And the boundaries are, similarly, not very well defined, and entirely subjective.
Not denying the impact of aggressive invasive exotics of course...it certainly is a complex issue. When trying to write things down I realise how complex it is and my almost complete ignorance of it...
To explain sambiology's comment above: this Project was originally titled, after much head-scratching, to include the word "weeds", since the criterion of inclusion is that the observed species is a plant generally disregarded and destroyed, often in the couse of so-called restoration, whether through weeding or planting.
We check that the tree we are about to cut down is an invasive species, but not so much what we are standing on., eg before digging as hole to plant a tree, or uprooting it to make the area look cared for....and often learn the identity of a locally common native grass or herb only when reading about it in the environmental news after the species has become endangered.
Many plants still nationally common are locally extinct or endangered...and these we are unlikely to be told to watch out for.
With eyes opened to their existence, we can discover and preserve them before they disappear.
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When I worked at a herbarium, one of the volunteers said to me, "'Weed' is botanical racism!" It's stuck with me ever since!
And the boundaries are, similarly, not very well defined, and entirely subjective.
Not denying the impact of aggressive invasive exotics of course...it certainly is a complex issue. When trying to write things down I realise how complex it is and my almost complete ignorance of it...
To explain sambiology's comment above: this Project was originally titled, after much head-scratching, to include the word "weeds", since the criterion of inclusion is that the observed species is a plant generally disregarded and destroyed, often in the couse of so-called restoration, whether through weeding or planting.
We check that the tree we are about to cut down is an invasive species, but not so much what we are standing on., eg before digging as hole to plant a tree, or uprooting it to make the area look cared for....and often learn the identity of a locally common native grass or herb only when reading about it in the environmental news after the species has become endangered.
Many plants still nationally common are locally extinct or endangered...and these we are unlikely to be told to watch out for.
With eyes opened to their existence, we can discover and preserve them before they disappear.
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