Ecolog:
Howley makes an excellent point. "Habitats" are not PLACES, but conditions
that permit an organism to survive and reproduce. GARDENING with "native"
plants certainly can preserve germplasm and "create" habitats (or at least
fragments of habitat) for other "native" species, and thus should not be
condemned, but the illusion that because a plant is native to a region or
political unit like a state, does not mean that a given organism will
automatically be suitable for a particular location.
However, site conditions often can be changed (e.g., retention of the
original soil before development and replacement at the proper state of
project completion) to more closely suit INDIGENOUS organisms. Therefore,
effective restoration techniques can be applied to restore species complexes
and even ecosystems, which can then be managed according to project
requirements (just short of wagging the dog off its tail).
WT
----- Original Message -----
From: "Jesse Howley" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>
Sent: Wednesday, April 24, 2013 1:51 PM
Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Arguments for Native Plants
I am a big advocate of native plants, but the argument that natives are
adapted to local soils, climate, etc. is really not right some (if not a
lot) of the time.
In the majority of "landscape" settings, the soils have been remarkably
degraded and even the climate little resembles that in which the natives
evolved sometimes with heat island effects, etc. The unfortunate
conclusions is that in some cases "natives" are actually less well suited
to any given site.
As much as many may not want to admit it, at times the best plant for any
given site might not be native, but rather adapted to an area.
-----Original Message-----
From: Ecological Society of America: grants, jobs, news
[mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Peter Beck
Sent: Wednesday, April 24, 2013 10:03 AM
To: [email protected]
Subject: Re: [ECOLOG-L] Arguments for Native Plants
Also especially important for landscaping purposes, because native plants
have adapted to the local soils and climate, they require less water,
fertilizers, pesticides as well as less pruning and maintenance generally.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Ted Turluck" <[email protected]>
To: [email protected]
Sent: Wednesday, April 24, 2013 9:16:47 AM
Subject: [ECOLOG-L] Arguments for Native Plants
Hello List Members,
I am working with native plants and would like to make sure I have all the
arguments for native plants correct. If I am missing some, please let me
know. My goal is to promote native plants for use in landscaping and
grazing.
Native plants provide habitat and food for native wildlife. This is
particularly important with increasing urban development and the habitat
loss that goes along with development.
Native plants make up a large part of the ecological heritage of an area.
They made up the environment in which the first settlers lived and the
resources they used.
Native plants are less likely to become invasive because the herbivores,
parasites, and pathogens they evolved with are still present.
That is all I have at the moment. Please let me know what other arguments
I need to add or how I can strengthen the ones I already have.
Thanks!
--
Ted Turluck
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