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<title>Center For Biological Diversity NPCC ACTION ALERT: COMMENTS NEEDED BY
AUGUST 24 Forest Service Policy to Use Native Plants in Revegetation</title>
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<div class=Section1>
<p class=MsoAutoSig align=center style='text-align:center'><b><font size=4
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>Center
for Biological Diversity<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig align=center style='text-align:center'><i><font size=4
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;font-style:italic'>NATIVE
PLANT CONSERVATION CAMPAIGN <o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig align=center style='text-align:center'><b><font size=4
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'>**</span></font></b><i><font
size=4 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;font-style:
italic'>ACTION ALERT</span></font></i><b><font size=4 face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;font-weight:bold'> **</span></font></b><o:p></o:p></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3
color=black face=Wingdings><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Wingdings;
color:black'>ÏËÒËÏËÒËÏËÒËÏËÒËÏËÏËÒËÏËÒËÏËÒËÏËÒ</span></font><font size=2
face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=purple face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:purple;text-transform:uppercase'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3
color=purple face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;
color:purple;text-transform:uppercase'>! We need native plant supporters to
speak out ! <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><font size=3
color=purple face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;
color:purple;text-transform:uppercase'>please e mail your support for the new <st1:place
w:st="on">forest</st1:place> service proposal to encourage use of ecologically
appropriate native plants in revegetation and rehabilition projects <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p><b><font size=3 color=purple face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial;color:purple;font-weight:bold'>ACTION: <o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=purple face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:purple'>Several people have
asked for brief talking points for preparing their own comments on the Forest Service
proposed Native Plants Policy.</span></font><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'> Some thoughts are below. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>The Native Plant Conservation Campaign’s comment
letter is also pasted in full in the BACKGROUND section for those wishing for
more detailed information.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>****Comments may be sent
by e mail to <a href="mailto:nativeplant@fs.fed.us"><font color=black><span
style='color:black'>nativeplant@fs.fed.us</span></font></a> and are due by
AUGUST 24.****<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>The Forest Service needs
to hear that we commend the agency for their landmark proposal to use native
plants in these projects (the USFS is the first agency to propose a native
plant policy nationwide) BUT <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.5in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><font
size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:black'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>(i)<font size=1
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></font></span></span></font><![endif]><font size=3 color=black
face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>The definitions
of “native plant” and “genetically appropriate” plant
materials are INADEQUATE in the under the current proposal.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.5in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><font
size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:black'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>(ii)<font size=1
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></font></span></span></font><![endif]><font size=3 color=black
face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>The agency
must select native plant materials based, not on the proposed definitions, but on
the best available scientific definitions of “native” or “genetically
appropriate” <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.5in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><font
size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:black'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>(iii)<font size=1
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></font></span></span></font><![endif]><font size=3 color=black
face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Determinations
of ecological or genetic “appropriateness” of a particular plant
for a particular site or project must be made after thorough scientific review
by qualified and trained journey-level plant scientists<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.5in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><font
size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:black'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>(iv)<font size=1
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></font></span></span></font><![endif]><font size=3 color=black
face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>The Forest
Service must provide sufficient training (based on best available science) to
botanists, plant geneticists and other plant scientists who will be making such
determinations<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.5in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><font
size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:black'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>(v)<font size=1
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></font></span></span></font><![endif]><font size=3 color=black
face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>It may
be helpful for the agency to provide guidance regarding what is NOT “native”
or “genetically appropriate” rather than attempting to create one-size-fits-all
definitions of these terms. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.5in;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo1'><![if !supportLists]><font
size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:black'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>(vi)<font size=1
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></font></span></span></font><![endif]><font size=3 color=black
face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>Finally,
the agency must ensure adequate staffing in botany and plant science programs
so that qualified agency staff are available to participate in revegetation and
rehabilitation planning. Currently the agency is severely understaffing in
botany.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><b><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial;font-weight:bold'>BACKGROUND<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 color=purple face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:purple'>The Forest Service has
proposed new Forest Service Manual (FSM) rules directing that “genetically
appropriate” native plants be used in rehabilitation and revegetation of
areas damaged by fire, roadbuilding, logging or other activities. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 color=purple face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:purple'>The </span></font><font
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'>USFS <font color=purple><span
style='color:purple'>is the first agency to propose a native plant policy at
the national level; however several Forest Service regions including Region 6
(Pacific Northwest), Region 5 (<st1:State w:st="on">California</st1:State>),
and Region 8 (<st1:place w:st="on">Southeast US</st1:place>) already have some
version of this policy. Making the policy uniform across all regions will help
the FS better to work with nurseries and other native plant seed and materials
providers. One of the key benefits of this policy should be a boost to this
already expanding industry. Unlike other activities and industries subsidized
by the Forest Service and other federal agencies, such as livestock grazing,
logging and roadbuilding, encouraging propagation of native plants should be
ecologically beneficial to the public as well as economically beneficial to the
(generally small) nurseries and other businesses involved. </span></font><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 color=purple face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:purple'>The most problematic
section of the policy centers on its definitions of “noxious weed”,
“native plant”, and “genetically appropriate”. The
proposed definitions are inadequate in the policy’s current form. NPCC
has proposed some possible definitions in our comments (see below). However,
because “native plant” and “genetically appropriate”
are extremely difficult – if not impossible – to define correctly
for all species and all ecosystems, we have also proposed that qualified and
trained botanists, familiar with the site and the local flora, are critical to
selecting plant materials that are appropriate for each project. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 color=purple face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:purple'>The Forest Service may
also wish to provide further guidance regarding appropriate native plant
materials in the Forest Service Handbook. Such guidance should be subject to
public review. </span></font><font face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><b><font size=2 color=black face="Courier New"><span
style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black;font-weight:bold'>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~<o:p></o:p></span></font></b></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=purple face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:purple'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=purple face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:purple'>NPCC COMMENTS: <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=purple face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:purple'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=purple face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:purple'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Default><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Native Plant Materials Proposed Directive<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Default><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Rangeland Management Staff, MAIL STOP 1103<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Default><st1:place w:st="on"><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Forest</span></font></st1:place><font
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'> Service, USDA<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Default><st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on"><font size=3
color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>1400 Independence
Avenue, SW.</span></font></st1:address></st1:Street><font face=Arial><span
style='font-family:Arial'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Default><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><font size=3
color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Washington</span></font></st1:City><font
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'>, <st1:State w:st="on">DC</st1:State>
<st1:PostalCode w:st="on">20250</st1:PostalCode></span></font></st1:place><font
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Default><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial'><a href="mailto:nativeplant@fs.fed.us">nativeplant@fs.fed.us</a><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>July 17, 2006<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Re: Proposed Amendment to Forest Service Manual regarding
native plant materials. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>To Whom It May Concern:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>These comments are submitted on behalf of the Native Plant
Conservation Campaign (NPCC) regarding the proposed amendment to Forest Service
Manual (FSM) Chapter 2070 concerning native plant materials (Proposal). <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>The NPCC is a project of the Center for Biological
Diversity. We are a nationwide network of native plant science and conservation
organizations. Currently the NPCC includes 34 affiliate native plant societies,
botanic gardens, museums, and arboreta, representing more than 75,000
scientists and laypersons nationwide. NPCC members rely on National Forests,
other public lands and botanical resources for enjoyment, education, research,
and recreation. NPCC affiliate organizations and their members work closely
with state and federal agencies to manage and conserve native plants and
ecosystems. We provide volunteer labor, botanical expertise and scientific
information to help public and private land managers to conserve our
nation’s unique flora. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>We commend the Forest Service for taking this step towards
the increased use of native plants in revegetation and rehabilitation projects.
Revegetation of damaged areas with local, ecologically appropriate native plants
restores habitat for native fish and wildlife, including threatened,
endangered, sensitive and other rare and imperiled plants and wildlife;
maintains critical ecosystem processes such as hydrologic and fire regimes, and
guards against infestations by exotic noxious weeds, pest, and disease
organisms. Use of native plants can hasten the re-establishment recreation
opportunities for the public. Finally, as the Proposal’s “Objectives”
section states, increased federal use of local native plant materials will
encourage businesses (nurseries, seed producers) that produce such materials
and increase availability of local natives to other agencies and the public. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>All of these are extremely desirable outcomes. Again, we
commend the Forest Service for this step to improve plant selection policy in
this way. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Default><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>However, we do have some concerns about the policy
section of the Proposal:<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Default><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Default style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><font
size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'><span
style='mso-list:Ignore'>1.<font size=1 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></font></span></span></font><![endif]><font face=Arial><span
style='font-family:Arial'>Proposed FSM § 2070.45 states that <st1:place w:st="on">Forest</st1:place>
and Grassland Supervisors may “delegate the authority to use genetically
appropriate native and non-native plant materials in revegetation
projects.” <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Default style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Default style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>This direction fails to designate
criteria or qualifications for staff delegated to decide what plants are
suitable for use. The Proposal should be amended to require that all plant
material decisions should be made by a qualified journey-level (generally
defined in the FSM as GS-11 or higher) botanist or other plant scientist.
Further, all NEPA documents associated with projects using the Proposal should
contain documentation of the facts and reasoning underlying the choice of plant
material. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Default style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Default style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>We also have concerns in the
“Definitions” Section<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Default><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Default style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><i><font
size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial;
font-style:italic'><span style='mso-list:Ignore'>2.<font size=1
face="Times New Roman"><span style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></font></span></span></font></i><![endif]><font face=Arial><span
style='font-family:Arial'>Proposed §2070.5 defines “Genetically
appropriate” as <i><span style='font-style:italic'><o:p></o:p></span></i></span></font></p>
<p class=Default style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Quote style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>“A plant adapted to target
site conditions (e.g., has good establishment, vigor, and reproductive
capabilities); sufficiently diverse to respond and adapt to changing climates
and environment conditions; unlikely to cause genetic contamination and
undermine local adaptations, community interactions, and function of resident
native species within the ecosystem; unlikely to become (unnaturally or
inappropriately) invasive and displace other native species; unlikely to be a
source of non-native invasive pathogens; likely to maintain critical
connections with pollinators.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=Default><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Default style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>This definition should be strengthened.
The proposed definition sets no limits on whether “appropriate
plants” should be considered generally native, much less native to the
project area. This section should (i) refer back to Proposed FSM § 2070.3 to
reinforce the direction that native plants should be preferentially used and
sets limits on when and what type of non-native plants may be used under this
Proposal; and (ii) add language giving preference to “local native
species” (see below for suggested definitions for local native). <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Default><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Default style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><font
size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'><span
style='mso-list:Ignore'>3.<font size=1 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></font></span></span></font><![endif]><font face=Arial><span
style='font-family:Arial'>“Native plant” is defined as “All
indigenous, terrestrial, and aquatic plant species that evolved naturally in an
ecosystem.” <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Default style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Default style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>This should be strengthened to at
least meet the standard set in the February 3, 1999 Presidential Executive
Order: <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Default><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Quote style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>“"Native species"
means, with respect to a particular ecosystem, a species that, other than as a
result of an introduction, historically occurred or currently occurs in that
ecosystem.”<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=Quote style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=Quote style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:normal'>Other definitions under
discussion in the botanical community include<o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=Quote style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=Quote style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>“</span></font></i><font
size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;
color:black'>A plant species that occurs naturally in a particular area where
only the biotic and non-human biotic factors determine its presence and
evolution.</span></font><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>”<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Quote style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=Quote style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>“</span></font></i><font
size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>a particular
species which would have a reasonable probability of existing on a particular
site without any past human intervention. [In this case, the determination of
what constitutes a 'site'] would be the determining factor - it could be a mountain
range or a single bog.</span></font><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>” </span></font><font size=3
face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:normal'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Quote style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:normal'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=Quote style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:normal'>Under the last
definition, site would be one of the factors to be determined by the qualified
botanist referred to above. <o:p></o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=Quote style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:normal'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></i></p>
<p class=Quote style='margin-left:.5in'><i><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:normal'>These definitions
all provide clearer and more specific direction regarding what constitutes
“an ecosystem” under the Proposal. Specifically, all these
definitions limit “native” species to those that occur or would occur
in the “ecosystem” or “site” </span></font></i><font
size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>in the
absence of human intervention</span></font><font size=3 face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;font-style:normal'>.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Default><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Default style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><font
size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'><span
style='mso-list:Ignore'>4.<font size=1 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></font></span></span></font><![endif]><font face=Arial><span
style='font-family:Arial'>Noxious weeds. This definition should be strengthened
to include invasive species listed by state, regional or local Invasive Plant
Councils such as the California Invasive Plant Council, the Florida Exotic Pest
Plant Council, or the federal Plant Conservation Alliance Alien Plant Working
Group. Official state and federal noxious weed lists often do not include all
of the destructive invasive exotic plants that are of concern in a particular
area. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Default><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Default style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:-.5in;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo2'><![if !supportLists]><font
size=2 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:Arial'><span
style='mso-list:Ignore'>5.<font size=1 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font:7.0pt "Times New Roman"'>
</span></font></span></span></font><![endif]><font face=Arial><span
style='font-family:Arial'>Restoration is defined as “Assisting the
recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded, damaged, or destroyed
(including) the re-establishment of the pre-existing biotic integrity in terms
of species composition and community structure.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Default><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Default style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>As above, this should be
strengthened and clarified to promote restoration of ecosystems to conditions
that existed or would exist in the absence of human intervention. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Default><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=Default><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>We submit these comments fully understanding that the
structure, processes or species composition of ecosystems “in the absence
of human intervention” is not always known, in some cases cannot be
known, and that some ecosystem damage prevents restoration to such a condition.
However, scientific review, analysis, and documentation by qualified journey
level botanists and ecologists are needed to determine when full restoration to
pre-intervention condition can be achieved. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 color=black face=Arial><span style='font-size:
12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:black'>We hope these comments are useful. Please
contact me at any time if I or the Native Plant Conservation Campaign can be of
assistance. </span></font><font face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><a name="OLE_LINK2"></a><a name="OLE_LINK1"><font size=3
face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'><img border=0
width=163 height=64 id="_x0000_i1031" src="cid:image002.gif@01C6C074.8DF12BD0"></span></font></a><font
face=Arial><span style='font-family:Arial'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Emily B. Roberson, Ph.D.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Director<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Native Plant Conservation Campaign<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=purple face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:purple'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=purple face=Arial><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial;color:purple'>_______________</span></font><font
size=3 color=purple face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;
color:purple'>_____________<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=purple face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:purple'>Emily B. Roberson,
Ph.D.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=purple face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:purple'>Director<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=purple face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:purple'>Native Plant
Conservation Campaign<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=purple face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:purple'>A Program of the
Center for Biological Diversity<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=purple face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:purple'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=purple face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:purple'>PMB 151 (not p.o.b) <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><st1:Street w:st="on"><st1:address w:st="on"><font
size=3 color=purple face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:
Tahoma;color:purple'>1459 18th St</span></font></st1:address></st1:Street><font
size=3 color=purple face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;
color:purple'>. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on"><font size=3
color=purple face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;
color:purple'>San Francisco</span></font></st1:City><font size=3
color=purple face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;
color:purple'>, <st1:State w:st="on">CA</st1:State> <st1:PostalCode w:st="on">94107</st1:PostalCode></span></font></st1:place><font
size=3 color=purple face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;
color:purple'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=purple face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:purple'>Phone: 415 970 0394 <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=purple face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:purple'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=purple face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:purple'>Email: </span></font><font
color=purple><span style='color:purple'><a
href="eroberson@biologicaldiversity.org"><font size=3 face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>eroberson@biologicaldiversity.org</span></font></a></span></font><font
size=3 color=purple face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;
color:purple'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=purple face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:purple'>Web: </span></font><font
color=purple><span style='color:purple'><a href="http://www.plantsocieties.org/"><font
size=3 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>http://www.plantsocieties.org
</span></font></a></span></font><font size=3 color=purple face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:purple'><o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=purple face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:purple'> </span></font><font
color=purple><span style='color:purple'><a href="www.biologicaldiversity.org"><font
size=3 face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Tahoma'>www.biologicaldiversity.org</span></font></a></span></font><font
size=3 color=purple face=Tahoma><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;
color:purple'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoPlainText><font size=3 color=purple face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:purple'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoAutoSig><font size=3 color=purple face=Tahoma><span
style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Tahoma;color:purple'>The mission of the
NPCC is to promote appreciation and conservation of native plant species and
communities through collaboration, education, law, policy, land use and
management.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p style='margin-left:.5in'><font size=3 face="Times New Roman"><span
style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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