Date: Fri, 19 May 2000 15:49:35 -0700 (PDT) From: Barry Meyers-Rice <bamrice@ucdavis.edu> To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg1592$foo@default> Subject: Important: Help protect Sarracenia oreophila
Hi Folks,
Barry Meyers-Rice here, editor of Carnivorous Plant Newsletter,
publication of the International Carnivorous Plant Society (ICPS).
I work for The Nature Conservancy (TNC), a highly successful land
conservation organization in the USA that works to protect wild lands from
threats such as development.
As a representative of the ICPS, I have been coordinating with TNC
regarding their stewardship of endangered USA carnivorous plants. TNC
staff in Alabama are trying to organize a conference in August or
September that will assemble all the land owners who have property that
contain wild populations of Sarracenia oreophila. This conference will be
done as inexpensively as possible, and will bring together land stewards
to discuss topics such as:
--S. oreophila management actions and results--
*Monitoring and results
*Short and long term population viability
*Restoration and re-introduction programs
*Recovery plans and de-listing
*Searches, inventories
*Ecoregional planning and stewardship
*Interagency cooperation
*Working with horticulturists
This innovative program will be about three days long, and will provide a
unique forum to gather THE MAJOR PLAYERS who will help determine if
Sarracenia oreophila will survive in the long run.
Examples of some of the benefits that could be realized by this meeting:
--Increased understanding on how to manage S. oreophila sites
--Recognition for private land owners to commend them on their maintaining
S. oreophila sites
--Seed distribution to horticulturists (see below)
--Overall increased probability that S. oreophila will remain alive in the
wild.
However, the Alabama office of TNC is extremely poor, with very few
resources. It is seeking donations in order to make this meeting a
reality. I am hoping that on this listserve we can find people who are
willing to donate money. We estimate that $500 will suffice to make this
conference occur. If we don't get this money, the meeting will not occur.
Period.
There is an enormous amount of discussion on this listserve from people
who talk about the need for carnivorous plant conservation in the wild.
This is an opportunity to make an actual difference by a very small
donation. A working group dedicated to managing one of our rarest USA
carnivorous plants would be a invaluable benefit to this plant.
Schedules permitting, I will be attending the conference (out of my own
pocket) as a representative of the ICPS.
In planning discussions with TNC, I discussed the possibility of obtaining
seed samples from all the remaining populations of S. oreophila for
horticulturists. While it would not be wise to reveal the geographic
locations of the plants, the seed samples could be given locational codes
(i.e. Population #07, etc). We have not yet agreed upon the details of
this program, but I mention it as an example of just one of the benefits
that could come out of such a meeting.
In summary, if you want to make this meeting a reality, you must donate to
this important program. A simple contribution to TNC is not enough---it
must be directed towards this S. oreophila management program. If you want
to donate to this program, please contact me directly. If you wish the
donation to be tax deductible, I'm sure it can be arranged.
Thank you for your support of Sarracenia oreophila.
Barry
------------------------
Dr. Barry A. Meyers-Rice
Carnivorous Plant Newsletter
Conservation Coeditor
barry@carnivorousplants.org
http://www.carnivorousplants.org
---------------------
Dr. Barry Meyers-Rice
Assistant Weed Specialist
The Nature Conservancy
bazza@ucdavis.edu
http://tncweeds.ucdavis.edu
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