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permaculture - Re: [permaculture] The Effect of Cultivars on Native Species Gene Pools

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  • From: Armed With A Mind Armed With A Mind <armedwithamind@hotmail.com>
  • To: <permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org>, Armed With A Mind Armed With A Mind <armedwithamind@hotmail.com>
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] The Effect of Cultivars on Native Species Gene Pools
  • Date: Mon, 4 Jan 2010 04:50:18 +0000


Jacque said:



> > If you don't do your permaculture thing successfully on your land,
> > what is its alternative fate? I doubt that you have enough land to
> > support
> > your family with "unimproved" native species for food.



I have enough land to do that. The problem is in making enough money to
sustain us using unimproved plants. I know it can be done, I just have to
figure out the best way to go about it using my skills and resources. ( I
wish I knew more about forestry and could afford a portable mill!) I do like
to eat wild foods, and I have had minimal success in marketing some of them.
Unfortunately I’ve found it to be an uphill battle. This may change over time
though if I persist and make a name for myself. I'm not against planting
cultivars altogether. My problem is that I see both sides of this coin as
being about as equally valid as it can get. My moral compass is spiralling...



On the one hand, we are a part of nature so what we do is part of natural
law. On the other, just because we have the power to do something, doesn't
always mean we should. Otherwise, would we have any restraint or conscience?



I've been told, don't worry about it. But if I caused a decimation like what
has happened to red mulberry, or the grapes mentioned in an earlier post, or
any of the countless other examples, I don't know what I'd do. Sure, its not
likely to happen but that doesn't sound good enough for me.



I definetly plan to plant several red mulberry trees. There is one growing on
a neighbours property about 2 km from here. It’s one of my favourite fruits!
I looked into Elaeagnus (silverberry) awhile ago but its not native to my
region as far as I can determine.



Yarrow said:



>>Depends how close your plants are to a wild area. Here in suburbia,
>>anything goes,



Don’t you worry about wind pollination, or animals travelling to other
regions with seed in their belly or on their body? Yes, bees don’t prefer to
travel 2 miles but wind and many birds will go around the world.



>>Also, you could plant the cultivars in the areas closer
to your house, with lots of netting (to prevent birds from creating
hybrids).


The netting is not foolproof, and neither is planting close to the house.
What was that quote in Jurrassic Park... “ Nature Finds a Way” ...something
like that.

I think that I will probably rest at staying away from cultivars that have
native relatives in my province, and sticking to cultivars which I can be
fairly certain won't contaminate the gene pool. Ain't no fig trees round
these parts...

Travis




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  • Re: [permaculture] The Effect of Cultivars on Native Species Gene Pools, Armed With A Mind Armed With A Mind, 01/03/2010

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