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Re: [iowa-native-plants] RE: a worrisome news item

RE: [iowa-native-plants] RE: a worrisome news itemJames,

You have given the stock answer, which at one level, I agree with - since I
grow this stuff. But at another level, you didn't answer the question. Lets
assume that there is 150 million acres of "prairie" in the US that everyone
agrees ought to be burned to maintain species diversity. Lets assume that a
single burn in 10 years is adequate - not true but best case. So I need a plan
to burn 15 million acres in the Spring of 2004. So you have a year to plan.
How are you going to do it? How much money? Where are you going to get the
individuals to do the work? How are you going train them? Who is writing the
burn plan, and the follow-up plan? I'll let you use prison labor, but you have
to provide transportation and security. Who is providing the workman comp
insurance and the liability insurance? What is the cost? For acres
burned/year/person, you can use Nature Conservancy data, but any estimates
higher than that have to be documented. I'll even let you use volunteers but
they have to be properly trained and properly equipped. Don't forget the
requirement for back-up for all of the burns. Will that be the local volunteer
fire department? For the most part, they are not trained or equipped to handle
an out-of-control wildfire so factor this in as well.

Anyone that can craft a viable solution will be welcomed with open arms by
USDA/FS/BLM. Until we craft a solution, non-native invasives will continue to
take an ever increasing toll. Until then, I'm willing to consider alternatives
- even ones that go against my prejudices.


Lon
  ----- Original Message -----
  From: James Trager
  To: 'Lon Crosby' ; James Trager ; iowa-native-plants@list.uiowa.edu
  Cc: prairie@hort.net
  Sent: Wednesday, February 19, 2003 9:43 AM
  Subject: RE: [iowa-native-plants] RE: a worrisome news item


  -----Original Message-----
  From: Lon Crosby [l*@starband.net]
  Sent: Tuesday, February 18, 2003 5:18 PM
  To: James Trager; iowa-native-plants@list.uiowa.edu
  Cc: prairie@hort.net
  Subject: Re: [iowa-native-plants] RE: a worrisome news item

  James - Didn't ask you to buy anything. Only asked for an implementable
solution (technically and economically) to a huge problem. The patient is in
the ER on a gurney. Here, throwing up your hands and doing nothing is a
choice. Unfortunately, if you want either perfect information and/or a perfect
solution, the patient is going to die. What do you propose doing?

  (MY REPLY)
  Excellent question, Lon.

  There is already a proposal afoot to resow some of these areas with a
diverse native mix, with which I agree. A problem arises in that some of the
species are not yet available in sufficient quantities for the proposed
acreage. I believe the species mix could be gradually increased by sowing
readily available ones first, and adding others later. Right after the first
management burns 4-5 years after the first plabnting would be a good time to
add additional species, which also allows time for the stocks of seed to be
built up. The proposed 30 species still seems to me like a low number, and I'd
like to see it go higher, over time. I have no problem with demonstrated,
non-invasive, annual species being sowed with the first wave to help create
biomass, structure, soil organic matter, etc. This is often done in tallgrass
plantings with no apparent harm. I admit this is a more expensive approach
than sowing Dunne's low-diversity, easily produced mix, but to me the expense
is worth it in terms of the long term result, and let's not forget that
despite recent events this is still a very rich country.

  I think it's safe to to say that some future attempt to reestablish diverse
native vegetation will be desired, perhaps imposed, even if some other
short-term solution is enacted now.

  As I see it, sowing monoculture of an exotic or improved (i.e., inbred)
native strain may provide a stop-gap to degradation, weed invasion and soil
loss, but such a planting will still require management (burning, appropriate
grazing, perhaps some herbicide treaments), and it will still be desirable to
increase its diversity over time with species that "grew up", evolutionarily
speaking, in the region.

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