collecting

[Robin W. Scribailo]

Dear taxacomers,

        I have an issue regarding collecting that I would be interested in imput
on. The Sierra Club in Indiana is currently putting together a simple
manual for the layperson to identify wetland plants. The thought is, as I
am sure it is in many states, is to involve the public in monitoring
wetlands and contributing information about invasives, illegal activities
and so on. I have made the case with a number of agencies that we would be
better off having these people collect specimens and send them to myself or
botanists at DNR or other taxonomists for proper identification rather than
having many things misidentified. From my point of view, given the
inadequacy of funding and available personnel to survey all wetlands (and
lakes), we are missing the opportunity of gaining much valuable
information. I would argue that it is far easier to teach the public how to
collect a decent specimen and preserve it and under what circumstances (ie
carefully noting the abundance of the species) then it is to have them
trying to identify grasses and sedges. Obviously there are concerns that
people cannot collect in nature preserves and so on but I still feel more
good would be done this way.

        At the heart of this issue is the frustrating realization that there is
very little funding for survey work although there is millions of dollars
for restoration of lakes and rivers. How does one make an informed decision
about restoration if there is no information on the species present?

Robin
Dr. Robin Scribailo
Associate Professor of Biology
Biological Sciences and Chemistry Section
Purdue University North Central
1401 S. US 421, Westville
IN 46391-9528
(219) 785-5255