[MPWG] White list & invasive plants issues...

Mon Oct 25 19:56:56 CDT 2010

Yes, how do you define native? I would contend that the Panax quinquefolius germplasm wild harvested from the Ozarks and supplied to Bob as part of his Panax genetic collections represents non-native, alien genetic material when planted in as part of Bob's collections in upstate New York. This Ozark Panax germplasm did not evolve in upstate New York. Political boundaries are irrelevant. Similarly, well meaning folks have planted lots of Echinacea purpurea along highways in Northwest Arkansas. Hence, they have planted a native plant to be sure, however the germplasm originated from European horticulture. These plants, while, the same species, are quite different morphologically from the indigenous plant material in this County. I have argued that we should be using propagules from the ACTUAL native plant material. So back to the question what is a native plant? How does one legislate this?

On the issue of Chinese medicinal plants, the fact is East Asia has been the source of horticultural introductions to the West for nearly 200 years. A vast majority of Chinese plants now grown for clinical specialty markets have been in Western horticulture for many decades. They are not new introductions. Many rock garden plants of Asian origin are vicariously Chinese medicinal plants. And it goes both ways. There are many European and N. American plants in Asia and Europe. Lycium chinense grows at the edge of my yard, not-planted, not tamed. Japanese honeysuckle clambers through the understory. Hedera helix is pulled with each weeding of the garden. Perilla frutescens grows where ever it pleases. They are here because they are opportunistic, just like the Sassafras and Juniperus virginiana. They are all here because when this little town of healing springs, Eureka Springs, Arkansas, was "discovered" in 1877, the opportunistic white people clear cut every living woody plant in this forest, turning it into muddy wasteland as quick as they could. It took less than a year for the population to go from zero to 5,000. If we look at the roots of this issue rather than the minutiae of species and where they originate, the problem begins with habitat and plant community destruction, exacerbated by factors like the movie, Bambi which created a couple of generations of Americans who think deer populations are warm fuzzy, eyelash-batting, cuddly creatures which should be "conserved and protected." Bring back the cougar and the wolf. 

How does anyone define what is native, what is alien and what political border can be crossed where and when? How does one regulate or legislate any of this?

Best regards,
Steven Foster
Eureka Springs, Arkansas 

Sent from my iPhone

On Oct 25, 2010, at 12:50 PM, Robert Layton Beyfuss <rlb14 at cornell.edu> wrote:

> Hi Ed
> There is really no good defintion of what a "native" plant is. Native to where? Mexico or Texas? 
> Minnesota or Canada? Northern PA or southern PA? CA or NY? The mountains of NC or the outer banks? This is a big country with lots of different ecosystems that differ as radically from each other as Asian ecosystems do from ours. Native since when? since the glaciers moved stuff around? Since Native Americans moved plants around? since Europeans brought plants with them here in the 1600's? Since temperatures warmed up a couple of degres? should we be prohibited from growing exotic medicinal plants?   The whole native versus exotic argument is xenophobic BS. There are plenty of exotic plants that don't need extra inputs to grow here just fine.
> Requiring people to purchase only native plants is like requiring us to buy only American made goods? Most of our foods are exotic. Should we only eat local "native" food?  The average working class American cannot afford to shop at the local farmers market. They have to shop at Wallmart with 85% Chinese made goods.  Makes no sense at all. Americans used to have freedom to choose what they wanted, now Big Brother chooses for all of us.
> Bob
>   
>  
> From: mpwg-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org [mpwg-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org] On Behalf Of Edward Fletcher [efletcher at skybest.com]
> Sent: Monday, October 25, 2010 12:01 PM
> To: mpwg at lists.plantconservation.org; michael.d.ward at aphis.usda.gov
> Subject: [MPWG] White list & invasive plants issues...
> 
> While I do understand the 'invasive plants' concern, reiterated when I drive through the South and see kudzu climbing over 100' pine trees and choking out acres of plants, I know the horticultural/ornamental market is driving this demand. It has always been the desire to have plants from 'exotic' places rather than 'native' plants in one's landscape. Then even if not invasive, there are inherent problems that come along with this, i.e., extra water in dryer climates, pest issues, diseases, etc.
>  
> So it seems to me a companion list to this 'white list' is a 'native plant list' that is allowed. Many counties and some states only allow or require indigenous plant species to be planted. Bravo, Bravo!!! This makes the most sense to me, then we can still go to the botanical gardens to see exotic plants perhaps.
>  
> Notes to remember: We have invasives that are native also. Many hybrids of native species are available for diversity in the landscape.
> 
> Genuinely,
> Edward J. Fletcher
>  
> -----Original Message-----
> From: "mpwg-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org" <mpwg-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org> 
> Sent: 10/24/2010 3:53 AM 
> To: "mpwg at lists.plantconservation.org" <mpwg at lists.plantconservation.org> 
> Subject: [MPWG] Fwd: 
> 
> 
> 
> "WHITE LIST" OF AUTHORIZED PLANTS (Canada and U.S.)
> The U.S. and Canadian governments are planning to introduce a "white list" of plants that are allowed entry into each country under a joint Canada-USA greenhouse certification program. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) are requesting comments from stakeholders on a proposal to replace the current list of prohibited plants with this new list of allowed plants. What this means is that if a plant is not on the allowed list it cannot enter the U.S. from Canada or vice versa. Many thousands of plants including many herbs will be barred entry under the proposal.
> 
> This change is highly significant for both countries because it appears to be a first attempt to implement a controversal "white list" approach to the control of cross-border plant movement. The proposed "white list" is far more restrictive than the current "black list" of prohibited plants that has been in place since the inception of the binational Greenhouse Certification Program in 1996. The proposed "white list" of allowed plants includes less than 1000 plant genera, out of over 12,600 genera of flowering plants known to man. The current "black list" of prohibited plants has fewer than 100 genera.
> 
> Some suggest that the powerful anti-invasives movement in the U.S. is behind the push to introduce "white lists" of plants that are allowed into the country. While invasives are a problem for both countries, the new list will affect thousands of plants already in the horticultural trade, and will limit the introduction of new plants to gardeners.
> 
> For gardeners, it is worth reflecting a moment on how many new plants that you have enjoyed growing over the past 10-20 years, and how many of them might not have been available to you had this "white list" been in place.
> 
> Gardeners, herbalists, commercial growers, and the gardening and herbal media are encouraged to submit comments.
> 
> The deadline for comments is October 31, 2010.
> 
> United States: Email your comments to Michael D. Ward, Senior Accreditation Projects Manager, USDA-APHIS-PPQ (michael.d.ward at aphis.usda.gov)
> 
> Canada: Email your comments to the CFIA (horticulture at inspection.gc.ca)
> 
> The relevant documents, including the proposed lists of authorized genera and families, are available here.
> 
> -- 
> \_\  RICHTERS HERBS
> / /  Goodwood, ON, L0C 1A0, Canada
> \_\  Tel +1.905.640.6677  Fax +1.905.640.6641
> /_/  http://www.richters.com
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