Ash dieback

[John Kirk]

Hmmm...I disagree Matt.  I think humans have a responsibility to protect native species from non-native invasive species.  I'd rather not spend the time and go into detail.  You get to decide for yourself whether an invasive species that comes to America on a plane or ship is natural.

[Bradley Anderson]

Matthew,

I get in to trouble whenever I say this kind of stuff on a public forum but here goes:

Mankind differs from the other creatures in nature in that we have the capacity to care for nature. We have the ability to alter nature to suit our needs. We also have the ability to screw it up big time.

I think I am correct in saying that the position you have taken is that the best thing we can do to keep from screwing it up is nothing. Your position is valid. But to prove that it is effective would require science and a study of the effects of doing nothing.

So even in your schema there would still be a science of understanding nature and monitoring it. You would still have entomologists and conservation services. In mine there is a science of understanding nature, monitoring and protection of nature through various interventions. And of course that opens up another level of science to make sure that there are no harmful effects from the various means of intervention.

[Jon Wiggett]

The Ash die back here in the UK was introduced to Europe through importing cheap no native Ash from Asia. As this has been caused by humans then something should be done to lessen it's effect. One way that Matt is correct is we could help through doing nothing if we stopped moving so much stuff around the world to save a few pennies in the short term without any thought to possible long term consequences.

Jon

[Mike McGuire]

Hmmm...I disagree Matt.  I think humans have a responsibility to protect native species from non-native invasive species.  I'd rather not spend the time and go into detail.  You get to decide for yourself whether an invasive species that comes to America on a plane or ship is natural.

Our Club started an invasive species program in 2005. We have a 200 acre site formed by the glaciers 12,000 years ago. Our native woodlands featuring a kame, multiple kettles and beech / maple woodlands was starting to get infested with garlic mustard, buckthorn, honeysuckle, multi flora rose you name it.  We have stayed with it to this day and are a model for this control in our state. Its a good fight and worth the effort.