better, in time, because IF the sources
of disturbance were removed, such as grazing (the effects of cattle include
selective herbivory, trampling, soil erosion, alteration of soil structure,
elevation of N levels, and alien seed dispersal) such colonies would soon
prevail and the alien weedy species would soon be relegated to a minor element
in the grassland association, would be a good idea. Indigenous grasses are not
unformly adapted to all habitats, even though they were once much more
widespread and common than they are now. </SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
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style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Making it work at a useful scale
and demonstrating it efficacy, much less its cost-effectiveness, may be more
than a small challenge, however. "Selling" it to the "powers-that-be" is a tough
row to hoe (if you will pardon the ecologically inappropriate metaphor). I
suspect that some of the figures you have given in your website essays, for
example, may mitigate against that selling. So, you don't have any real trouble
selling it to this choir member at least, but how are you gonna convince the
Terminator and his disciples? In the Intermountain West, how are you going to
get livestock off the "range?" The cowboy lobby is pretty strong, and not very
bright. I suspect that Bromus tectorum would soon become a minor component if
the livestock and feral animal grazing were eliminated and replaced with th
indigenous ungulates with which they evolved. This process would be greatly
facilitated and accelerated by your suggested program, but with continued
disturbance it is unlikely to succeed. In certain places, limited livestock
grazing could be permitted after the restoration of the better-adapted
indigenous species, and would be more economical for the livestock operators.
The catch is, however, that livestock operators created the problem and they're
not likely to listen to a bunch of ecologists. Got a solution to this issue?
</SPAN><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
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<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><FONT size=4><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 13.5pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">WT</SPAN><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
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style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"> <o:p></o:p></SPAN></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt"><SPAN
style="FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><FONT size=3><FONT size=4>PS: I don't want to
quibble, but for the sake of honesty I think you might want to think a bit
harder on the drought and fire issues--while I am with you in spirit, I don't
necessarily buy your marginal technical arguments. Maybe if you explained them
in more detail? For example, indigenous grasses can tolerate short rain years
fairly well by taking advantage of residual moisture below the alien grass root
zones; the biggest problem is that they can't survive when the aliens reduce
effective percolation below the alien root zones, especially in marginal
grassland soils and soils which formed under shrublands. If you look at the
best stands of indigenous grasses, they tend to be on finer/heavier soils
(formed by grasslands and grassland or grassland phases of drought-deciduous
ecosystems) rather than coarser soils where indigenous grasses cannot, as you
point out, survive well. In order to advance your cause, you might consider
emphasizing the kinds of sites (finer/heavier soils) where success is most
likely. As you know, site conditions are the primary determinant of the type of
vegetative cover, and coarse soils are not as good a site type as the
finer/heavier soils for establishing good grassland associations successfully,
especially as "understory" for shrubs. Correlation is not always
causation.</FONT> <o:p></o:p></FONT></SPAN></P></FONT><FONT face=Arial
size=4></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>----- Original Message ----- </FONT>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>From: "Craig Dremann - Redwood City Seed Company"
<</FONT><A href="mailto:Craig@astreet.com"><FONT face=Arial
size=2>Craig@astreet.com</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial size=2>></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>To: <</FONT><A
href="mailto:apwg@lists.plantconservation.org"><FONT face=Arial
size=2>apwg@lists.plantconservation.org</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial
size=2>></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Sent: Sunday, January 18, 2009 1:54 PM</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Subject: [APWG] Cal./Great Basin/SW
drought+weeds+ecosystem damage?</FONT></DIV></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial><BR><FONT size=2></FONT></FONT></DIV><FONT face=Arial
size=2>> Dear Wayne and All,<BR>> <BR>> The weather service puts
together a weekly Drought Monitor, and since we<BR>> have had a drought in
California going onto three years now, there is<BR>> controversy on how the
map should be drawn.<BR>> <BR>> Because of our massive flammable exotic
plant problem in California, that<BR>> add the equal of 400 gallons of
gasoline per acre in the summer<BR>> <</FONT><A
href="http://www.ecoseeds.com/flames.html"><FONT face=Arial
size=2>http://www.ecoseeds.com/flames.html</FONT></A><FONT face=Arial
size=2>> we need to take that into<BR>> consideration.<BR>> <BR>>
Also, each ecosystem in California needs a minimum level of annual<BR>>
rainfall, to exist. Deserts need 3-10 inches, California native
bunch<BR>> grasslands need 10-20 inches, oaks need 20-35 inches, conifers
35-60 etc.<BR>> <BR>> In central California oak woodlands, for the last
three years, we are<BR>> dropping to the desert levels, and the major central
and southern<BR>> California rivers are dropping to record lows, or drying up
completely,<BR>> like the Salinas river at the Spreckels USGS gauge.<BR>>
<BR>> My way of looking at the drought/ecosystem interactions, is that it
is<BR>> like running you car when it is short two or three quarts of
oil.<BR>> <BR>> Or, we should rewrite that old song: "Summertime, in the
middle of winter <BR>> fish are jumping, when the water is gone."<BR>>
<BR>> You can see some details at </FONT><A
href="http://www.ecoseeds.com/caldrought.html"><FONT face=Arial
size=2>http://www.ecoseeds.com/caldrought.html</FONT></A><BR><FONT face=Arial
size=2>> <BR>> Sincerely, Craig Dremann (650) 325-7333<BR>>
<BR>> <BR>> <BR>> <BR>>
_______________________________________________<BR>> PCA's Alien Plant
Working Group mailing list<BR>> </FONT><A
href="mailto:APWG@lists.plantconservation.org"><FONT face=Arial
size=2>APWG@lists.plantconservation.org</FONT></A><BR><FONT face=Arial
size=2>> </FONT><A
href="http://lists.plantconservation.org/mailman/listinfo/apwg_lists.plantconservation.org"><FONT
face=Arial
size=2>http://lists.plantconservation.org/mailman/listinfo/apwg_lists.plantconservation.org</FONT></A><BR><FONT
face=Arial size=2>> <BR>> Disclaimer<BR>> Any requests, advice or
opinions posted to this list reflect ONLY the opinion of the individual posting
the message.</FONT>
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