[RWG] 48 State Megatransect evaluations may be useful 1997 Megatransect is suggesting a conversion from exotics to natives for roadsides?

[Craig Dremann]

Dear Wayne and All,

Thanks for your kinds words.

After doing over 4,000 miles of Megatransects so far, I believe that
Megatransects are very useful to evaluate several aspects of a
particular area, for Plant Conservation and Weed studies:

1.) How important are the roadside refugia for native grasses and native
forbs.  Should important stretches of roadsides be protected by each
State DOT as "Ecosystem Preserves", especially if the roadsides are the
last refugia in the area for particular species? 

2.) How common or rare are the various North American native grass
species, and which ones might need legal protection, because they are
becoming rare?  

You can see the changes in the native grass understory in the West
between the 1800s and the 1980s-1990s at
http://www.ecoseeds.com/desertgrass.html 
--plus http://cpran.com/ which shows Great Basin Wild Rye about 80%
cover in 1868 and zero% in the 1990s.

3.) Where are the locations of the highest quality ecosystems in a
State, currently not protected--that should be purchased and preserved?  

In Nevada, when you look at the 840 miles I surveyed, in 1997 there were
only 38 miles with pristine native grass conditions, and the droughts in
the last nine years, have probably lowered that few miles even
further.   

4.) Where and what species of roadside weeds are present, and which
species were accidentally introduced and which were intentionally sown?

Megatransects could also offer large-scale views and maybe produce new
concepts on the spread of weeds.

Like in the West, maybe Bromus tectorum, Brassica tournefortii or Yellow
Star thistle are not "invasive" at all---but perhaps only "default"
weeds, just taking advantage of and moving into the empty spaces in the
ecosystem
--spaces that historically were occupied by native species.

I think Megatransects of the local native grasses, conducted in each of
the contiguous 48 States, even 70 mph windshield surveys, could give us
a snapshot at a particular time---of the quality of what is left of the
North American ecosystems.  

If three Ecological Megatransects have already been funded for Africa,
should our beautiful North America continent get at least one?

Sincerely,  Craig Dremann, Redwood City, CA (650) 325-7333