Re: Friendly worms or killer worms???

**G*@aol.com**

Nan,

It was the NY Times that brought this problem to my attention a few years ago 
and there's been quite a bit written about it since (do a Google on 
earthworms forest damage and see what you get!). One learned society concerned is The 
Ecological Society of America. The address below is one of the conferences held.

http://esa.sdsc.edu/snowbird2000.htm

There's a lot of contradictory information floating around on this topic, but 
I haven't followed it up. According to one article there are not many (if 
any) places in New England where there are still native earthworms due to 
competition from European worms. Another article claims there are no native 
earthworms because they were wiped out in the ice age. There's a story here somewhere.

I can't prove it but it seems to me that the layer of leaf litter in the 
forest property my family has owned for 60 years is not as thick as it used to be. 
And the chopped leaf mulch I put down in my garden sure disappears fast. Why 
not discuss this more on the Organic Gardening list?

Sally
_______________________________________________
gardenwriters mailing list
gardenwriters@lists.ibiblio.org
http://lists.ibiblio.org/mailman/listinfo/gardenwriters

GWL has searchable archives at:
http://www.hort.net/lists/gardenwriters

Send photos for GWL to gwlphotos@hort.net to be posted
at: http://www.hort.net/lists/gwlphotos

Post gardening questions/threads to
"Organic-Gardening" <organic-gardening@lists.ibiblio.org>

For GWL website and Wiki, go to
http://www.ibiblio.org/gardenwriters