This is a public-interest archive. Personal data is pseudonymized and retained under GDPR Article 89.

Re: [GWL]:Goldfish/a beautiful bit of nature

Rick -
I appreciate your passion, for both the natural American landscape and for
the water gardens you create and enhance. It's curious, however, that you
include the water hyacinth as an example of something we should work to
remove from our waterways because of its destructive nature. Is it not an
introduced exotic that is still used in virtually every water garden in
America because of its biofiltration capabilities? Water hyacinth probably
cannot be removed from our waterways anymore than we can eradicate kudzu.
After reading Sally Williams' research on non-indigenous fish, the facts
seem clear that goldfish, carp (Koi), and other exotics can have a
devastating effect on the American landscape and waterways. Natives are
displaced and endangered, frog populations are reduced, and other maladies
caused by goldfish and other exotics which breed, expand their home ranges
and live for up to 30 years in the wild. They have the same bad effects that
kudzu has, but they are not as visible.
I've given this much thought, for I love the natural outdoors, and I love my
gardens where I can shed the cares of the day. My small water features sooth
the day's anxieties quicker than anything else in my garden. Where is the
happy medium? Ponders love their fish, but biologists warn about their
damage to the natural environment. Is it OK to displace some native species
out there somewhere to enjoy the benefit of having a beautiful bit of nature
in our own backyards? Do our water gardens have to have fish? If so, are
there native types that are suitable? What should we do, and what should we
recommend that our customers and readers do to be sensitive to both sides of
this issue?
Thanks for keeping this thread alive, Rick. I'd appreciate your perspective
on these issues.
-- 
Larry Maupin
Maupin Photography
Garden Writer/Photographer
Member GWAA
larrymaupin@sbcglobal.net
214/341-3933

> From: R Anderson <wcicrane@sssnet.com>
> Reply-To: Gardenwriters@topica.com
> Date: Mon, 18 Mar 2002 08:08:31 -0500
> To: Gardenwriters@topica.com
> Subject: [GWL]: picking on Goldfish
> 
> I gotta say this. This is one fight I
> would take on. The world is a Global community and we have to get used to
> it. If you want to fight non-naitve species fights, do something about the
> Brazilian pepper Tree in the Everglades, or Kudzo in the South, or the
> spread of pennisetums in certain parts of the country, or water hyacinths
> clogging natural waterways.   But leave my goldfish alone!!

============================================================
We don’t want your money. We’ll settle for 10 seconds of
your time.  Come to fool.com and we’ll show you how to
take control of your finances, lower your debt, and plan
for a retirement the Foolish way.
http://click.topica.com/caaaihCbUrGSSbVSZwBf/TheMotleyFool
============================================================

GWL has searchable archives at: 
http://www.hort.net/lists/gardenwriters/
If you have photos for GWL, send them to gwlphotos@hort.net and they will show up at  http://www.hort.net/lists/gwlphotos/ 
**************************************************

==^================================================================
This email was sent to: topica.com@spamfodder.com

EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?bUrGSS.bVSZwB
Or send an email to: Gardenwriters-unsubscribe@topica.com

T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail!
http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register
==^================================================================
Other Mailing lists | Author Index | Date Index | Subject Index | Thread Index