Tuesday, June 28, 2005
Victory Isn't Permanent
The ditch is maybe a hundred yards long where it was choked up with Russian Olive (via (you can find out more about this nasty beast at PCA Alien Plant Working Group - Russian-Olive (Elaeagnus angustifolia)) and it is now clear of them.
Until they come back. Because they surely will. Couldn’t get the roots out completely. (No salt cedar here yet, gracias. The old folks tell me the Russian Olives keep them away. Hm.)
Even with gloves and long sleeves the thorns ate me up. Cutting, chopping and burning.
As with Lambert’s tomato theory below, I was reminded of an analogy.
An invasive species is imported from Europe in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s as an “ornamental.” (Smells real good in the summer when it blooms.) It soon spreads to take over all of the native areas it can find and will grow well in, which is just about everywhere. No matter how long and hard you battle it, it always sprouts back up, even right in your own back yard as it plays on every vulnerability of the riparian system.
This is why, I realized suddenly, that it was stupid of me to think that any lasting victory had been won back in the 60’s and 70’s. Of course they would come back and try to choke off the rivers of justice rolling down like mighty waters.
And yet the native species live on, and come back, and we have much to learn from them about survival and retaking what is good and right.
And many ditches to clear. But the local party is slowly but surely coming together around our new chair, and already we are beginning to canvass for ’06 candidates locally, floating names for county commissioners, school boards, etc.
The cottonwoods will return, and offer shade. But it’s hard work and the invasive species are always there, waiting.
Until they come back. Because they surely will. Couldn’t get the roots out completely. (No salt cedar here yet, gracias. The old folks tell me the Russian Olives keep them away. Hm.)
Even with gloves and long sleeves the thorns ate me up. Cutting, chopping and burning.
As with Lambert’s tomato theory below, I was reminded of an analogy.
An invasive species is imported from Europe in the late 1700’s and early 1800’s as an “ornamental.” (Smells real good in the summer when it blooms.) It soon spreads to take over all of the native areas it can find and will grow well in, which is just about everywhere. No matter how long and hard you battle it, it always sprouts back up, even right in your own back yard as it plays on every vulnerability of the riparian system.
This is why, I realized suddenly, that it was stupid of me to think that any lasting victory had been won back in the 60’s and 70’s. Of course they would come back and try to choke off the rivers of justice rolling down like mighty waters.
And yet the native species live on, and come back, and we have much to learn from them about survival and retaking what is good and right.
And many ditches to clear. But the local party is slowly but surely coming together around our new chair, and already we are beginning to canvass for ’06 candidates locally, floating names for county commissioners, school boards, etc.
The cottonwoods will return, and offer shade. But it’s hard work and the invasive species are always there, waiting.
