[PCA] TV: David Mizejewski on the Today Show

Fri Jul 16 13:44:22 CDT 2004

Hi Robert,

I read your previous posting with interest and was glad to hear the
other side of the story.  However, I do feel that both pro's and con's
exist on the issue of growing native plants in the garden.  

If it were not for the horticultural world and its widespread promotion
of native plants and sustainable gardening, people may not even be aware
that such wonders of the natural world exist.  This should be viewed as
a means of promoting the fractionalized natural world to the average
green thumb who might become active in plant/natural areas conservation
once they are turned on to the benefits of these plants.  Sometimes it
takes people time to see it for themselves before they jump on board.
The promotion of native plants (regardless of their range) is opening
eyes and ears in many areas and allows people a chance to appreciate
these items for themselves.

I have been involved in the struggle you describe, not knowing if it was
planted here or if it is an escape.  Many states Department's of
Transportation are installing native plantings along roadways, some not
always with plants indigenous to the area.  This provides a serious
problem but to me appears different than that of the home garden.

I wouldn't smack at home gardener's "naïve" enthusiasm.  I would be
fortunate that at least an enthusiasm exists on behalf of native plant
conservation.  To tap that enthusiasm wouldn't it be beneficial to team
up with a marketing program or contact a nursery and distribute
information about native plant conservation?  Perhaps you could promote
these plants in the nursery with information about where to look for
them or find them.  What if you were to promote native plant
conservation through seminars? You could encourage people who grow them
to come appreciate them in the wild and participate in their
conservation.  As a garden writer I find that people can have their mind
juggled with alarming statistics.  Present your side of the story as
these plants are in serious need of our attention.  Explain the
horrifying events of the last 100 years that have drastically changed
our native landscape.  Instill a passion in people to get up and move
forward with conservation by networking.  True, not all people will
respond to this type of thing or perhaps any of the tactics I have
briefly described but wouldn't it be worth a shot?  What of these types
of things are you doing already?

I feel that the wildlife gardening business has some growth to do
towards your side of the spectrum.  I also feel that if plants are to be
destroyed in their wild habitat (sorry a little off topic), what harm is
it to have them in a planting at a public garden facility or in a
discerning gardener's backyard?  At least we have saved a piece of the
diversity somehow.

Thank you for your email and I look forward to seeing what other
discussions this could bring up.  Please don't feel offended, I am just
offering another side of the coin and my opinion.  Thanks again.

Botanically,

Kelly D. Norris
Master Gardener/Freelance Writer
Bedford, Iowa USA
Zone 4b/5a
www.rainbowfarms.net
Newsletter Editor: Iowa Bluebird Conservationists, Dwarf Iris Society

The love of knowledge is a sort of madness.
C. S. Lewis, Out of the Silent Planet

-----Original Message-----
From: native-plants-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org
[mailto:native-plants-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org] On Behalf Of
Robert Dana
Sent: Friday, July 16, 2004 11:56 AM
To: native-plants at lists.plantconservation.org;
plant at plantconservation.org
Subject: Re: [PCA] TV: David Mizejewski on the Today Show

Call me a grinch, but I'm having a hard time understanding why anyone
thinks that gardening has much to do with conservation. Most gardens
will last only so long as people keep them going--without continuing
maintenance they will quickly be taken over by the numerous exotic
"weeds" that are so comfortable in human-dominated landscapes. In their
often naive enthusiasm (abetted by commercial vendors) folks are
planting "natives" helter skelter, even well outside their natural
ranges. This creates problems for us trying to conserve the plants where
they naturally occur as it becomes more difficult to deal with the
challenge of demonstrating that the  occurrence is really natural and
not a garden escape (or an intentional planting). There is also the
specious challenge that since we can plant things why worry about
conserving natural habitats anyway. People rarely have any idea what a
tiny fraction of the species richness of natural communities is present
in gardens (or "restorations"). In my view, the whole wildlife gardening
business just diverts energy from what we really need to be doing for
conservation. 

I'll be interested to see whether these issues get any discussion in
the book.

Oh, good luck, Dave!

Robert

*************************************************************
Robert Dana, Ph.D.
MN DNR
Natural Heritage and Nongame Research Program
500 Lafayette Rd, Box 25
St. Paul, MN 55155
651 297-2367
Email: robert.dana at dnr.state.mn.us
*************************************************************

>>> Plant Conservation <plant at plantconservation.org> 7/16/04 10:40:07
AM >>>
Just FYI.

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 16 Jul 2004 11:39:55 -0400
From: David Mizejewski <mizejewski at nwf.org>
To: David Mizejewski <Mizejewski at nwf.org>
Subject: Today Show this weekend

Dear Friends and Colleagues - I wanted to let you know that I'm going
to
be making my debut on national television this weekend.  I'll be
appearing on the weekend edition of the Today Show this Sunday (7/18)
between 8:30-9 a.m. to promote my book and National Wildlife
Federation's Backyard Wildlife Habitat program.

The book is called "Attracting Birds, Butterflies and Other Backyard
Wildlife."  It's all about sustainable gardening, native plants, and
of
course all of the cool critters (not just birds and butterflies) that
can share your yard.  Check it out on NWF's bookstore at the URL below
(it's also available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble).

https://m1.buysub.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId
=10701&storeId=10701&productId=14713&langId=-1&parentCategoryId=10067&to
pCategoryId=10066

Wish me luck!

Dave

******************************************
Backyard Wildlife Habitat Program
******************************************
David Mizejewski
National Wildlife Federation
11100 Wildlife Center Drive
Reston, VA 20190
(703) 438-6499
fax 703-438-6468
www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat 

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