Hello all.
In a previous posting, I described a few wetlands I visited in the US
gulf coast and Southeastern piedmont. Preparing for this trip and travelling
through these locations was disheartening. Many people asked me to collect
plants for them---but even though I told them I was visiting almost
exclusively Nature Conservancy Preserves or valuable protected sites, many
(but not all) persisted. Furthermore, the places that are well known by
CPers often showed symptoms of collection, while places not publicized had
more plants, and fewer indications of abuse.
This is all very saddening. It seems that there is a major contingent of
CPers out there that are morally bankrupt or at least unaware. I suspect
that with time, perhaps I am becoming more concerned with the status of
plants in the wild and less concerned with my own collection, and perhaps
I am diverging from the attitudes of CPers at large. I suspect that CPers
may be conservationists second, and horticulturist/collectors first. This
disappoints me.
I would like to think I am wrong, but I had the opportunity to meet with
another CPer, aprominent name in the CP trade, and we told war stories that
reinforced this belief in both of us. I do not pretend to be perfect or
free of sin, but I will have to rethink my position and the role I play in
the CPer community. Hmph.
Deflated in the Desert
Barry