Christopher Scharpf wrote:
>>I think it's called the Dwarf Horse Nettle.
>>
>>
>
>There's probably a reason why this plant is not in the hands of private
>gardeners: It looks just like Solanum carolinense, a common native weed.
>
Actually, that's not the plant I meant. I think the Cahaba Torch is the
one I meant, although I got it's picture confused with the nettle's text.
> <>
> <>Over on the NFC board a few months ago I recall a discussion about the
> Barrens Topminnow, Fundulus julisia. It is found in only three tiny
> little spots now, and many NFC'ers felt that the way to save the species
> was to leave them strictly alone and preserve those three critical
> sites. Breed them in aquaria? No way, they said. Move some around from
> site to site to ensure good gene mixing? Ridiculous!
>
>
>J.R. Shute and Pat Rakes have been breeding F. julisia in aquaria for years,
>and with the help of the Tennessee Aquarium, maintain "ark" populations in
>case of tanker truck accidents and other disasters, both natural and
>anthropogenic.
>
The last I heard, they were not having as much success as you give them.
Does the Aquarium even have them anymore? For all the broodstock they
have, they weren't producing a proportionate number of fry. That's because:
>They also work very hard to keep stock from the various
>spring populations separate while still maintaining genetic variability.
>Truth be told, the work they do with F. julisia and other species -- the
>sheer volume and man-hours involved -- is beyond the means of the average
>home aquarist.
>
>
True, but they're spread too thin. They do a lot more than julisias, and
their julisia production is not as high as it should be. Sure, it's nice
that they're doing what they're doing, but it really sucks that no one
else is allowed to do it as well when they can't do enough. Does that
make any sense? Lots of guys, including many of you, could probably
crank out a lot more julisias than JR simply because they're not too
busy trying to breed tangerine darters and any other of a dozen
labor-intensive species as well. If "they" were really serious about
saving the Barrens Topminnow, they would let other skilled and dedicated
topminnow breeders breed them en masse without all the pompous
circumstance. That's the thing that bugs me the most; the attitude that
CFI is so all-fired great and mighty and the only ones worthy of
undertaking the project while in truth they're not able to do it right
because they're doing more than they can handle, and all because
they're the only ones doing it. ( yes, a couple other guys are doing it
too, but on such a lesser scale it's hardly worth it )
>The Nature Conservancy is not in the business of propagating species.
>They're in the business of buying land and preserving wild places -- as a
>necessary first step in saving not just species, but ecosystems. Are they
>aggressive in their fundraising? You bet! They have to be. But they're no
>more aggressive than the National Rifle Association and other cause
>organizations. Buying real estate is expensive, especially when one has to
>outbid corporations and developers with infinitely deeper pockets.
>
>
I know why they do things this way, and it's okay, really. It's just
that if I got people to give me millions of dollars to buy critical
habitat, but then I bought noncritical land set to appreciate in value
to make a quick profit, such as the land an airport needs for runway
expansion, then I'd bet that someone would be on my case pretty quick.
There's no regulation which says how much of the raised monies has to go
toward their main goal, so they can get away with quite a bit.
>Who would you rather see buy "your" welaka pond, TNC or Wal-Mart?
>
>
Believe it or not, Walmart. Walmart would let us have access. Even if
they drained it, they'd pay to relocate the fish for some good public
relations. TNC would just put a big fence around it, and tell me, the
guy who spawned them, to buzz off because I was unqualified.
*sigh*
Look, TNC's mission is a good one, and that's indisputable. I just don't
like some of the policies involved in carrying out that mission.
>
>
>
>
>
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Actually, that's not the plant I meant. I think the Cahaba Torch is the one I meant, although I got it's picture confused with the nettle's text.I think it's called the Dwarf Horse Nettle.There's probably a reason why this plant is not in the hands of private gardeners: It looks just like Solanum carolinense, a common native weed.
<>The last I heard, they were not having as much success as you give them. Does the Aquarium even have them anymore? For all the broodstock they have, they weren't producing a proportionate number of fry. That's because:
<>Over on the NFC board a few months ago I recall a discussion about the
Barrens Topminnow, Fundulus julisia. It is found in only three tiny
little spots now, and many NFC'ers felt that the way to save the species
was to leave them strictly alone and preserve those three critical
sites. Breed them in aquaria? No way, they said. Move some around from
site to site to ensure good gene mixing? Ridiculous!
J.R. Shute and Pat Rakes have been breeding F. julisia in aquaria for years, and with the help of the Tennessee Aquarium, maintain "ark" populations in case of tanker truck accidents and other disasters, both natural and anthropogenic.
True, but they're spread too thin. They do a lot more than julisias, and their julisia production is not as high as it should be. Sure, it's nice that they're doing what they're doing, but it really sucks that no one else is allowed to do it as well when they can't do enough. Does that make any sense? Lots of guys, including many of you, could probably crank out a lot more julisias than JR simply because they're not too busy trying to breed tangerine darters and any other of a dozen labor-intensive species as well. If "they" were really serious about saving the Barrens Topminnow, they would let other skilled and dedicated topminnow breeders breed them en masse without all the pompous circumstance. That's the thing that bugs me the most; the attitude that CFI is so all-fired great and mighty and the only ones worthy of undertaking the project while in truth they're not able to do it right because they're doing more than they can handle, and all because they're the only ones doing it. ( yes, a couple other guys are doing it too, but on such a lesser scale it's hardly worth it )They also work very hard to keep stock from the various spring populations separate while still maintaining genetic variability. Truth be told, the work they do with F. julisia and other species -- the sheer volume and man-hours involved -- is beyond the means of the average home aquarist.
I know why they do things this way, and it's okay, really. It's just that if I got people to give me millions of dollars to buy critical habitat, but then I bought noncritical land set to appreciate in value to make a quick profit, such as the land an airport needs for runway expansion, then I'd bet that someone would be on my case pretty quick. There's no regulation which says how much of the raised monies has to go toward their main goal, so they can get away with quite a bit.The Nature Conservancy is not in the business of propagating species. They're in the business of buying land and preserving wild places -- as a necessary first step in saving not just species, but ecosystems. Are they aggressive in their fundraising? You bet! They have to be. But they're no more aggressive than the National Rifle Association and other cause organizations. Buying real estate is expensive, especially when one has to outbid corporations and developers with infinitely deeper pockets.
Believe it or not, Walmart. Walmart would let us have access. Even if they drained it, they'd pay to relocate the fish for some good public relations. TNC would just put a big fence around it, and tell me, the guy who spawned them, to buzz off because I was unqualified.Who would you rather see buy "your" welaka pond, TNC or Wal-Mart?
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