[MPWG] NOTES: Summary of Sept 14th PCA Meeting

[Olivia Kwong]

The notes below will be added to the website sometime next week.

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Notes from PCA General Meeting
14 September 2005
NatureServe, Rosslyn, Va.
(Notes taken by P. De Angelis)


PCA Chair, Peggy Olwell (BLM) was unable to attend.
Olivia Kwong (Center for Plant Conservation (CPC)) opened the meeting with
introductions.
Sign-up sheet passed around.

New (or recently returning) participants
Freddie Ann Hoffman (HeteroGeneity LLC)
Kelly Gravuer (NatureServe)

Events

Botanical Society of Washington - Tentative field trip to Pennsylvania
serpentines (Sept. 24-25, 2005).  Need not be a member to attend this
event.  Per: Larry Morse (NatureServe)

Maryland Native Plant Society Annual Meeting (October 1-2, 2005;
Cockeysville, MD); <http://www.mdflora.org/-  Per: Patricia De Angelis
(FWS)

PCA Cooperators Conference (Nov. 7-9, 2005; St. Louis, Missouri). See
Announcements, below.  Per: Olivia Kwong (CPC)

Sustainable Botanicals 2006, the 3rd Symposium on Industrial Leadership
for the Preservation of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants (Feb. 9-11, 2006;
Salt Lake City, UT).  See Update on Committee Activities, Medicinal Plant
Working Group, below.  Per: Patricia De Angelis (FWS)

Annual Drug Information Association (DIA) Meeting (Jun. 18-22, 2006;
Philadelphia, PA.) - Deadline for abstracts extended.  See announcements,
below.  Per: Freddie Ann Hoffman (HeteroGeneity LLC)

Announcements

Plant-A-Tree Program - USDA-FS (per Larry Stritch)
Individuals or groups can make a donation to have trees planted.  A
minimum donation of $10 will support the planting of 8-12 trees.  The
donor may either send donations to national headquarters (to go to the
general reforestation funds) or may designate a specific forest by
contacting the forest directly.  Donors will receive a certificate of
acknowledgement.  For details, see: <www.fs.fed.us/faq/- (scroll to the
bottom).

The FS Native Plant Materials Policy should be published within the next
30 days.  There will be a 60 day public comment period.  When the Federal
Register (FR) notice is published, Larry Stritch will send announcement
over PCA listserve.

Automated Listserve to receive Federal Register notices.  The
Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has automated listserves that you
can sign up for to receive Federal Register notices about a variety of
environmental issues.  Go to: <www.epa.gov/fedrgstr/- and click on FR
Listserv (on the left-hand side of the screen) to select the categories
you are interested in.

Deadline extended for submitting abstracts for the Natural Health Products
(NHPs) track of the Drug Information Association (DIA) Meeting (June
18-22, 2006; Phila., PA) through the end of this week (Sept. 16).  The NHP
Track, which is being chaired by Freddie Ann Hoffman, will cover mostly
botanicals, but also oils, etc.  There will be at least ten sessions.  The
audience is pharmaceutical companies.  Each session is about 1.5 hours and
includes 2-3 speakers.  For more information or to submit an abstract, see
<www.diahome.org/docs/Events/Events_search_detail.cfm?EventID=06001>

A Coalition Congress on Plants is being considered to focus on issues
specific to plants used for natural health products, including the dietary
supplement-drug industry interface.  May include Canada and would bring
together groups of people who do not normally cross paths.  Possible
tracks include: Regulatory, sustainable production and efficacy issues.
More information will follow.  Per: Freddie Ann Hoffman

PCA Cooperators Conference (Nov. 7-9, 2005; St. Louis, Missouri). All
Cooperators are invited to attend this conference, hosted by the Center
for Plant Conservation, to energize the PCA cooperators.  The conference
aims to gain a better understanding of the needs of PCA cooperating
organizations and address weaknesses in order to create a stronger profile
for the PCA.  Features will include a presentation by the Native Plant
Materials Program office, facilitated forums on NGO needs, potential
improvements, and general industry-wide discussions.  Details on
registering and hotel accommodations should be made available over the PCA
listserves by mid-September.

Update on Committee Activities

-Alien Plant Working Group (Olivia Kwong (CPC) for Jil Swearingen (NPS))
   - More fact sheets will be available by the end of this year

   - QUESTION: Sara Tangren asked for recent publications that discuss the
issue or human history of plantings to "benefit the environment" that
result in the introduction of invasive species.

Such introductions have mainly been for erosion control, horticultural
purposes and habitat enhancement for wild animals. Several examples,
including kudzu, brown tree snake, Melaleuca, and sawtooth oaks (U.S.).
Recently, a country is suing the FAO for planting an invasive tree in
their country.

Suggested reading:
- Whittemore, A.T. 2004. Sawtooth Oak (Quercus Acutissima, Fagaceae) in
North America. Sida, Contributions to Botany. v:21, pp:447-454.
<www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publications.htm?SEQ_NO_115=143169>

- Northeast Forest Experiment Station - publication in the 1970s that
stated that bluejays can advance an oak forest 200 yards/generation (per
Larry Stritch)

-Medicinal Plant Working Group (Patricia De Angelis - USFWS)
   - Planning continues on Sustainable Botanicals 2006, the 3rd Symposium
on Industrial Leadership for the Preservation of Medicinal and Aromatic
Plants, to be held in Salt Lake City, Utah, Feb. 9-11, 2006.  The emphasis
will be on wild-harvest issues, including exploring the realm of the
harvester, traditional collection practices vs. poaching, and public land
management strategies.  More information will soon be available at:
<www.plantconservation.org/mpwgconference/>.

-Native Plant Materials Development (Not in attendance)

-National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (Ellen Lippincott - NFWF)

   - More than 200 pre-proposals were submitted under the Native Plant
Conservation Initiative grant program.  Full proposals will be requested
by mid-October and the recipients will be announced at the next PCA
meeting.
   - Executive Director, John Berry, will leave at the end of September to
head up the National Zoo.  A nationwide search for the new NFWF E.D. is
underway.

-Public Outreach (Not in attendance)

-Restoration Working Group (Not in attendance)

-MOU (Olivia)
   - USGS has almost completed the signature process


Chain Bridge Flats:  The Wildest Place in D.C.?
slide presentation by Larry Morse  (NatureServe)

Unique flora inhabits the flood-scoured riverbank bedrock terrace along
the Potomac River near (and under) the Chain Bridge between Virginia and
D.C., with highlights including:  wild indigo, big bluestem, fringe tree,
prairie redroot (at its type locality), rock grape, Coville's phacelia,
Steele's meadow-rue, and Carolina willow (or Ward's willow).

Next Meeting:  Due to the upcoming PCA Cooperators Conference in St.
Louis, the PCA bimonthly meeting at NatureServe Headquarters is being
rescheduled from November 9th to November 16th.