Date: Mon, 3 Apr 2000 14:41:11 -0700 From: "Joseph Kinyon" <jkinyon@CalAcademy.org> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg999$foo@default> Subject: Caution: Rant Crossing and Incendiary Opinions
Rev. Rich.
In a previous posting you wrote:
"Hey Davion,
I realise your joking about the transplants, but we should realise
that this will always cause problems and I have personally
witnessed this at Flatrock in the Royal Nat. Park south of Sydney
(Australia) where Drosera capensis (an invasive African) was
growing in dispersed colonies along the banks of the creek
downstream from the road for about 500 meters. (if the perpetrator
is on the list, your transplant was a success). Its unlikley that all
was removed and this raises the question of how this species will
affect the other Drosera, Utrics and other plants in that habitat, two
Utric of which are restricted to this area and one or two other areas
further north. I also heard some crazy stories (disasters) about
Sarracenia transplants, while in the US. Maybe we should think
twice before attempting such things.
Rev. Rich."
Wow, am I to understand that people who actually care about CP's would
introduce them back into a water shed that they are not native to?
I'd put the "introduction of non-native carnivorous plants into water sheds"
up there with poaching natives out of their habitat until they are extinct.
It is a selfish, egotistical, and pig-headed act.
The moral statements aside, I'd like to offer some advice as a naturalist
and participant in habitat restoration:
STOP DOING IT!!!
The anecdotal and scientific evidence against it is overwhelming.
Non-natives (plants, insects, mammals, etc.) are impacting native
carnivorous plant habitat. It is a form of habitat destruction as
devastating as paving it with a parking lot. It is also an ethic that leads
to the sloppy dispersal of all non-natives and impact on all habitats. It is
the classic example of Pandora's box. I would stop you from planting things
for the same reason I would stop you from stealing plants, because it is a
bad idea. Of course, all plants in cultivation once came from the wild, so
this makes me a hipocrite. I will gladly eat my shoe leather to get this
point across, confident that it is still a valid point even if I am a poor
messenger. Our ability to DESTROY habitat out of vain assumptions of
knowing what is best is still something to rally against in spite of that
hipocrisy. So, before you do it, realize you are spoiling the party here on
Earth for others and we'll get in your face about it.
I've read a lot on the list serve about rights and desires regarding
squirrels and how to do it effectively. Rights are merely a human construct
that we agree to follow. Rights are a concept established by an organism
that benefits in the short term by maintaing their rights (and control over
an other's rights) as the status quo(that would be you and me as human
beans). Animals and plants have rights, like people, because we make laws
that say they do (or you are controlled by a power structure that tells you
what the rights are.) I think when you are observing interactions of humans
and the environment you will find the dominant paradigm is human control (or
desire for it) over nature as a manifest destiny. This is a culturally
based philosophy not shared by all. It is not a power structure that lets
things in conflict with people doing "whatever they damn well please" have
many "rights". You've got a big brain in a big box on a big body. Prove
that you have learned from the past and stop doing things without having to
think whether or not "rights" have been established. Introduction of
"non-natives" is like putting Godzilla in a Shakepeare play. Sure its
interesting for the first act, but the stories are not neccessarily
compatible and the results destructive.
Personally I think we should promote actions that are not destructive. We
should take actions to minimize our impact on all habitats, especially
stressed, rare, or sensitive. We should CAREFULLY weigh the needs of an
animal or plant over our desires without falling back on the self-proving
logic of rights. Enourage the use of non-destructive collection and
advanced propagation. Share more and charge less. If we don't do this, we
will quickly drive some plants into extinction shortly after making them a
commodity for our personal exploitation.
In Short Rev. Rich, I agree with you.
Joseph Kinyon
Marin Headlands
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