Massachusetts Proposes Ban/Phase-Out of 140+ Plants

Brook Klehm bklehm@comcast.net
Tue, 06 Sep 2005 15:13:26 PDT
Hello All,
	Michael Pollen wrote about this issue in his book, Second Nature.  It 
is an exploration of the concepts of "natural" and "nature" in our 
modern world.  He's a wonderful writer and interesting thinker.  He 
writes about husbanding natural landscapes as they go through extreme 
changes (after hurricanes, tornados, wild fires, etc) so that the bare 
ground that results is not covered by: kudzu, blackberries, broom or 
the like.  He makes it clear that simply  letting "nature take it's 
course" is not a very realistic solution if the landscape is to return 
to any semblance of it's original condition/appearance.  Non native 
plants are so superior in colonizing disturbed places and can create 
conditions that are inimical to the re-establishing flora that is 
"native".  And then he goes ahead and asks, "When was the plant 
introduced?  What makes a plant native?"  It's an interesting 
exploration, especially to those of us who care about native flora and 
belong to organizations that promote native flora.
	I would like to offer more information on the book, but it seems I 
have lent it out.  I'm certain you know how that goes!

Brook


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