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permaculture - Re: [permaculture] Exotic Plant Eradication - Holmgren

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  • From: Mark <mpludwig@facstaff.wisc.edu>
  • To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] Exotic Plant Eradication - Holmgren
  • Date: Thu, 15 Aug 2002 15:45:37 -0500

At 03:21 PM 8/14/02 -0400, you wrote:
One man's weed is another man's savior ( like the red clover of Vt. I
mentioned).... Dismissing all exotics as mere "weeds" sounds like the modern
geneticist who dismisses 95 % of our genetic code just because they can't
see what it does (the tonsils/appendix of our day).

I don't believe I have dismissed all exotics. In other posts I have even recommended aggressive invasive species (reed canary grass, black locust) because they fit a function and they can be kept in check. I went around this topic with Dan Heminway a few years back re - multiflora rose, a terrible pest in pastures with no redeeming value that was not better supplied by other plants, even other well adapted roses. To this in my area I would add Canada thistle, leafy spurge, buck thorn trees and honey suckle brush. A few others as well, and attack them with greater of lessor diligence to preserve more valuable species. I certainly do not support the level of effort needed to eradicate very many things.

Until one knows what role the "invader" is playing ecologically, then to
try and eradicate them just because they're out-competing natives seems like
a knee-jerk "gotta do SOMETHING" reaction.

OK, once you have them figured out can we wack um down?

Besides, if they're out-competing natives, it's likely because the
conditions in which the natives thrived have been altered, and guess who
altered them ?
Like the Zen Master says "don't just do something, sit there !"

Not really true IMO, many invaders are simply more vigorous competitors in similar ecological niches.

> From: Mark <mpludwig@facstaff.wisc.edu>
> Reply-To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
> Date: Wed, 14 Aug 2002 10:22:29 -0500
> To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
> Subject: Re: [permaculture] Exotic Plant Eradication - Holmgren
>
> At 08:49 PM 8/13/02 -0400, you wrote:
>> Anyway, for another perspective on the debate, check out the Holmgren
>> article I attached - he talks of "ecosynthesis" - very interesting and very
>> much in keeping with the Gaia theory ( not that we shouldn't and indeed
>> mustn't sometimes chop and drop Mark, just that we should observe the hell
>> out of it first - for more on that perspaective, please read Mollison's
>> inspiration - Mansanobu Fukuoka's "One Straw Revolution" - Nature really is
>> much smarter than us you know...)
>>
>> Claude Genest
>
> I do not doubt that given time to adapt to new species invasion most
> landscapes can reach a good equilibrium. However the current situation
> where the pesky monkey people move dozens of new species into the ecosystem
> and then provide boats, farm machinery, fish hatchery, botanical gardens
> etc to spread them around is simply overwhelming the potential for
> adapting. Like all weed management there is a place for restraint, but
> there is no where near enough effort being made to intervene in places
> where the situation is clear. Small invasions are tolerated until they
> balloon into massive problems. I have seen it many times. Ya'll don't have
> to be chain saw wielders if you don't want to, your all free people, I'm a
> libertarian, do what you will. Don't expect me to just let pass this
> balderdash that weeds aren't really a problem.
> M
>
>
> Mark P. Ludwig
> Poultry Research Lab
> University of Wisconsin -Madison
> 608-262-1730 WK
> 608-846-7125 HM
>
> _______________________________________________
> permaculture mailing list
> permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
> http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/permaculture

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





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