March 19, 2006

By Julie Kay Smithson propertyrights@earthlink.net

To borrow nine notorious words from a former president, "It depends on what your definition of 'is' is." In this case, "IS" is "invasive species," but defining this will-o'-the-wisp is like unmasking the Great Oz. When he finally emerged from behind his curtain, the "Great Oz" was anything but "great."

When the truth emerges about "I.S." -- "invasive species" -- it will be anything but the current media and legislative frenzy that would have people think Chicken Little has returned and "The sky is falling!"

What, then, actually is "I.S.?" The truth points more to smoke and mirrors than fact. Noxious weeds (or nuisance species) have been around for eons. They are noxious by definition, due to being a health risk and/or causing economic harm.

There is no such thing as ecosystem harm merely by one species' presence at the expense of another.

Sometimes these species are from other places. Sometimes they have been 'in residence' since no-one-knows-when.

Either way, they are noxious and/or a nuisance.

Enter the new kids on the Language Deception block: "native," "non-native" and "invasive." Those introducing this latest "sky is falling" lingo have rewritten the rules so the new kids are set up to "win."

Now, instead of being either beneficial or noxious, everything from insects to plants to animals to microscopic minutia, are considered "invasive" if they are not "native." The definition of "native" is crucial to the misleading. That definition, too, depends on what the definition of "native" is.

Was it here before "October 1492," when Columbus touched booted foot to American shore? Is it more cleverly -- and nebulously -- defined as having been here "before European settlement," which may now include Eric the Red and others that may have wandered 'crost the ocean?

If tribes -- either nomadic or by virtue of being driven by other, stronger, more warlike tribes -- moved from their "native" lands to new places, do they become "invasive?"

It is well known that migratory avian flyways can and do change. Weather, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, etc., can and do cause variations to such migrations.

It is well known that oceanic currents can and do bring changes to species' "historic range."

By learning what "I.S." really means, we learn that there is no need for "I.S."

On the Net: http://www.propertyrightsresearch.org/invasivespeciesfrms.htm