[PCA] QUESTION: Wildflower Seed Postcards

[Lewis_Gorman at fws.gov]

It would seem that US NPs are only a small part of the issue.  Sources are 
probably much more widespread.  It would seem consumer and retailer 
education could be the most productive.




Steve Erickson <wean at whidbey.net> 
05/01/2007 02:39 PM

To
Lewis_Gorman at fws.gov
cc
Mary_Byrne at blm.gov, apwg at lists.plantconservation.org, 
native-plants at lists.plantconservation.org, 
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Re: [PCA] QUESTION: Wildflower Seed Postcards






Invasives are a world-wide problem and introductions for
horticultural pruposes have been main mechanism of spread.
People come to National Parks from all over the world. Since
selling things in National Parks requires permission from the
landowner - that's us, the people of the United States - why
can't we prohibit this? The mere fact that the sale occurs in
a National Park gives it an imprimature of environmental
desirability. Not just "its okay to do," but actually desirable.
That seems in conflict with the mission of the parks to
educate people. And then, when a naturalist in another part of
the world notices a  new species showing up all over their
neighborhood and tracks it to someone's garden, they get told
that "It's okay, I got these in a US National Park and they
have a great reputation as custodians of nature." 
I don't see any circumstances under which selling seeds in
National Parks is any more desirable than selling animals for
people to take home. 
-Steve Erickson
Frosty Hollow Ecological Restoration

> The uninformed distribution of these seeds is a scary
thought.  If the package highlighted an eco-regional map
where the seeds should only be planted may help.  It seems
that halting the sale would be impossible, but adding planting
information to help halt the seeds adding to the invasive
problem might be a productive tactic.
---------------------------------------------
Frosty Hollow Ecological Restoration
Helping Nature Heal
Box 53
Langley, WA  98260
=======================================

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