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<font size=3>All:<br><br>
I hope to learn a lot from others on these lists about what really
happens when disturbances to ecosystems occur, such as cuts and fills,
other grading and various continuous disturbances to ecosystem stability,
such as periodic regrading, salt and other chemical intrusion, seeding,
particularly of plant species alien to the site, biological colonization
by both indigenous and alien plant and animal species and the effects of
various combinations of such factors. <br><br>
I am particularly interested in variations in long-term phenomena, such
as initial invasion by colonizing species, both indigenous and alien, and
whether or not such effects are "permanent," or
"temporary." That is, while there are certainly trends in
one direction or another, and for varying lengths of time, some perhaps
longer than a human lifetime (not to mention a summer or two of
research), I would like to understand the phenomena in enough detail to
gain some understanding of the principles that drive the phenomena and
trends. <br><br>
Is </font><font face="Times New Roman, Times" size=2>Bromus
tectorum</font><font size=3>, for example, truly advancing, or, perhaps
in the absence or presence of various kinds and combinations of
disturbance, receding? Knowing, for example, whether or not such
species (or, for that matter, any species) advances, recedes, disappears,
or dominates under various conditions might provide truly useful
management and policy data vastly superior to commonly-held and
persistent assumptions based largely on "folk" evidence.
I hasten to add that I don't intend to imply that all folk evidence is
necessarily invalid but much of it, even much of it used by
"professionals" (yikes, even "scientists!") rests on
thin assumptions at best rather than comprehensive, not to say
continuing, "research." <br><br>
That I dare to question some professionals, scientists, and research,
does not, I again hasten to add that I do not condemn all, only those
which are based on thin evidence, or even no evidence at all. It
seems to me that all research has its value. But it also seems to
me that all research has its flaws. <br><br>
But that's not the problem. The problem, it seems to me, is that
too many researchers tend not to point out the flaws with the same vigor
as the good stuff. And, we all tend to favor that research which
favors our own biases. <br><br>
Another problem is that research like Craig's often "don't get no
respect." All research, academic and otherwise, should get the
respect it deserves, not categorical derision or adulation. While
statistical analysis has its value, so do hunches and intuitive
speculations. Opinion wars don't move the ball forward, they merely
serve the egos of those who would like to feel superior by putting
someone else down. But, neither should one have to hesitate to
point out possible flaws without fear of "flame wars" or other
adolescent tantrums. Science is, or should be, simply the quest for
better and better understanding of nature, of truth, no matter how
elusive. <br><br>
Works like Craig's can help give us all a better understanding of the
complex phenomenon of ecosystem function, made even more complex by the
hand, mind, and culture of that ultimate and arrogant egoist, Homo
sapiens sapiens. <br><br>
I hope that Craig's work will be celebrated by his colleagues and other
interested parties. It has enormous potential, and he should be
thanked for his initiative and originality. It's contributions to
the fabric of understanding complex ecological phenomena should be
recognized, and given balanced critical evaluation by his peers and the
community at large. I hope that similar work will be done in the
future. <br><br>
WT<br><br>
At 10:09 AM 9/15/2006, Craig Dremann wrote:<br>
<blockquote type=cite class=cite cite="">Dear Wayne, Bonnie, and
All,<br><br>
Thanks for both of your emails.<br><br>
I hope that the data in my notebooks of the 1997, 3,400 mile<br>
Megatransect may be important for researchers in the future, to know
the<br>
locations of all the native grasses and of the weeds along the
West’s<br>
roadsides at a certain time. <br><br>
The data also indicates where the best natural areas still occured
in<br>
1997, so perhaps some of those areas could be protected for the future?
<br><br>
I am hoping to publish the data and photos as a monograph if there is
a<br>
grant available. Along with the mile-by-mile data, I have
over 100<br>
photos showing the ecological conditions at certain locations, that<br>
could be revisited in any time in the future.<br><br>
Why I call the roads of my Megatransect the "Federal
Highways":<br><br>
1.) Mainly, that's how "Federal highways" are marked on
the maps, as<br>
"US" highways and "Interstates"--separate from the
“State Routes” and<br>
the “County Roads” ---but perhaps more importantly,<br><br>
2.) The intentionally-sown exotics like Crested Wheatgrass, has the<br>
damaging effect of permanently and completely suppressing the local<br>
native grass ecosystems. <br><br>
The miles of those exotics, that I found within the various Federal<br>
highway right-of-ways, I assume were sown during new construction or<br>
widening projects. It is my understanding that the costs of any
seeds<br>
for new construction or widening projects, are usually 100% borne by<br>
FHWA?<br><br>
I'm hoping that in the near future, the FHWA will end funding of any<br>
exotic seeds for new construction or widening projects nationwide,<br>
especially for projects along roadsides that pass through natural<br>
ecosystems, and only fund the use of local native seeds for those areas.
<br><br>
Fortunately, for federally-funded roads that travel through our
National<br>
Park system, the FHWA already does that, and that conversion from
exotic<br>
seeds-to-local-native-seeds may be starting for our National
Forests,<br>
when new construction or widening projects go through the Forests.
<br><br>
When I was conducting my Megatransect in 1997, most of Yellowstone's<br>
roads were being reconstructed with federal funds, and the FHWA
funded<br>
hand-collection of local native seeds from the park, to be sown
along<br>
the graded roadsides, so that the roadside vegetation would exactly<br>
match the park’s, both in native species, and also with the local<br>
genetics.<br><br>
You can see a picture from Yosemite, where local native grass seeds
were<br>
harvested and successfully sown, funded by FHWA, for reconstruction
of<br>
one of that park’s roads in 2000, at<br>
<a href="http://www.ecoseeds.com/yosemite.html" eudora="autourl">
http://www.ecoseeds.com/yosemite.html</a><br><br>
That's one of the exercises from a class for California DOT, “Native<br>
Plants for Roadsides - Grade One - "Introduction to the Innovative
Use<br>
of Local Native Plants for Roadsides, Mitigation Sites and Managing<br>
Public Lands." You can see all the class exercises at<br>
<a href="http://www.ecoseeds.com/workshop.html" eudora="autourl">
http://www.ecoseeds.com/workshop.html</a><br><br>
Fortunately for the roadside native ecosystems of Iowa, the Iowa DOT<br>
over a decade ago, made a commitment to sow local native grasses
within<br>
the Federal Highway right-of-ways, and the Delaware DOT has been<br>
investigating that possibility also.<br><br>
So perhaps the conversion from the sowing of horrible
ecosystem-breaking<br>
exotics along roadsides for FHWA-funded projects, to local native
seeds,<br>
could become a State-by-State process? <br><br>
Sincerely, Craig Dremann, Redwood City, CA (650) 325-7333<br><br>
_______________________________________________<br>
PCA's Restoration Working Group mailing list<br>
RWG@lists.plantconservation.org<br>
<a href="http://lists.plantconservation.org/mailman/listinfo/rwg_lists.plantconservation.org" eudora="autourl">
http://lists.plantconservation.org/mailman/listinfo/rwg_lists.plantconservation.org</a>
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