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worrisome news item

From the news item, it seems that Dunne, a seed producer, is concerned in 
part about the U.S. government awarding five million dollars to other seed 
producers to grow local strains of native grass species in commercial 
quantities to plant on public land.B B  As a taxpayer, I amB B  happy to support 
this venture, especially compared to certain other federal programs that are 
collectively costing billions.B B B B  

If Dunne wants to demonstrate the ability of Arriba grass to fight off 
invasives, support a diversity of wildlife, control erosion, etc., I'll bet 
he can find a way to plant a demonstration project.B  As has been pointed out, 
there are millions of acres of degraded land out west.B B  

To me, it would be nice if some of that degraded western land could be 
planted to something approximating what it used to have.B  I'm glad that a 
federal multi-agency effort is being made to do so.B B  It seems premature to 
declare that effort a failure when, as Dunne himself pointed out, some of the 
native grass strains have not been produced in commercial quantities 
before.B B  

Furthermore, isn't trying to ensure the future of genetically-local strains 
of native grasses, on at least some land, worth doing for conservation and 
heritage reasons?B B  Considerable effort (though not enough, in my opinion) is 
being made to ensure the future of the remaining local strains of salmon. 

Genetic arguments can be interesting.B B  A century and a half ago, It could 
perhaps have theoretically been argued that replacing the native reed 
canarygrass in North America with more vigorous European cultivars of the 
same species would be a great idea, on the grounds that the genetics of the 
European cultivars would be better adapted to tough it out here under the 
changed conditions that followed European settlement.B B  Now, as far as I 
know, that replacement has largely occurred, and the genetics of the European 
cultivars have mostly taken over.B B  I am less than thrilled by the results.B  

B  
Cindy Hildebrand
grantridge@aol.com
Ames, IA B 50010

"Perhaps we need the snow to really see the colorsb&And it simplifies the 
world around us, hides the confusing clutter, the distractions.   With less 
to see, we see more and see it clearly.   Who ever admired the glistening 
black of a crow in July?"  (Hal Borland)

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