Helen wrote concerning 'weeds' in natural ecosystems (see below for
full text), and how "... it is natural for species to spread into
each other's territories and often enjoy seeing these 'weeds'
thriving in spite of human efforts to restrain them "
True, species do spread and compete - but humans have changed the
rate extrodinarily and in many cases are introducing species to
places they would never have reached otherwise. As a result, our
activities are drastically changing millions of years of evolution.
The reason that New Zealand has (or had) such fantastic and
unique flora and fauna is because it is geographically separated
from other land masses and therefore the plants and animals evolved
differently. I've heard that over half the 2000 or so vascular
plant species (i.e. not mosses or lichens or algae) in New Zealand
are now introduced species. Many of the worse invaders are
introduced garden plants.
If we allow the spread to continue, we will end up with a world full
of species that are either very tolerant of humans and/or outcompete
every other species. A very unattractive prospect for many of us
who value wilderness and areas that are as uninfluenced by humans as
possilbe. Introduced species are decreasing biodiversity worldwide,
many extinctions have been caused by these biological invasions.
This impoverishment of the worlds flora and fauna is deplorable for
both practical and ethical reasons.
In New Zealand it is still possible to buy exotic garden plants that are known
aggressive 'weeds' (in the ecological sense) at nurseries and garden shops. The
New Zealand Forest and Bird conservation group has just launched an
initiative to encourage nurseries to remove those species from their
inventories. I hope it will be extrodinarily successful.
> In New Zealand noxious weeds are often so designated for ecological reasons.
> These are non-indigenous plants which are likely to spread in areas reserved
> for indigenous species and to crowd out, strangle or otherwise diminish
> indigenous species.
>
> I think some of this does need to be controlled but I also tend to feel that
> it is natural for species to spread into each other's territories and often
> enjoy seeing these 'weeds' thriving in spite of human efforts to restrain them.
>
> Humanity has caused faster and more distant intermingling of species. Some
> species may be lost but perhaps interbreeding will enable adaptations to
> environmental changes which are also more drastic because of the activities
> of our species.
Frances Schmechel
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tue Jun 25 20:14:25 1996
via Charon-4.0A-VROOM with IPX id 100.960625211453.416;
From: "Jackie Van Brocklin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Organization: UTA Libraries
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED],
STUDIES IN WOMEN AND ENVIRONMENT <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
X-mailing-list: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Sender: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Reply-to: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
X-archive-with-date: Tue, 25 Jun 1996 21:14:47 CST
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 1996 21:14:47 CST
Subject: Re: lawns
Lawns are a "curse" this time of year (too hot), but what I would
absolutely WANT MOST (had I the choice-I'm a renter) is a "natural"
yard. I have seen some in the "city;" most of them surround a very
contemporary house with probably a landscape architect nearby...
They are mostly varied levels, if not on an actual slope or hill.
"Groundcover" is great - only thing is it sometimes hides some
"critters" you might not want to step on! (heh,heh) My cat would
LOVE a yard like that (and I would, too).
[I, too, HATE the plastic "things" put in yards; I do like a few
artistic additions here and there, but like only natural terra cotta
or stone - hey, I have taste!]
Jackie
>From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tue Jun 25 20:24:19 1996
via Charon-4.0A-VROOM with IPX id 100.960625212445.288;
From: "Jackie Van Brocklin" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Organization: UTA Libraries
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED],
STUDIES IN WOMEN AND ENVIRONMENT <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>,
"STEFANIE S. RIXECKER" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Date: Tue, 25 Jun 1996 21:24:38 CST
Subject: Re: woman out of time etc.
Yes, Jennifer! Thank you for "promoting" push mowers! I started
out using these (as a teenager) and didn't know the difference.
I know the difference now, and as far as I'm concerned, the gas-
powered ones STINK! (literally & figuratively) When jogging, I am
constantly taking alternate routes because someone is mowing - it's
worse than being behind a Mercedes... Frankly, all a push mower
needs is sharpening maybe twice a year - and it is EXCELLENT exercise!
Think about it: it ALWAYS starts!!!
Jackie
>From [EMAIL PROTECTED] Tue Jun 25 22:27:59 1996
; 26 Jun 96 16:25:32 +1200
Date: Wed, 26 Jun 1996 16:24:50 +1200
From: "STEFANIE S. RIXECKER" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Subject: Call for Contributions/fwd
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Organization: Lincoln University
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
------- Forwarded Message Follows -------
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] (Karla Tonella)
***CALL FOR CONTRIBUTIONS***
French Feminisms Web Site
Under Construction
There is currently a dearth of materials on French feminists available on
the information superhighway!!! We believe that the time has come for the
representation of feminist thought and thinkers in virtual reality, and
in the free and wide access of these feminists' materials.
If you have articles, interviews, photographs, biographies, or other
genre of materials pertaining to French feminists (widely interpreted) and
their discourses which you would like to contribute for World Wide Web access,
please contact:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
Any suggestions, comments, or questions can be directed to:
Rita Alfonso <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
You can currently view the first installation, "Nomadic Philosopher: A
Conversation with Rosi Braidotti" by Kathleen O'Grady (1995).
http://www.arcade.uiowa.edu/gw/wstudies/Braidotti/
or
http://www.lib.uiowa.edu/gw/wstudies/Braidotti/
Rita Alfonso
University of Memphis
Memphis, TN 38152
(901) 678-2535
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
*************************************************************
Linda Lopez McAlister, Editor, HYPATIA and Listowner SWIP-L
Dept. of Women's Studies, University of South Florida, Tampa
Tel. 813-974-0982/FAX [EMAIL PROTECTED]
************************************
Stefanie S. Rixecker
Department of Resource Management
Lincoln University, Canterbury
Aotearoa New Zealand
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
************************************
