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permaculture - Re: [permaculture] Exotic Plant Eradication

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  • From: Mark <mpludwig@facstaff.wisc.edu>
  • To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] Exotic Plant Eradication
  • Date: Tue, 13 Aug 2002 10:04:52 -0500

At 09:32 AM 8/10/02 -0500, you wrote:
My response is that, they themselves are exotic species to this continent
and that if exotic plants are the number two cause of species extinction
then surely the number one cause is exotic humans. For starters, at least
half of our agriculture consists of exotic plants including the soy bean
which many vegetarians take some ethical refuge in for eating.

Peripheral IMO to the issue at hand.

What should we address foremost, our behavior or the exotic plants that have
exscape our grasp?

Both, don't fall into the either or trap.

It also seems to me that, the areas hardest hit by all exotic species are
disturbed edges, e.g. road ways, developments butted up to woodlands or
prairies, man made lakes and waterways, etc. It's quite possible, when
looking through another set of lenses that, these exotic plants are the
beginning of natural succession rather than the end of it. I've heard first
hand accounts of red maple, birch and oak coming up under tallow stands.

Simplistic look at the issue. Of course disturbed areas sprout more of this stuff, and other pioneer species. This does not change the fact that many exotics are invading non disturbed areas. Both kinds of land are worth scouting for exotics and managing them.

A frutivery study done in Louisiana also revealed that the tallow tree was
on the top of the list as a food source for birds and more species of birds
ate from tallow than most other trees. How else would it get around so
well?

We're being overrun with buck thorn, honeysuckle, and mulberry in this area with the same method of spread. This is why managing these species is an on going project and quite likely a permanent situation.

So what it comes down to is one's paradigm. How do we regard and treat
other life forms? Do we wage a gene cleansing campaign against "exotic"
plants and usr fossil fuels to push down trees, pull down vines and pay
Monsanto for round-up to apply on Johnson and Bermuda grass? Since the
plants are here do they have the right to stay, as we have surely given
ourselves that right, even though they may cause some species losses?

I'll do it! I think of all the potential labor in prisons or folks on the dole and think we could knock back the worst of the vegetative pests in a decade.

Is
Nature actually using these plants to guide our ecosystems towards greater
stability and diversity?

Heck no! I look at the damage being done to stable, valuable ecosystems and see a call to action, not some blessed green goddess taking care of business. Honestly, these kinds of new agey pie in the sky proclamations are aggravating and dangerous IMO, this is fodder for the complacent and the cheep. Managing exotics is part of paying the rent.

I don't know about others on this list, but my arm gets heavier and heavier
every time I raise it to cut a tree... any tree.


Kirby Fry

Where's my brush ax? Barbarian tree slayers unite!


Mark P. Ludwig
Poultry Research Lab
University of Wisconsin -Madison
608-262-1730 WK
608-846-7125 HM





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