[PCA] FW: Draft green building code contains requirements regarding native & invasive plants: Comments due May 14

Tue May 11 08:06:47 CDT 2010

Hi Johnny, That's what I thought! Agree on all points.
-Patricia

Patricia S. De Angelis, Ph.D.
Botanist - Division of Scientific Authority
Chair - Plant Conservation Alliance - Medicinal Plant Working Group
US Fish & Wildlife Service
4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 110
Arlington, VA  22203
703-358-1708 x1753
FAX: 703-358-2276

Promoting sustainable use and conservation of our native medicinal plants.
<www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal>

"Randall, John L" <jrandall at email.unc.edu> 
05/10/2010 04:25 PM

To
"Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov" <Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov>, 
"native-plants at lists.plantconservation.org" 
<native-plants at lists.plantconservation.org>
cc

Subject
RE: [PCA] FW: Draft green building code contains        requirements 
regarding       native & invasive plants:       Comments due May 14

Patricia:  I TRIED to say that all non-natives should be checked against 
an invasives list?  :^)

Steve?s suggestion is a good one, particularly since it would be in line 
with the Sustainable Sites initiative?  But in my opinion, there should 
still be a ?no actual or potentially invasive plants? clause for that 
particular region.   JR

From: native-plants-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org 
[mailto:native-plants-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org] On Behalf Of 
Patricia_DeAngelis at fws.gov
Sent: Monday, May 10, 2010 2:27 PM
To: native-plants at lists.plantconservation.org
Subject: Re: [PCA] FW: Draft green building code contains requirements 
regarding native & invasive plants: Comments due May 14

For the species that are in the database, NatureServe indicates that they 
are non-native. They also have a resource for assessing invasiveness: 

NatureServe's Invasive Species Assessment Protocol: Evaluating Non-Native 
Plants for Their Impact on Biodiversity 
http://www.natureserve.org/getData/plantData.jsp 

Not sure I understand Johnny's comment here: 
"Perhaps it would be possible to include language ?requiring? that any 
non-natives not be listed as invasive by the particular state Exotic Pest 
Plant/Invasive Species Council, Native Plant Society, or whatever group 
manages the state invasive plant list." 

Are you saying all non-natives should be put on an invasive list? or, that 
all non-natives should be checked against an invasives list? 

Thanks, 
Patricia 

Patricia S. De Angelis, Ph.D.
Botanist - Division of Scientific Authority
Chair - Plant Conservation Alliance - Medicinal Plant Working Group
US Fish & Wildlife Service
4401 N. Fairfax Dr., Suite 110
Arlington, VA  22203
703-358-1708 x1753
FAX: 703-358-2276

Promoting sustainable use and conservation of our native medicinal plants.
<www.nps.gov/plants/medicinal>

"Randall, John L" <jrandall at email.unc.edu> 
Sent by: native-plants-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org 
05/10/2010 02:00 PM 

To
"Grund, Steve" <SGrund at paconserve.org>, 
"'native-plants at lists.plantconservation.org'" 
<native-plants at lists.plantconservation.org> 
cc

Subject
Re: [PCA] FW: Draft green building code contains        requirements  
regarding        native & invasive plants: Comments due May 14

I agree with Steve that native plants should not be required, but it 
should be pointed out that if, for example, Lepidopteran host plants are 
desired, then natives are necessary?  There are also, of course, other 
benefits of natives?. 

Perhaps it would be possible to include language ?requiring? that any 
non-natives not be listed as invasive by the particular state Exotic Pest 
Plant/Invasive Species Council, Native Plant Society, or whatever group 
manages the state invasive plant list. 

Johnny 

From: native-plants-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org 
[mailto:native-plants-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org] On Behalf Of 
Grund, Steve
Sent: Monday, May 10, 2010 1:50 PM
To: 'native-plants at lists.plantconservation.org'
Subject: [PCA] FW: Draft green building code contains requirements 
regarding native & invasive plants: Comments due May 14 

I do not think the use of native plants should be a requirement for a 
green building code, but it would be prudent to have high standards for 
avoiding the use of invasives. I don?t think we need to tell people that 
they shouldn?t plant tulips. It would be good to be able to distinguish 
between species like Crocus vernus, which has a long track record and, as 
far as I know (the situation may be different in warmer climates) is not 
invasive, and species like Pennisetum alopecuroides, which has cultivars 
that are turning out to be more invasive than previously reported (we have 
been battling cv. hamlin at our headquarters in Pittsburgh, as I have 
previously reported on the Mid-Atlantic EPPC listserve). 

It would be good to have a protocol for testing taxa that are relatively 
new to horticulture before they are considered to be of low risk for 
invasiveness. I doubt we can prevent the sale of unproven taxa, but we can 
alert conscientious consumers. As individuals, people might want to 
cautiously try some of the newcomers and report on their behavior, but for 
plantings around green buildings, they should not be used unless as part 
of a testing procedure with good safeguards, in my somewhat humble 
opinion. 

Does anyone know of a reliable source that ranks species, like maybe Fagus 
sylvatica for instance, for which we can be confident are NOT invasive? ? 
Steve 

Steve Grund
Botanist
Pennsylvania Natural Heritage Program
Western Pennsylvania Conservancy
800 Waterfront Dr
Pittsburgh, PA  15222
412-586-2350 

From: native-plants-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org 
[mailto:native-plants-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org] On Behalf Of 
SUSAN MCLAUGHLIN
Sent: Sunday, May 09, 2010 8:58 AM
To: vnps-pot at yahoogroups.com; native-plants at lists.plantconservation.org; 
announcements at chesapeakenetwork.org
Subject: [PCA] Draft green building code contains requirements regarding 
native & invasive plants: Comments due May 14 

The International Code Council (ICC), the principal publisher of building 
safety codes  in the U.S., is seeking public comment on their draft 
International Green Construction Code (IGCC). 

IGCC is written in code language and is intended to be used in conjunction 
with jurisdictions? existing building codes.  IGCC sponsors include ICC; 
the American Institute of Architects (AIA); the US Green Building Council; 
the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-conditioning 
Engineers (ASHRAE); ASTM International; and the Illuminating Engineering 
Society (IES). 

Comments on the current version of the code (Public Version 1.0) are due 
Friday, May 14. 

The draft code includes a number of requirements that pertain to the 
selection of plants and management of invasive plant species.  Each of 
these requirements are in Chapter 4,  ?Site Development and Land Use.? 
Specifically, see Sections 402.3.1.3 (under ?Predesign site inventory and 
assessment?),  402.3.3.1.1.3 (under ?Potable water?), 402.3.5.6 (?Invasive 
species?), and 404.2.3 (Heat Island Mitigation/ Shade by trees). 

Additionally, Chapter 2 contains a definition for ?Invasive Plant 
Species.?. 

Some things to consider when reviewing and commenting on the code: 

-- Is the definition for ?Invasive Plant Species? correct?  As written, 
will it be effective in preventing the planting, and encouraging the 
removal, of invasive plant species on building sites in all the regions of 
the U.S.?   
-- Is the establishment phase for water use too long?  Too short? 
-- For shading to achieve heat island mitigation goals, the tree canopy is 
to be measured at five-year canopy growth.  Does this requirement have any 
implications for the selection of trees?  Would a sufficient variety of 
native trees achieve the required canopy layer in 5 years? 
-- With the exception of trees chosen to meet the heat island mitigation 
requirements, IGCC does not require planting of native plants at a site. 
Should it?  If so, should it require that ALL plants be native, or should 
there be a minimum percentage, e.g., require that at least 60% of new 
plantings be native? 
-- The term ?native species? is not used in the document.  Rather, the 
document refers to trees ?that are native to the region and climate zone 
in which the project site is located.?  Should the document use more 
specific terminology?  If so, what terms or definitions should be 
included? 

The draft code and information on the comment process are are available at 
http://www.iccsafe.org/cs/IGCC/Pages/default.aspx . 

Susan McLaughlin Gitlin 
Green Building Program 
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 
Washington, D.C. 
202-566-9760 
work e-mail:  gitlin.susan at epa.gov
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