tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35381517.post8562298472006201871..comments2023-10-21T16:43:46.198-04:00Comments on News Companion: Book Review: Tao Orion's "Beyond the War On Invasive Species"Steve Hiltnerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13814809440369173963noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35381517.post-26935107450615340722023-10-21T16:43:46.198-04:002023-10-21T16:43:46.198-04:00Thanks to anonymous for the above comment. Obsolet...Thanks to anonymous for the above comment. Obsolete? That's quite the claim. Climate has changed in the past, but not at the extremely fast pace that humans are now causing. Similarly, there may have been plants introduced to new regions in the distant past, but not at the extreme rate of introductions now occurring due to intentional or unintentional human transfer. Rate of change matters. Climate change may cause plants to shift their ranges, but most plant species in the eastern U.S. have very large ranges, extending from Canada down to the southeast U.S. Not sure how climate change would cause a plant to "migrate," as if it picks up its bags and heads to some distant locale. If a plant expands its range northward, so too will the species that prey upon it and limit its rampancy. The combination of invasive species and climate change has proved devastating recently in Hawaii: https://www.princetonnaturenotes.org/2023/08/the-invasive-grass-fueling-wildfires-in.htmlSteve Hiltnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13814809440369173963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35381517.post-91472215499188188622023-10-21T12:36:19.810-04:002023-10-21T12:36:19.810-04:00I have finsihed reading the book, and this post do...I have finsihed reading the book, and this post does not reflect the true value of the book. I think you should read it and then write a review. Her book shares important knowledge to address the issues. Considering that ecosystems are dynamic the concept of trying to maintain ecosystems stable is obsolete. Thousands of species are migrating as a result of climate change, so it is irresponsible and unrealistic to expect that ecosystems do not have to change to adapt to the new situation. The book has become more important now that climate change is worsening. Besides, we know more about the effects of herbicides on the environment and human health. Your post has become obsolete.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35381517.post-10472880846043119142016-09-20T13:31:05.312-04:002016-09-20T13:31:05.312-04:00Steve,
Thank you for your insights and perspective...Steve,<br />Thank you for your insights and perspectives on this book especially in the greater context of species relationships and co-dependence, and the potential disruptions, or worse, caused by invasives. I look forward to a more in-depth review of the book's entirety, if you so decide to pursue that.Perry from Durhamhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07363870467811010800noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35381517.post-46507328645106190212016-09-03T07:10:59.556-04:002016-09-03T07:10:59.556-04:00I'll extend the courtesy of allowing you to me...I'll extend the courtesy of allowing you to mention your website url and criticism here, and trust you'll reciprocate on your own website. I'd like to believe that your inclination is to mend and enhance rather than to inflame and demonize, but it's not a good sign that, rather than responding to the particulars of my critique of your book's jacket cover, Forward and Introduction, you choose rather to attack with words like "intellectually dishonest". It would be intellectually dishonest to read just portions of a book and pretend one has read it all, but I was in fact forthright in limiting my critique to those portions I read, and expressing the hope that the rest of the book is less biased and misleading. If a book's tone and claims are substantially different than it's cover, forward and intro, then that's problematic and not altogether honest. You definitively assert that "invasive species aren't the problem; they are merely a symptom." Tell that to a town losing its ash trees to EAB, or a land manager who has found the beginnings of a major invasion of lesser celandine. Steve Hiltnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13814809440369173963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35381517.post-37713401629055855452016-09-02T13:32:25.892-04:002016-09-02T13:32:25.892-04:00Hi Stephen,
You're welcome to order a copy o...Hi Stephen,<br /> You're welcome to order a copy of my book directly from me through my website: www.resiliencepermaculture.com. Although you've spent a lot of time writing up what you think are my conclusions and ideas, it would be intellectually dishonest of you to not actually read the whole book. As you will find, I actually am a native plant advocate, am deeply committed to enhancing the practice of restoration, and spend the majority of my time working towards these ends. As such, I haven't had a chance to read your critiques of other peoples' work. Since I have gotten excellent feedback about my own work from numerous seasoned restoration professionals, and am actively involved in working with many of them by doing consulting and presentations, you may even find that you agree with some of my conclusions. And, if you ever decide to write a book, I'll be happy to read the whole thing before giving a review!Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16455982359821905824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35381517.post-953906776033407192016-09-01T22:25:38.973-04:002016-09-01T22:25:38.973-04:00To Ms. Orion,
Glad to see you've found my webs...To Ms. Orion,<br />Glad to see you've found my website. I hope you read the various critiques posted here of writings ideologically similar to your own, and that you will reflect on their relevance to your assertions. Though a close reading of your whole book would be best, and I have searched without success for your book locally, I find, with writings that demonize native plant advocates and invasion biologists, that a detailed critique of the logic being used, in this case exhibited in the Forward and Introduction to your book, can reveal the gaps in understanding, the failures to make important distinctions, that would be missed in a broad overview. Steve Hiltnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13814809440369173963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35381517.post-82745309296724368392016-09-01T12:39:52.762-04:002016-09-01T12:39:52.762-04:00I hope you have a chance to read the entirety of m...I hope you have a chance to read the entirety of my book! Usually that's the norm when writing book reviews.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16455982359821905824noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35381517.post-49013666769298061382016-09-01T12:03:48.029-04:002016-09-01T12:03:48.029-04:00There is a lot to be learned here, on all sides. E...There is a lot to be learned here, on all sides. Explore each other's ideas for merit without preconceived bias. You don't have to agree with someone to learn from them.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35381517.post-4043392806511112132016-08-20T14:16:18.614-04:002016-08-20T14:16:18.614-04:00The comparison is apt. One begins with a blanket c...The comparison is apt. One begins with a blanket condemnation of government, the other with a blanket condemnation of pesticides, then they skew their perceptions of reality to preserve the sanctity of that foundational bias. Its fascinating to witness the mental gymnastics at work.Steve Hiltnerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13814809440369173963noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35381517.post-14444771643238054232016-08-20T12:05:11.015-04:002016-08-20T12:05:11.015-04:00Thank you very much for your review of the beginni...Thank you very much for your review of the beginning of the book. I just found out that Tao Orion (her real name?) has been invited to be the keynote speaker at our Central California Invasive Weed Symposium. This seems to me like having a conference on global warming, then inviting a global warming denier to be the keynote speaker, so that you can present a diversity of opinion. I have the book on order (used, so no more money goes to the author) so that I will be able to dissect her argument. Then I am going to alert our local community of land managers about it so that we can plan a response. At least this should lead to a lively symposium. Calamagrostishttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16114232869156795735noreply@blogger.com