Thanks for this! I think there's an element of time here too. We can't see where the "invasives" are headed. But more importantly, it takes time to get to know and understand a landscape.
I really appreciate this Kollibri and like the way it is stretching me. My paid work is communications for a local organization that advocates for pollinators through ecological restoration with native planting. Butterflies and moths often need specific native host plants to begin the next generation--Monarchs and Milkweeds being the most well known symbiosis.
I understand all that you write about here--and especially, wholeheartedly agree with the comments about disturbance, chemical -cides, and a focus on just ripping out plants with hatred. I'm also sitting with the dread I feel when I see things like zombie-like Bradford Pear trees popping out before anything else with their white blossoms that smell like rotting flesh and will eventually become stingy dry fruit proliferating in all the disturbed edges. At least Autumn Olive has a nutritious fruit that the birds like. (I'm aware that I'm using harsh language here and examining it because of you!) I also think about the shrinking of the mycorrhizae in woody areas where garlic mustard proliferates and my heart feels squeezed.
On principle I totally agree with what you're saying and hear that it is an attitude shift that we need. It's our fault that ecologies are disrupted, not the plants. My irritation is more with the hubris of people and not with the plants that have found their way into the wastelands we've made and now infiltrate some more delicate areas. In practice, I wonder if an attitude shift is enough to aright the damage we have done? Sitting with it . . . thank you for challenging me!
In San Diego County, where I live, we have a particular problem with invasive grasses. Since the 1950s, almost 60% of our chaparral has been degraded by invasive grass. Elsewhere in California, I’ve seen mile after mile of mountainsides completely converted over to invasive grass.
Where is our trust in Nature? Every imbalance is met with balance - just not on our desired timeline - which is why people resort to drastic measures like pesticides, herbicides, etc. We treat Nature as an enemy, our tactics to dominate Her are war-like, this mindset pervades everything “power fanatics” do. Nature is our greatest Ally and Teacher. If only we would sit at Her table to learn…and share Her bountiful gifts.
I 💚 yr coreopsis story! For me it was talking to ladybugs in the garden!
Thanks for this! I think there's an element of time here too. We can't see where the "invasives" are headed. But more importantly, it takes time to get to know and understand a landscape.
I really appreciate this Kollibri and like the way it is stretching me. My paid work is communications for a local organization that advocates for pollinators through ecological restoration with native planting. Butterflies and moths often need specific native host plants to begin the next generation--Monarchs and Milkweeds being the most well known symbiosis.
I understand all that you write about here--and especially, wholeheartedly agree with the comments about disturbance, chemical -cides, and a focus on just ripping out plants with hatred. I'm also sitting with the dread I feel when I see things like zombie-like Bradford Pear trees popping out before anything else with their white blossoms that smell like rotting flesh and will eventually become stingy dry fruit proliferating in all the disturbed edges. At least Autumn Olive has a nutritious fruit that the birds like. (I'm aware that I'm using harsh language here and examining it because of you!) I also think about the shrinking of the mycorrhizae in woody areas where garlic mustard proliferates and my heart feels squeezed.
On principle I totally agree with what you're saying and hear that it is an attitude shift that we need. It's our fault that ecologies are disrupted, not the plants. My irritation is more with the hubris of people and not with the plants that have found their way into the wastelands we've made and now infiltrate some more delicate areas. In practice, I wonder if an attitude shift is enough to aright the damage we have done? Sitting with it . . . thank you for challenging me!
In San Diego County, where I live, we have a particular problem with invasive grasses. Since the 1950s, almost 60% of our chaparral has been degraded by invasive grass. Elsewhere in California, I’ve seen mile after mile of mountainsides completely converted over to invasive grass.
Where is our trust in Nature? Every imbalance is met with balance - just not on our desired timeline - which is why people resort to drastic measures like pesticides, herbicides, etc. We treat Nature as an enemy, our tactics to dominate Her are war-like, this mindset pervades everything “power fanatics” do. Nature is our greatest Ally and Teacher. If only we would sit at Her table to learn…and share Her bountiful gifts.
I 💚 yr coreopsis story! For me it was talking to ladybugs in the garden!
Your narrative is phukt.