[PCA] "Native plant" definitions ?

Wed Jun 28 10:36:53 CDT 2006

The line between "native" and "invasive" can sometimes get blurry.  As one
example, consider Rosa rugosa Thunb.  It is native to Japan, and was imported
into New England as an exotic garden plant about 150 years ago.  Since then,
it has escaped from cultivation and established itself so thoroughly along
beaches in New England that it is considered by most people to be part of the
native flora, since no one living today has any memory of a time when it
wasn't present in abundance.  The National Park Service even considers it
native and warns people not to disturb it, because it is part of the "native"
flora!  How long ago does a plant need to have arrived to be considered
"native"?

Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud.,  (Syn.: Phragmites communes
Trin.;  Phragmites vulgaris B.S.P.) is so widely distributed that it is
difficult to discern to what region it may be "native".  

Cocos nucifera L. is probably native to the Indian Ocean region, but now so
widely distributed that the term "native" has little meaning.

These are just three examples, among many others possible to cite, of how
tricky it can be to say what is "native".  In the case of recent arrivals the
question is not difficult, but when introductions have occurred hundreds or
thousands of years ago the answers are usually not so clear.

I hope this is helpful.

CB

Dr. J. Christopher Brown, Botanist

US Army Corps of Engineers, New Orleans District

USACE-MVN-PM-RP, Room 363

P.O. Box 60267

New Orleans, LA  70160-0267

Voice phone:  504-862-2508

Fax:  504-862-2088

email:  christopher.brown at mvn02.usace.army.mil

-----Original Message-----
From: native-plants-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org
[mailto:native-plants-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org] On Behalf Of Emily
Roberson
Sent: Tuesday, June 27, 2006 3:58 PM
To: 'Craig Dremann'; native-plants at lists.plantconservation.org
Subject: Re: [PCA] "Native plant" definitions ?

Native Plant Conservation Campaign folks and others: 

This is very important right now because the Forest Service has a draft

policy on revegetation with native plants out for comment right now. 

The proposed definition of "genetically appropriate" plants for revegetation

and restoration projects is somewhat problematic or at least could use some

refining. Their definition of "native" also needs review.

Any comments or definitions of "native", "local native" or anything related

would be VERY helpful. I am interested not just in agency definition but

also in scientific definitions, native plant organization definitions, etc. 

THANK YOU! 

======================================

Draft policy attached FYI. Comments are due by 7/25. 

Here are the definitions:

Genetically appropriate. 

A plant adapted to target site conditions (e.g., has good establishment,

vigor, and reproductive capabilities); sufficiently diverse to respond and

adapt to changing climates and environment conditions; unlikely to cause

genetic contamination and undermine

local adaptations, community interactions, and function of resident native

species within the

ecosystem; unlikely to become (unnaturally or inappropriately) invasive and

displace other

native species; unlikely to be a source of non-native invasive pathogens;

likely to maintain

critical connections with pollinators.

Native plant. 

All indigenous, terrestrial, and aquatic plant species that evolved

naturally in an

ecosystem.

Emily

____________________________

Emily B. Roberson, Ph.D.

Director

Native Plant Conservation Campaign

A Program of the Center for Biological Diversity

PMB 151 (not p.o.b) 

1459 18th St. 

San Francisco, CA 94107

Phone: 415 970 0394 

Email:  eroberson at biologicaldiversity.org 

Web:   http://www.plantsocieties.org 

          www.biologicaldiversity.org 

The mission of the NPCC is to promote appreciation and conservation of

native plant species and communities through collaboration, education, law,

policy, land use and management.

.

-----Original Message-----

From: apwg-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org

[mailto:apwg-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org] On Behalf Of Craig Dremann

Sent: Tuesday, June 27, 2006 9:07 AM

To: apwg at lists.plantconservation.org

Cc: rwg at lists.plantconservation.org

Subject: [APWG] "Native plant" definitions of government agencies?

Dear All,

Government land management agencies write manuals and definitions for

the work they do.

The US Forest Service manual has a definition for "native plants", to

differentiate the native plants from the exotic plants.

Andrew Kratz, a Forest Service Regional Botanist in Colorado and I were

having a discussion about the Forest Service's current definition of

"native plant", which follows:

"All indigenous, terrestrial, and aquatic plant species that evolved

naturally in an ecosystem." (FSM 2070.5)

Unfortunately, at first glance, the sentence looks correct, but has

numerous errors in it.   We are suggesting a rewrite, as follows:

"The indigenous plant species of a particular area, both aquatic and

terrestrial, that are natural members of the local ecosystem."

Are there any other government agency definitions of "native plant" out

there?

Sincerely,  Craig Dremann (650) 325-7333

_______________________________________________

PCA's Alien Plant Working Group mailing list

APWG at lists.plantconservation.org

http://lists.plantconservation.org/mailman/listinfo/apwg_lists.plantconserva

tion.org

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Any requests, advice or opinions posted to this list reflect ONLY the

opinion of the individual posting the message.

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