[PCA] TV: David Mizejewski on the Today Show
Ed Guerrant
ed.guerrant at berrybot.org
Mon Jul 19 17:29:03 CDT 2004
Hi All,
Great conversation! The devil (or angel?) is, of course, in the
details.
I'd like to take a step back and think about what it means for
something to have 'conservation' value. The various points of view
represented so far might not be as far apart as it seems they might be. I
see in this discussion at least two different conservation values being
expressed. One is more biological/ecological, and has to do with whether
the particular native plants in home gardens must directly (and positively)
contribute to the genetic continuity of the species in question: if it
doesn't reduce the extinction risk and/or enhance 'genetic connectedness'
of wild populations, it's not conservation. Another 'conservation value'
is more social, and thus contributes what is perhaps a more indirect (but
not necessarily any less real or valuable) benefit to the genetic
continuity of the species in question. Gardening with natives helps (in my
opinion) a wider public begin to see value in native species that is not
found in non native species or horticultural varieties. Ultimately, our
success in conserving wild species (and by extension the habitats on which
they ultimately depend) rests very much on the degree to which our society
values native species. If we as a society feel that it is important to
conserve biodiversity, I think we have a fighting chance. If society at
large doesn't value biodiversity, then there is precious little we as
conservationists can do to significantly slow the loss now underway.
The gardening with natives phenomenon is potentially of great
value in getting more folks interested in conserving wild diversity, thus
moving society to allocate more resources toward that end. Nevertheless,
and getting back to details, gardening with natives in inappropriate ways
(what are they, and who gets to make the call?) can have serious negative
impacts on the genetic integrity of wild populations.
Cheers, Ed
At 05:29 PM 7/16/2004 -0400, Bruce Sorrie wrote:
>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 n
>>atural 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: <mailto:robert.dana at dnr.state.mn.us>robert.dana at dnr.state.mn.us
>>*************************************************************
>>
>>>>>
>>>>>Plant Conservation
>>>>><mailto:plant at plantconservation.org><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 <mailto:mizejewski at nwf.org><mizejewski at nwf.org>
>>To: David Mizejewski <mailto:Mizejewski at nwf.org><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>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
>><http://www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat>www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>___
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>>
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>>
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>>
>
>
>--
>
>
>
>
>
>
>Bruce A. Sorrie
>North Carolina Natural Heritage Program
>3076 Niagara-Carthage Rd.
>Whispering Pines, NC 28327
>910-949-2625
><mailto:bsorrie at earthlink.net>bsorrie at earthlink.net
>
>
>
>
>
>
>_______________________________________________
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Ed Guerrant PhD, Conservation Director, The Berry Botanic Garden,
11505 SW Summerville Ave., Portland, OR 97219-8309.
phone (503) 636-4112 x 29, FAX (503) 636-7496, e-mail ed.guerrant at berrybot.org
Visit our website at: www.berrybot.org
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