Quote:
Originally Posted by Tex Guy  |
Just had the opportunity to read much of this document:
Aquatic Vegetation Management In Texas: A Guidance Document
By Dr. Earl Chilton
This paper makes allowances for boating, fishing, golfing, landscaping, etc. noting that the major causes of exotic weeds taking hold is TX is:
1. nutrient loading,
(farm runoff, runoff from fertilized lawns, sewage treatment facilities, septic tanks,etc.)
2. Disturbed habitat.
(Construction of reservoirs & fluctuating water levels of many reservoirs. These reservoirs have provided flood control, water for agriculture and municipalities, power plant cooling, areas for recreational use, and fish and wildlife habitat that did not exist in Texas)
The words in red are taken directly from the document. These are viewed as necessary to our culture. However keeping of exotic plants, in ponds, or even in aquariums, is not recognized. It is consider dangerous because “one flood is all it takes to carry unwanted plants from the backyard to the river”. Does that sound a little like hyperbole? Since these other factors DIRECTLY cause the spread of invasive plants and can be more easily controlled why are they not more of a threat than the "possible flood". I've been keeping aquarium plants since I was for 42 years and have NEVER gone through a flood. How many floods hit Texas? Why are some of these businesses (golfing, etc.) more important than the plant growers, pond suppliers, etc.?
I think it's also pertinent to note that all this is about indigenous to Texas YET there is only ONE lake that is indigenous to TX. Every other lake was put there by man. Obviously it's ok to change the eco-system so drastically as that to displace and perhaps eradicate species but don't let a different plant come in.
This paper is ALL about keeping any plants that are not considered indigenous OUT OF TEXAS.