|
Washington State University
Gardening in Western Washington -
Native Plants
(Identifying, Propagating & Landscape)
|
|
The Ethics of
Collecting Native Plant Materials |
Most methods of obtaining native
plants involve removing plants or portions of plants from natural environments.
Careless use of these techniques can damage natural settings. Since you don't
want to create natural habitats and restore degraded sites at the expense of
natural sites, we urge you to observe the guidelines to when collecting plants,
cuttings, and seeds.
- Before collecting on public lands,
obtain all necessary permits.
- Get permission from the property owner
before entering private property for any reason.
- Do not collect from
wetlands or other environmentally sensitive areas.
- If a plant or group of plants looks weak
or unhealthy, do not collect from it. The extra stress may harm the
plant, and you may transport a disease to your site.
- Collect only as much as you will be able
to use. Care properly for any material you collect - don't let it go to
waste. Share extras with neighbors or friends.
- When collecting
cuttings, do not take more than 5 percent of any plant.
- When collecting seeds, do not take more
than 5 percent of a particular species' seeds in an area. Collect from
as many different plants as possible. Always leave enough seed for each
plant to regenerate itself and for wildlife that may depend on the seeds
for food.
- Collect whole plants only from
construction sites where native vegetation will be destroyed. Be sure to
get the property owner's permission first, and collect only from those
portions of the property that will actually be bull-dozed.
|
- Do not collect plants,
seeds, or cuttings of rare or endangered species unless they are on a
construction site and are actually in danger of being destroyed.
However, if you find what you think is a rare plant in such an area,
first contact the
Washington Natural Heritage Program in Olympia (360-902-1650 or
360-902-1661).
- If you encounter an unfamiliar plant, or
one that is different from what you are used to (for example, a
different flower color), assume it is rare and do not collect seed or
cuttings from it until you have determined it is not rare.
- Unless you are collecting from a future
construction site, avoid encouraging others to collect from the same
area -- the more people collecting from a given area, the heavier the
impact on the environment. Be prepared to explain what you are doing and
why.
- Avoid unnecessary damage
to sites. Avoid frequent visits to the same site.
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Credit:
Leigh, Michael. Grow Your Own Native Landscape.
Revised Edition, June 1999. |
|
|
