[PCA] Plant Rescue/Salvage across the U.S.

[Olivia Kwong]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Tue, 5 Jun 2007 09:47:52 -0600
From: Paula Perretty <perretty at sonic.net>

Hi,
I worked in the environmental field as a monitor/inspector for large 
linear projects during construction and the afterward 
mitigation/restoration.

I do agree that habitat should not be disturbed in the first place - 
unfortunately this is not realistic, especially with the new eminent 
domain laws and the need to bring water/sewage treatment and the like to 
what seems to be ever growing communities - here and throughout the 
world.

So it all depends on the State (red or blue) County, City, the community, 
stakeholders and the grassroots' groups in that community.

This is my take - you need to be on top of the projects during the 
assessment phase.  Partner with the local Native Plant Society and other 
non-profit organizations.  If they have clout in the community then set 
up a meeting with the owner of the project.  If it's a City, County or 
Federal Project then getting your needs met could be much easier - 
depending on the political atmosphere.  Private developers are not as 
easy to deal with, but some are.  Remember it's all about the bid process 
and money, so ID the plants, birds and animals ahead of time and what 
needs to be done needs to be written in the contract.  Unfortunately, 
when the project is in construction phase, and if they are poorly managed 
or underbid and aren't making $$, the first two things that get 
compromised is safety and environmental requirements - regardless of the 
contract.

It is important to identify the plants that need salvaging - ahead of 
time.  The other two things you need is a partnership with a responsible 
nursery (Circuit Riders in Windsor, CA - a non-profit organization - has 
experience with mitigation/restoration) and a place to put the plants. 
Partnering with the parks department and the local Department of Fish and 
Game as well as the Native Plant Society should be what one needs to find 
the correct habitat.  We worked on a project where we salvaged native 
grasses that were going to be replaced by yet another mall.  We partnered 
with the local state park and installed them with volunteers in an area 
where historically these plants were but were decimated due to non-native 
rooting pigs.  The pigs are gone now, the plants were installed, and they 
are thriving.

I am not a fan of mitigation but it depends on who does the work.  If it 
is just a landscape company that has no idea of the history of the area 
and the native plants they are dealing with, then it is a waste of tax 
payer $$.  I have seen so many restoration/mitigation projects that were 
just a complete failure.  You need to find a company that has an 80% or 
more survival rate.

If you need help or information Rocky Thompson of Circuit Riders, Inc 
(Windsor, CA) might be able to help with many phases of the or direct you 
to an organization that can.  If you are in the CA, OR or states in the 
NW Rocky Thompson might be able to assist - depending on the need - 
please remember that professionals in profit and non-profits would 
probably require compensation for consultation. With large projects the 
cost can be included in the contract and/or be a part of the EIR report. 
Point is it is important to find a reputable environmental company and/or 
a non-profit that knows how to partner with all stakeholders so that the 
project can be a success, the mitigation, restoration, salvage also a 
success.  Better this than the alternative.

Paula

PS - I suspect that the reason that it was considered to dig up the CITES plants is that they weren't ID ahead of time.  The environmental firm probably had a contract for mitigating the destruction of them.  Salvaging them outside the contract protocol probably suggested "collecting" of endangered, clearly illegal.  It would also put the company in a legal pickle for many reasons - one that they might use is litigation - if someone salvaging outside the contractors or environmental company gets hurt on the construction site then they are liable.  It surly is odd, I agree - but this is what was agreed on.  This is why it is important to get all what I wrote about above, clarified and written in the contract before the project begins.  A non-profit that knows the laws, can work with all stake holders, knows when to pull the plants, how to care for them, when and where to install is essential.