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Warning- diatribe was Re: Opinions please.

Hi Connie,
I don't think this statement gives me much info.  It doesn't tell me what
the exec order is going to be.  I don't recognize the acronym ANLA.
Looking out on my woods, infested with bush honeysuckle and multiflora
rose, in a state where these plants, as well as Euonymus alatus and
fortunei, various species of Rhamnus, and crown vetch, are still sold,
doesn't give me much confidence in the USDA, regional DNRs or the ability
of all nurserys to voluntarily police themselves.  I can open the catalog
of a well known mail order nursery and find for sale alien plants grown
from seed collected within the last 3 years. Sometimes the species
designation is in doubt or missing altogether.  There is no way these
plants could have been evaluated for invasiveness.  This does not strike me
as voluntary responsibility.  We gardeners aren't much better-the owner is
a frequent speaker at gardening symposiums around the country; the owner's
name is considered a draw.
 What do I do?  I don't buy any plants from local nurseries that sell known
local invasives(invasivness varies from place to place).  I am choosy about
mail order sources (crown vetch is invasive everywhere).  I don't plant
non-native, berrying shrubs and trees, and I am very cautious with new
perennials and annuals, deadheading the non natives to avoid spread. There
are a lot of aliens that I am fond of and I do not want to see the stream
of new plants dry up.  I agree we should keep the government out of as much
as possible, but it took me 34 years to recognize the dangers inherent in
invasive flora and in the meantime I planted things I now regret.  I think
it would be great if everyone was aware, responsible, and educated in
issues, but it just ain't so. Some people don't know, some don't care, some
figure their one little plant isn't a problem. As long as people will buy a
plant, and it is legal, someone will sell it, voluntary standards to the
contrary. Perhaps we do need some standards to evaluate invasiveness, and
perhaps they should be required.  I worry; after all, kudzu is just 100
miles from me and moving fast.

Lisa, zone 6 IL
>
>> * The Clinton Administration is preparing an executive order on
>> invasive plant species. ANLA fears the order could erode USDA-
>> APHIS’ autonomy to make plant pest prevention decisions and
>> threaten plant introductions in the nursery industry. ANLA hopes to
>> work with the Weed Science Society of America and the American
>> Assoc. of Botanic Gardens and Arboreta to develop voluntary
>> “standards of conduct” for evaluating invasiveness when introducing
>> plants.
>>
>
>
>
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