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<BODY>Bonnie,<BR><BR>Agree -- if you would like to share with PCA list, send directly to: <A href="mailto:native-plants@lists.plantconservation.org">native-plants@lists.plantconservation.org</A><BR><BR>PCA's feature at D.C. meeting this morning was on I-70 Glenwood Canyon (natives) restoration.<BR><BR>Larry<BR><BR>Larry Morse<BR>Washington, D.C. <BR>larry.morse.dc@earthlink.net<BR>(Larry.E.Morse@LEM-Natural-Diversity.com)<BR>(202)-543-2488<BR>< http://www.lem-natural-diversity.com/ ><BR><BR><BR>> [Original Message]<BR>> From: Harper-Lore, Bonnie <Bonnie.Harper-Lore@fhwa.dot.gov><BR>> To: <larry.morse.dc@earthlink.net><BR>> Date: 7/8/2008 11:08:45 AM<BR>> Subject: RE: Risks of transplants & enhancements<BR>><BR>> Thought-provoking.<BR>> Bottom line...sometimes we have no choice...but need to think about<BR>> consequences in space and time (Rachel Carson paraphrase).<BR>><BR>> 1. Natural area protection....to have even considered the pine<BR>> plantings described, is an example of our not understanding individual<BR>> species' life histories or plant community dynamics well enough to be<BR>> tinkering. <BR>> 2. High costs......did someone have to research this one? Really? Of<BR>> course it is cheaper to preserve rather than create an artificial<BR>> community.<BR>> 3. Value.....we do not have to degrade a natural area in order to<BR>> stablize a dune, a roadside, tailings, etc. There are ground covers<BR>> that can be seeded with native commercial seed. To me, THE ONLY time we<BR>> transplant is when a development, highway, etc. will wipe out a<BR>> population without our help.<BR>> AND THEN we must do so very thoughtfully with the best science we can<BR>> find behind us. Some species are transplantable...others unlikely<BR>> without great care and understanding. Matching the species needs and<BR>> growing conditions as precisely as possible will always be key.<BR>><BR>> Guess I have an opinion about this one!<BR>><BR>> Thanks, Larry, for sharing.<BR>><BR>> P.S. As climate change continues, all bets will be off, based on the<BR>> science you and I know.<BR>><BR>> Happy Tuesday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!<BR>><BR>><BR>> Bonnie<BR>><BR>> -----Original Message-----<BR>> From: Larry Morse [mailto:larry.morse.dc@earthlink.net] <BR>> Sent: Friday, July 04, 2008 12:17 AM<BR>> To: Abi Rome; Alan Whittemore; Alison Dibble; Barb Kirchner; Beth Wells;<BR>> Bill Grafton; Bob Faden; Harper-Lore, Bonnie; Brent Steury; Bruce<BR>> MacBryde; Carmen Josse; Carol Kelloff; Chris Adamson; Chris Lea; Chris<BR>> Partain; Cris Fleming; Dan Sealy; Deblyn Mead; Denny Grossman; Diana<BR>> Morse; Donna Ford-Werntz; Doug Ripley; Eelke Jongejans; Jamie Whitacre;<BR>> Jane Hill; Janet Sullivan; Jean Worthley; Jennifer Swenson (Duke); Joan<BR>> Feely; John Kartesz; John Randall; Julie Moore; Jun Wen; Karen Anderson;<BR>> Karen Redden; Kate McLaughlin; Kelly Gravuer; Lide Wijkeser; Mary Klein;<BR>> Mary Pat Rowan; Meghan Noe Fellows; Nancy Adamson; Pat Ford; Patricia<BR>> DeAngelis; Paul Peterson; Peter Whitney; Rhonda Stewart; Richard Halsey;<BR>> Rob Soreng; Rod Simmons; Rodney Bartgis; Ron_Hiebert; Sally Claggett;<BR>> Sara Tangren; Sherry Adams; slu; Stan Shetler; Steffi Ickert-Bond;<BR>> Stephen Syphax; Steve Young; Terri Killeffer; Terry Bachman; Wendy<BR>> Strahm; Zack Murrell<BR>> Subject: FW: Risks of transplants & enhancements<BR>><BR>> From Adolf Ceska, Botanical Electronic News (BEN):<BR>> ><BR>> > > RISKS OF TRANSPLANTING PLANTS OF NON-NATIVE ORIGIN<BR>> > > AND 'ENHANCEMENT' OF POPULATIONS OF ENDANGERED SPECIES<BR>> > ><BR>> > > From: Zdenek Kaplan et al. [Kaplan@ibot.cas.cz]<BR>> > > <BR>> > > [This is an abbreviated version of the official position of the <BR>> > > Czech Botanical Society - signed by 16 prominent botanists - on the <BR>> > > attempts<BR>> to<BR>> > > 'save' endangered plant species by planting them willy-nilly where<BR>> people<BR>> > > would like to see them growing. This is a free translation of the<BR>> statement<BR>> > > published in the _Bulletin of the Czech Botanical Society_ 42 (2):<BR>> 337-338,<BR>> > > 2007.]<BR>> > ><BR>> > > Since the 19th Century, there have been recorded attempts to<BR>> 'enhance'<BR>> our<BR>> > > flora by planting non-original plants into native plant communities.<BR>><BR>> The<BR>> > > goal of those attempts was to 'enrich' the indigenous flora and make<BR>> them<BR>> > > more similar to the floras of surrounding areas. This activity <BR>> > > results<BR>> not<BR>> > > only in the introduction of new elements into the framework of the<BR>> original<BR>> > > plant communities, but it may also result in negative changes that <BR>> > > we<BR>> are<BR>> > > not able to predict:<BR>> > ><BR>> > > 1) Introduction of alien elements can result in introduction of <BR>> > > alien genetic material to the locality, which can lead to <BR>> > > hybridization with members of the original population, and to <BR>> > > genetic erosion of natural populations. In this way, the original<BR>> gene pool can be destroyed.<BR>> > > Furthermore, the hybridization of alien plants with the original <BR>> > > plant population may lead to new, more vigorous genotypes that may <BR>> > > outcompete<BR>> the<BR>> > > original population that people are trying to preserve.<BR>> > ><BR>> > > 2) With the introduction of new plants, alien plant pathogens can be<BR>><BR>> > > unintentionally introduced. Such an element can lead to elimination<BR>><BR>> > > of<BR>> the<BR>> > > original population. There is also danger in introducing genetic<BR>> material<BR>> > > that might lessen the population's ability to resist possible<BR>> infection.<BR>> > ><BR>> > > 3) New plants placed in a particular locality can lead to the<BR>> disruption of<BR>> > > the competition balance. The introduction can result in the<BR>> disappearance<BR>> > > of the original genotype. In extreme cases, the new genotype can <BR>> > > become weedy and outcompete and replace the original population.<BR>> > ><BR>> > > 4) The intentional introduction of native plants into natural <BR>> > > habitats<BR>> will<BR>> > > impede further studies and hence possible protection of endangered<BR>> plants<BR>> > > based on knowledge of their ecology. Even with good documentation,<BR>> after<BR>> > > some time it is difficult to tell which populations are indigenous <BR>> > > and<BR>> which<BR>> > > are introduced elements. For instance, the repeated planting of<BR>> _Nymphaea_<BR>> > > species [in the Czech Republic] has made it impossible to tell which<BR>> sites<BR>> > > are native and which are the result of intentional plantings.<BR>> > ><BR>> > > The aim of this article is to show to the potential 'Engineers of<BR>> Nature'<BR>> > > the dangers and irreversible damage that can be done by intentional <BR>> > > transplanting into natural vegetation. We are certain that their<BR>> efforts<BR>> > > are well meant; however, it must be remembered that even the road to<BR>> hell is<BR>> > > paved with good intentions.<BR>> ><BR>> > Larry Morse<BR>> > Washington, D.C.<BR>> > larry.morse.dc@earthlink.net<BR>> > (Larry.E.Morse@LEM-Natural-Diversity.com)<BR>> > (202)-543-2488<BR>> > < http://www.lem-natural-diversity.com/ ><BR>><BR>><BR></BODY></HTML>