<html>
Hi All,<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>Great
conversation! The devil (or angel?) is, of course, in the
details. <br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>I'd like
to take a step back and think about what it means for something to have
'conservation' value. The various points of view represented so far
might not be as far apart as it seems they might be. I see in this
discussion at least two different conservation values being
expressed. One is more biological/ecological, and has to do with
whether the particular native plants in home gardens must directly (and
positively) contribute to the genetic continuity of the species in
question: if it doesn't reduce the extinction risk and/or enhance
'genetic connectedness' of wild populations, it's not conservation.
Another 'conservation value' is more social, and thus contributes what is
perhaps a more indirect (but not necessarily any less real or valuable)
benefit to the genetic continuity of the species in question. Gardening
with natives helps (in my opinion) a wider public begin to see value in
native species that is not found in non native species or horticultural
varieties. Ultimately, our success in conserving wild species (and
by extension the habitats on which they ultimately depend) rests very
much on the degree to which our society values native species. If
we as a society feel that it is important to conserve biodiversity, I
think we have a fighting chance. If society at large doesn't value
biodiversity, then there is precious little we as conservationists can do
to significantly slow the loss now underway.<br>
<x-tab> </x-tab>The
gardening with natives phenomenon is potentially of great value in
getting more folks interested in conserving wild diversity, thus moving
society to allocate more resources toward that end. Nevertheless,
and getting back to details, gardening with natives in inappropriate ways
(what are they, and who gets to make the call?) can have serious negative
impacts on the genetic integrity of wild populations. <br>
<br>
Cheers, Ed<br>
<br>
<br>
At 05:29 PM 7/16/2004 -0400, Bruce Sorrie wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite>Grinches all - I completely agree
with Robert, and have thought the same way for many years. Although
backyard gardeners may make a small difference with local wildlife
populations (mostly suburban bird species, which are common), I doubt
that gardeners can significantly impact "wilder" species.
Additionally, there are particularly knotty problems with planting native
flora in backyards, as Robert has pointed to - how is a 22nd century
botanist to know that a woodlot population is naturally-occurring or
originally planted in a nearby yard? <br>
To those who suggest that planting additional pops of
plants or captive breeding of animals is a remedy for declining flora and
fauna, I say think carefully before you act. Don't misconstrue my
message - I applaud efforts to prevent the <b>extinction</b> of species
and of disjunct and peripheral populations. No one can say that
we'd be better off without them in the gene pool. But backyard
gardening and wildlife plantings are not comparable to preserving genetic
diversity of threatened species. <br>
My biggest knock against the practice is the notion
that "wildlife garden" plants and animals have equal value, or
nearly equal value, as truly wild ones. As any zoo animal or potted
plant knows, to be a real member of a species you must live in natural
habitat. <br>
<br>
Bruce A. Sorrie<br>
North Carolina<br>
<br>
<br>
<br>
Robert Dana wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite><br>
<pre>Call me a grinch, but I'm having a hard time understanding why
anyone
thinks that gardening has much to do with conservation. Most gardens
will last only so long as people keep them going--without continuing
maintenance they will quickly be taken over by the numerous exotic
"weeds" that are so comfortable in human-dominated landscapes.
In their
often naive enthusiasm (abetted by commercial vendors) folks are
planting "natives" helter skelter, even well outside their
natural
ranges. This creates problems for us trying to conserve the plants
where
they naturally occur as it becomes more difficult to deal with the
challenge of demonstrating that the occurrence is really natural
and
not a garden escape (or an intentional planting). There is also the
specious challenge that since we can plant things why worry about
conserving natural habitats anyway. People rarely have any idea what a
tiny fraction of the species richness of n
atural communities is present
in gardens (or "restorations"). In my view, the whole wildlife
gardening
business just diverts energy from what we really need to be doing for
conservation.
I'll be interested to see whether these issues get any discussion in
the book.
Oh, good luck, Dave!
Robert
*************************************************************
Robert Dana, Ph.D.
MN DNR
Natural Heritage and Nongame Research Program
500 Lafayette Rd, Box 25
St. Paul, MN 55155
651 297-2367
Email:
<a href="mailto:robert.dana@dnr.state.mn.us">robert.dana@dnr.state.mn.us</a>
*************************************************************
</pre><font face="Courier New, Courier"></font><blockquote type=cite class=cite cite><blockquote type=cite class=cite cite><blockquote type=cite class=cite cite><br>
<pre>Plant Conservation
<a href="mailto:plant@plantconservation.org"><plant@plantconservation.org></a>
7/16/04 10:40:07
</pre><font face="Courier New, Courier"></font></blockquote></blockquote></blockquote><br>
<pre>AM >>>
Just FYI.
---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 16 Jul 2004 11:39:55 -0400
From: David Mizejewski <a href="mailto:mizejewski@nwf.org"><mizejewski@nwf.org></a>
To: David Mizejewski <a href="mailto:Mizejewski@nwf.org"><Mizejewski@nwf.org></a>
Subject: Today Show this weekend
Dear Friends and Colleagues - I wanted to let you know that I'm going
to
be making my debut on national television this weekend. I'll be
appearing on the weekend edition of the Today Show this Sunday (7/18)
between 8:30-9 a.m. to promote my book and National Wildlife
Federation's Backyard Wildlife Habitat program.
The book is called "Attracting Birds, Butterflies and Other Backyard
Wildlife." It's all about sustainable gardening, native plants, and
of
course all of the cool critters (not just birds and butterflies) that
can share your yard. Check it out on NWF's bookstore at the URL below
(it's also available at Amazon and Barnes and Noble).
<a href="https://m1.buysub.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10701&storeId=10701&productId=14713&langId=-1&parentCategoryId=10067&topCategoryId=10066">https://m1.buysub.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?catalogId=10701&storeId=10701&productId=14713&langId=-1&parentCategoryId=10067&topCategoryId=10066</a>
Wish me luck!
Dave
******************************************
Backyard Wildlife Habitat Program
******************************************
David Mizejewski
National Wildlife Federation
11100 Wildlife Center Drive
Reston, VA 20190
(703) 438-6499
fax 703-438-6468
<a href="http://www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat">www.nwf.org/backyardwildlifehabitat</a>
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</pre><font face="Courier New, Courier"></font></blockquote><br>
<br>
<pre>--
Bruce A. Sorrie
North Carolina Natural Heritage Program
3076 Niagara-Carthage Rd.
Whispering Pines, NC 28327
910-949-2625
<a href="mailto:bsorrie@earthlink.net">bsorrie@earthlink.net</a>
</pre><font face="Courier New, Courier"></font><br>
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<x-sigsep><p></x-sigsep>
Ed Guerrant PhD, Conservation Director, The Berry Botanic Garden, <br>
11505 SW Summerville Ave., Portland, OR 97219-8309. <br>
phone (503) 636-4112 x 29, FAX (503) 636-7496, e-mail ed.guerrant@berrybot.org<br>
Visit our website at: <a href="http://www.berrybot.org/" eudora="autourl">www</a>.berrybot.<a href="http://www.berrybot.org/" eudora="autourl">org</a></html>