[PCA] ARTICLE: We do not want to “cure plant blindness” we want to grow plant love

[Melzer, Becky]

I find it interesting that this post has produced so much discussion. The concept presented here, that we need to expand our powers of observation and appreciation, hit a chord with me. The appreciation part of this is especially true because the lack of appreciation for plant communities and biodiversity is what has led to the current state today. Overall, I think the idea of “plant blindness” also only paints one side of the picture. People may not be observing and appreciating plants, but it is also not possible to see what isn’t there. The fact that plants make up more than 50% of federally endangered species and the fact that there are fewer plant communities in open spaces, means that people have less to see and learn from. It is hard to blame folks for not appreciating what they have not regularly been able to see or experience firsthand. Outreach to me also means getting people out of their everyday lives and exposing them to plants in new ways so that they can learn to observe and appreciate what is disappearing.
Thanks,
Becky

From: native-plants <native-plants-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org> On Behalf Of Kennedy, Kathryn L -FS
Sent: Tuesday, August 13, 2019 4:22 PM
To: Grund, Steve <SGrund at paconserve.org>; Prescott, Leah <lprescott at blm.gov>; native-plants at lists.plantconservation.org
Subject: Re: [PCA] ARTICLE: We do not want to “cure plant blindness” we want to grow plant love

The general message “plants for people and people for plants” works for outreach...as I noted to folks earlier plants touch our lives so many ways, that is what folks need to appreciate.  I think the thing to refine here is the right message in the right audience.  We haven’t been good at that generally as botanists and are paying the price.

Still, remember  “plant blindness” is a physiologically limited condition of humans, as Jim Wandersee demonstrated.  We don’t need to revile this described condition, we need to work to expand our powers of observation and appreciation to counteract and correct for it.


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Kathryn Kennedy, PhD
Regional Botanist
Forest Service
Southwestern Region
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Caring for the land and serving people


From: native-plants [mailto:native-plants-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org] On Behalf Of Grund, Steve
Sent: Tuesday, August 13, 2019 2:06 PM
To: Prescott, Leah <lprescott at blm.gov<mailto:lprescott at blm.gov>>; native-plants at lists.plantconservation.org<mailto:native-plants at lists.plantconservation.org>
Subject: Re: [PCA] ARTICLE: We do not want to “cure plant blindness” we want to grow plant love

Sure. The “Plant Blindness” thing seems OK within the botanical community, and humorously catchy, but when it gets out to the general public, it will appear (or perhaps already appears) as if we are looking down at the people not in our clique. Not a good way to reach out to people. “Growing plant love” (not sure that is actually proposed) might also be a put-off to some, being rather romantic, and would be labeled “touchy-feely” by some. Awareness and appreciation might perhaps be more effective positive messages, but I am not coming up with a pithy slogan.

From: native-plants [mailto:native-plants-bounces at lists.plantconservation.org] On Behalf Of Prescott, Leah
Sent: 13 August 2019 11:35
To: listserv
Subject: [PCA] ARTICLE: We do not want to “cure plant blindness” we want to grow plant love

From: Plants, People, Planet New Phytologist Trust
By: Caitlin McDonough MacKenzie, Sara Kuebbing, Rebecca S. Barak, Molly Bletz, Joan Dudney, Bonnie M. McGill, Mallika A. Nocco, Talia Young, Rebecca K. Tonietto
July 18, 2019

"We have a duty to conserve plants for the health of current and future generations. To do that, we, as a community of scientists, need to move plants from the background and into the foreground of people's hearts and minds. Effective movements need a clear, unifying rallying cry. We have made a decision not to use “curing plant blindness” as ours. Instead, we would like to encourage an honest and inclusive discussion about the disenfranchising and exclusionary term 'plant blindness.'"

Read more: https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/ppp3.10062<https://nam03.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fnph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com%2Fdoi%2F10.1002%2Fppp3.10062&data=02%7C01%7CBecky.Melzer%40montgomeryparks.org%7C36c8f17b0f54467dfb8008d7202c7763%7Ca9061e0c24ca4c1cbeff039bb8c05816%7C0%7C0%7C637013247662600762&sdata=HQK7ptonqUWh0zwR%2BUnW8FDParqUvpSvBNBDLCr0fZE%3D&reserved=0>
--
Leah Prescott
Seeds of Success
National Collection Curator (Contractor)
202-912-7232

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