The November 10 issue of the New York Times included an article on various efforts to save and/or preserve plants which are endangered, or are at risk of becoming so, by collecting thousands of seeds. The seeds are then stored under controlled condition in seed banks. The article focused particularly on the Dixon National Tallgrass Prairie Seed Bank at the Chicago Botanic Garden, which is taking part in a Bureau of Land Management project called Seeds of Success. The goal of the project is to collect seeds of the entire flora of the United States, which is a worthwhile endeavor.
However, the suggestion by some scientists to plant endangered pitcher’s thistle – a plant that once thrived along Great Lakes sand dunes – in areas where it has never occurred is troubling. The question is not whether pitcher’s thistle will grow in the new areas, but whether or not the plant will find an appropriate ecological niche in its new home. Surely, if disastrous introductions like kudzu, purple loosestrife and Asian honeysuckle have taught us anything, it is that moving any species into a new range is fraught with potential risks.
Most efforts to save endangered species are laudable. However, any attempt to save that which may be lost by moving it to a place where it has never occurred might be futile at best. At worst, it might open yet another unpleasant Pandora’s Box of unwelcome, unintended consequences.
Whether or not you have read Dr. Douglas Tallamy’s book, Bringing Nature Home, check out the