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Date:         Thu, 26 Aug 1999 09:36:37 -0400
Reply-To:     "Horace K. Sawyer" <firestream@MINDSPRING.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         "Horace K. Sawyer" <firestream@MINDSPRING.COM>
Subject:      Re: KUDZU invasion, Bluebird destruction, pests (no Van.)
In-Reply-To:  <54ec5753.24f630cb@aol.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"

Kudzu was the bright idea of some Dept. of Trans. engineer trying to find a quick way to stop soil erosion in the 1960's. He saw this stuff in Japan. Next thing you know, he brings a little patch back and some seeds. Carving out new interstates in Georgia, lots of steep dirt slopes, throw this patch out on it and see what happens. Nobody will care. Ok, that worked, we need more more more. Let's order some of this stuff! Boom! You know what happened. Disasterscape is not the word. Georgia looks like it has been invaded by a giant green blob.

That is an example of introducing a non-native species into a new environment. It has no natural enemies and soon takes over and destroys everything.

Same thing happened with the European Starling and the English Sparrow. An englishman came over to NYC back in the 1890's and brought his favorite birds from his homeland. They have proliferated like never imagined and are killing our native species. Go to any urban scene in the easterh half of the US, McDonald's, Burger King, or just about wherever, and look at the birds. Starlings and English Sparrows. Our own North American Bluebirds are being driven to extinction because the intruders take over all the nesting sites, and will kill the bluebird eggs and young. More non-native introduction at work. Bluebirds eat mosquitoes, etc, they are soft billed. Starlings and Sparrows don't like mosquitoes and seem to prefer left over human food, so now we are being overrun with mosquitoes too. Great . . .

to identify: http://www.audubon.org/chapter/wa/rainier/bib/nestbox/sparrow-starling-info.htm

the bluebird: http://www.nabluebirdsociety.org/pics.htm

For those out in the country and with a patch of lawn in suburbia, put yourself up a bluebird house in the open area. You may be lucky enough to attract some of the few remaining, and help stem the tide. If you can't afford one, I may have a spare one to give to you. If you want to make one, do it right! Specifications at:http://www.nabluebirdsociety.org/plans.htm

Take some bluebird boxes and put up at your campsites! It will make you feel good. You'll see.

Sorry for the non-Vanagon bandwidth, this just bursted out for some reason!

HK

--------- No financial interest , etc etc . . . .

At 01:55 AM 8/26/99 -0400, you wrote: >In a message dated 8/26/99 12:38:50 AM Eastern Daylight Time, >Steve@SCHWENK-LAW.COM writes: > ><< you guys think you've got it oh, sooooo bad ... well, let me tell you: >>one year trying to fight the kudzu and you'd wish for your smog and high > > prices!!! :) > > > What the heck is the kudzu??!! i can only imagine how > bad it must be, like a 7.9 on the richter, or mebe a > wild fire, or worse, Pete Wilson or ward connerly...? > Thank your licky stars you live in civilization, Joel. > steve > >> > >the stuff is nasty...ive seen it engulf houses, cars, and even people >(well..;<) but it grows so fast and takes over everything in its path. >covers it, and blocks out the light...even herbicides wont kill it..it keeps >coming back... my aunt and uncles farm in North GA is nearly totally covered >by it.... > >chris


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