[PCA] TV: David Mizejewski on the Today Show

[Bruce Sorrie]

Grinches all - I completely agree with Robert, and have thought the same 
way for many years.  Although backyard gardeners may make a small 
difference with local wildlife populations (mostly suburban bird 
species, which are common), I doubt that gardeners can significantly 
impact "wilder" species.  Additionally, there are particularly knotty 
problems with planting native flora in backyards, as Robert has pointed 
to - how is a 22nd century botanist to know that a woodlot population is 
naturally-occurring or originally planted in a nearby yard?  
    To those who suggest that planting additional pops of plants or 
captive breeding of animals is a remedy for declining flora and fauna, I 
say think carefully before you act.  Don't misconstrue my message - I 
applaud efforts to prevent the extinction of species and of disjunct and 
peripheral populations.  No one can say that we'd be better off without 
them in the gene pool.  But backyard gardening and wildlife plantings 
are not comparable to preserving genetic diversity of threatened species.  
    My biggest knock against the practice is the notion that "wildlife 
garden" plants and animals have equal value, or nearly equal value, as 
truly wild ones.  As any zoo animal or potted plant knows, to be a real 
member of a species you must live in natural habitat.   

Bruce A. Sorrie
North Carolina



Robert Dana wrote:

>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&topCategoryId=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 
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
>native-plants mailing list
>native-plants at lists.plantconservation.org 
>http://lists.plantconservation.org/mailman/listinfo/native-plants_lists.plantconservation.org
>
>_______________________________________________
>native-plants mailing list
>native-plants at lists.plantconservation.org
>http://lists.plantconservation.org/mailman/listinfo/native-plants_lists.plantconservation.org
>

-- 






Bruce A. Sorrie
North Carolina Natural Heritage Program
3076 Niagara-Carthage Rd.
Whispering Pines,  NC  28327
910-949-2625
bsorrie at earthlink.net







-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.plantconservation.org/pipermail/native-plants_lists.plantconservation.org/attachments/20040716/ac3a4bae/attachment.html>