Date: Thu, 20 Apr 2000 13:41:17 -0400 From: Prem Subrahmanyam <prems@noblestar.net> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg1199$foo@default> Subject: Re: collecting wild plants
At 04:21 AM 4/20/2000 -0700, Davidogray@aol.com wrote:
>
>
>Hello list,
> I think its high time the issues around the sale of wild collected
> plants
>were discussed here on the list. I realize this thread is a little
>cold, but the questions are still relevant.
>
>The BACPS faced this question some years ago and decided to err on the
>side of caution. We adopted the following resolution on 5-19-96: (
>paraphrased ) "Resolved that : the BACPS is an official associate of
>the ICPS and adheres to its bylaws and conservation policies, and that
>we recognize that plants may be legitimately collected from the wild,
>and that in light of the poor success rate of establishing wild plants
>into cultivation, and that there is no practical means to determine
>with any certainty that collected plants have a legitimate source, it
>is the policy of the BACPS that no wild-collected plants of any
>description will be sold, traded, distributed, or collected at any
>BACPS event, meeting, outing, or though its publications, web sites or
>other organs."
>
>Have other CP societies around the world addressed the question? We
>don't include seeds in this resolution; has anyone else? Have any CP
>groups tried to stop habitat destruction directly?
>
I'm curious where this would leave CP's that were collected as a
preservational measure? For instance, here in Florida, we're
experiencing our third year of drought...not that we haven't had any
rain, but rainfall amounts have been consistently below normal for three
years. As a result, some of the barely-wet-but-normally-ok places where
some Sarracenia (and some Cleistes orchids) grow have nearly dried up
and the sand turned to powder. I could not stand to watch those poor
little Sar's wilt by the roadside and have removed plants in the driest
of places in that area last year and established them in cultivation
(many of those plants are about to flower)...hopefully, once conditions
return to normal, rainfall-wise, I can return them to their original
homes.
There are also extreme developmental pressures along the Gulf Coast
region of Florida (and probably other Gulf and Atlantic coastal areas)...
there was the case recently where someone rescued a number of Sar.
flava from the bulldozer's blade and had extras up for auction on e-bay.
In both these types of cases, I'd much rather see wild collecting than
watch these plants needlessly die due to some "ethical agreement" that it
is always wrong to collect wild plants. OTOH, I agree that the casual
(or commercial) pillaging of thriving populations of wild plants should
be curtailed.
--> Prem
===================================================================
Prem Subrahmanyam <prems@noblestar.net> or <prems@nettally.com>
- Animator, programmer, and orchid and fossil nut extraordinaire...
- DNRC Title: Minister of Lightwave 3d Plugin Design Foolishness
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"We in our foolishness thought we were wise
He played the fool and He opened our eyes
We in our weakness believed we were strong
He became nothing to show we were wrong."
"God's Own Fool" - Michael Card
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