[MPWG] A gentle reminder from the Chair

Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov
Fri Jan 30 13:02:30 CST 2004


Dear Medicinal Plant Working Group Listserve Members:

Several of yesterday's e-mails were indeed off-topic.  As a reminder,

The role of MPWG is to forge partnerships with industry, government,
academia, tribes and environmental organizations to facilitate sustainable
use and conservation of medicinal plants.
                     (http://www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal/workinggroup.htm)

Let's keep it on topic and respectful.

What is "on topic?"

Anything that relates to the sustainable use and conservation of medicinal
plants.  Here are some examples:
      -requesting a substitute for a well-known medicinal plant of
conservation concern
      -requests for a list of potential medicinals that people can grow in
their gardens
      -information regarding population biology of medicinal plants
      -research and cultivation of medicinal plants
      -announcements for conferences or job opportunities in the medicinal
plant arena
      -attempts to network with people from your area on medicinal issues
      -ethnobotanical or medicinal publications

Please refrain from discussing specific remedies and treatments on the
general listserve unless it has bearing on the sustainable use and
conservation of the species.  If you wish to discuss specific remedies,
diseases, etc., please send out a general message requesting that others
contact you directly.  We have lost some listserve members as a result of
the burgeoning off-topic discussions.

Also, the following site has a variety of links that may be better suited
for discussions of specific remedies and treatments.  I am sure there are
many other listserves - this is just one I have come across recently.
      http://www.ibiblio.org/herbmed/faqs/medi-cont.html

What is respectful?
Obviously, the gathering of such a diverse array of interested parties is
bound to give rise to differences of opinion.  I have no problem with
differences of opinion -- I have a problem with the tone.  As Chair of the
MPWG, I have requested that members maintain a professional level of
conduct on this listserve.   Our strength is in the wide array of input we
have at our disposal, let's maintain it.

Thank you,
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 750
Arlington, VA  22203
703-358-1708 x1753
FAX: 703-358-2276






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