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permaculture - Re: [permaculture] Exotic Plant Erradication

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  • From: "Kirby Fry" <peace@totalaccess.net>
  • To: <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] Exotic Plant Erradication
  • Date: Thu, 29 Aug 2002 08:05:38 -0500

Steve,

>> I guess I don't understand this thread. <<

The thread was originally about whether or not we should feel justified
pursuing the eradication of certain plants once they are labled, "exotic /
invasive," or even just "invasive" such as woody brush encroaching on a
traditional grasslands.

When I said 'no exceptions' in a previous post, I meant that invasive exotic
plants should not be an exception to our ethics. If I came across a stand
of Chinese tallow trees encroaching on a Gulf Coast Prairie, which is often
the case, I personally could not justify knocking them down because, "they
don't belong there."

I would maintain that without the massive disturbance of herds of bison, and
to a limited degree fire, we should yield to some of the grasslands of North
America being covered over by woodlands. To resist woody encroachment with
a bull dozer and a fire brand, IMO, is working against Nature.

>> What difference does it make if a plant is exotic or native.
Agriculture is manipulation of natural ecosystems. Permaculture is
cultivated ecology. <<

I would agree, but how do we regard invasive exotics once out of the realm
of agriculture? Then there's range management (a form of agriculture) that
has to deal with woody encroachment all of the time. In Texas, at least,
anyone allowing that juniper and mesquite encroachment is a good thing is
regarded as a pariah.

Del Winager, a Texas historian who documents that Texas was not simply open
grass land, has been called a lone crank by the aggie academics. Savory and
Mollison have been called extremists by the same crowd because they don't
encourage the use of controlled burning and contend that the grasslands are
animal maintained rather than fire maintained.

If I was installing a permaculture right exactly where the tallow trees were
I would save as many tallows as possible, feel just as bad for cutting an
oak as a tallow and probably allow the tallow to co-exist in the
permaculture garden.

>> Give me about a dozen examples of what a farmer would encounter. Let's
talk about land management in terms of 0.5, 2.5, 5, 10, 20, 40, 60, 120,
360, 720, and 1500 acre size farms, OK? <<

Okay, let's look at more examples of when we might have to ponder whether
we're working with or against Nature. I take it you're asking for examples
of organic operations? Please feel free to ad more for discussion. Small
scale (0.5, 2.5, 5):

Snakes are getting in the chicken coup. Do we start killing the snakes or
make the coup snake proof? Cattail are invading small ponds where
commercial water plants are being cultivated. Do we begin systematically
removing the cattail? Johnson grass and Bermuda grass are invading garden
beds all over. Do we try to keep them out?

Medium scale (10, 20, 40, 60, 120, 360): Most of the sorghum, soy and corn
farmers east of Austin till whichever direction poses the fewest turn
arounds. Erosion is staggering. Should they till on contour and / or avoid
tillage all together? The sesbania plant is a legume that invades Texas
rice paddies and the seed is almost the same shape and size as a rice grain,
passing through the sifters. Do we eradicate it around every rice farm?

Dairy and beef operations concentrate manure in lagoons, methane outgassing
is great and ground water contamination common. Should dairy men somehow
counter the gasses and contaminants they release?

Large scale (720, 1,500): Smaller tracts of land are cleared of their
brushy margins and consolidated into ever larger tracts so that machinery
can maneuver and make better progress. Where do we draw the line regarding
uninterrupted field size and how often should we have wind breaks and
wildlife islands?

Mesquite and juniper cover over grazing lands. How much time and energy do
we invest in clearing the brush?


Kirby Fry

For the real scoop on environmental and social justice issues check out the
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