A couple days ago I posted this https://www.fredmiranda.com/forum/topic/1912915/
I went back this morning with great anticipation as it was a beautiful, calm day. The first photo shows what greeted me a couple days ago. The last photo shows this morning's total devastation. A couple days ago I didn't know where to point my camera, there was activity everywhere I looked. Today, totally silent. I'm including other photos in case you don't want to make the extra click. There were also Monarchs, hummingbirds, Goldfinch, and Sparrows that I wasn't able to get decent photos of but it's not about my photos, It's about all this life needlessly destroyed. This is not someone's private property. It's a 2,978 acre multi use area managed by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. It's not on the side of the road. It requires a short hike in. Someone sent a tractor down the trail and completely destroyed a wonderful patch of wildflowers. For what reason ? How were these plants bothering anyone in this spot ? Not to mention the pollinators that rely on these plants for survival. There was a foot trail that ran between the wildflowers and the pond making it an absolutely gorgeous area. All that life destroyed. Please, someone with more knowledge than me, give me a reason because I was so disgusted I wanted to throw my backpack into the lake. Why do people feel the need to destroy everything ?
Gary
My guess is that if you contact the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation you will find that they mowed the area. Why? I don't know but just because they are in charge of environmental conservation does not mean they know what they are doing. It would be interesting to know the reason the area was mowed. Maybe there is a good reason, but I doubt it. You should show them your photos so they know what has been destroyed.
I so agree with dclark's post. Put an ordinary employee on a tractor and all they know to do is cut everything. I've seen that kind of devastation and worse at one of our local lakes where the new county manager decided they needed to make the shoreline "prettier". Really raises my blood pressure, as I'm sure it does many here. There is a compromise for access but you have to look for it.
Sue
My guess is that if you contact the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation you will find that they mowed the area. Why? I don't know but just because they are in charge of environmental conservation does not mean they know what they are doing. It would be interesting to know the reason the area was mowed. Maybe there is a good reason, but I doubt it. You should show them your photos so they know what has been destroyed.
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soupy wrote:
I so agree with dclark's post. Put an ordinary employee on a tractor and all they know to do is cut everything. I've seen that kind of devastation and worse at one of our local lakes where the new county manager decided they needed to make the shoreline "prettier". Really raises my blood pressure, as I'm sure it does many here. There is a compromise for access but you have to look for it.
Sue
Very much appreciate your comments. I'm in the process of drafting an email right now. I don't expect a response but I feel I need to say something.
soupy wrote:
I so agree with dclark's post. Put an ordinary employee on a tractor and all they know to do is cut everything. I've seen that kind of devastation and worse at one of our local lakes where the new county manager decided they needed to make the shoreline "prettier". Really raises my blood pressure, as I'm sure it does many here. There is a compromise for access but you have to look for it.
Sue
But that's the thing that's puzzling to me Sue. This is a hiking trail. Not what I would call difficult but it takes some navigating, downhill, on a foot trail to get to this spot. And it's certainly not a well travelled area either. It just seems so pointless. Almost like someone from the state just needed something to do.
Gary, so very sad. I would do as dclark suggested and call and inquire. Your beautiful photos show the life and necessary life that these types of grassy areas support. Please send them the photos with links to how important pollinators are.
The reason for the mowing is that your lovely flowers are spotted knapweed, a highly invasive, non-native species. Mowing is preferable to spraying, but even that has to be done sometimes. It's on many states' "eradicate" list. It produces a toxin that inhibits the growth of other plants near it. Mowing before it goes to seed is best.
Alan Olander wrote:
The reason for the mowing is that your lovely flowers are spotted knapweed, a highly invasive, non-native species. Mowing is preferable to spraying, but even that has to be done sometimes. It's on many states' "eradicate" list. It produces a toxin that inhibits the growth of other plants near it. Mowing before it goes to seed is best.
A great post Gary, you hate to see such reckless destruction of beautiful natural habitat. It makes no sense, I'm curious if you will get a response. O n the other hand your macro posting are a thing of beauty, nicely presented, gorgeous lighting and exposure of some very interesting subjects.
Dave_E wrote:
A great post Gary, you hate to see such reckless destruction of beautiful natural habitat. It makes know sense, I'm curious if you will get a response. O n the other hand your macro posting are a thing of beauty, nicely presented, gorgeous lighting and exposure of some very interesting subjects.
Dave
The flowers are a noxious, non-native weed. That's why they were mowed. Read above.
birdied wrote:
Gary, so very sad. I would do as dclark suggested and call and inquire. Your beautiful photos show the life and necessary life that these types of grassy areas support. Please send them the photos with links to how important pollinators are.
Birdie
Appreciate the response Birdie. It just seems to be to be totally unnecessary in an area like this.
Alan Olander wrote:
The reason for the mowing is that your lovely flowers are spotted knapweed, a highly invasive, non-native species. Mowing is preferable to spraying, but even that has to be done sometimes. It's on many states' "eradicate" list. It produces a toxin that inhibits the growth of other plants near it. Mowing before it goes to seed is best.
Thanks very much for your response Alan. I was hoping to get this type of feedback to give me some clarity. But that sounds more like an explanation than a reason. The pollinators seemed to love the plants and to me that should be all that matters. In a couple of months this will all be covered under two feet of snow so why deprive all the creatures that rely on these plants for survival ? This isn't some park setting. It's a wild 3,000 acre multi use wilderness. Hiking, fishing, hunting, trapping, cross country skiing, etc. I'm in no way looking for an argument but this sounds like throwing out the baby with the bathwater.
Dave_E wrote:
A great post Gary, you hate to see such reckless destruction of beautiful natural habitat. It makes know sense, I'm curious if you will get a response. O n the other hand your macro posting are a thing of beauty, nicely presented, gorgeous lighting and exposure of some very interesting subjects.
Dave
Thanks very much Dave. I don't think pollinators care at all about weeds, flowers, invasive, native. They just need sustenance. To me the most invasive organism on the planet is the human.
Very much appreciate your comments. I'm in the process of drafting an email right now. I don't expect a response but I feel I need to say something.
I expect you will get a response Gary and I suspect you will find there is a reason. Conservation is a balancing act. When you get the answer you may not agree with the reason and the choice yet at least you will gain some understanding.
Personally I think it's a shame that they cleared the area that way. I'd love to know the reason when you hear back.
There are many people interested in plants, just as some are interested in butterflies. I wouldn't place one over the other. Why not see if you can work with the land manager to get rid of the evasive plant species and restore the native species?
morris wrote:
I expect you will get a response Gary and I suspect you will find there is a reason. Conservation is a balancing act. When you get the answer you may not agree with the reason and the choice yet at least you will gain some understanding.
Personally I think it's a shame that they cleared the area that way. I'd love to know the reason when you hear back.
Morris
Ps. Wonderful photos
Thanks Morris. I guess I just can't see why they couldn't have waited for the pollinators to leave. As I said, very shortly this will all be buried in snow. Can't fight city hall
jcw1982 wrote:
There are many people interested in plants, just as some are interested in butterflies. I wouldn't place one over the other. Why not see if you can work with the land manager to get rid of the evasive plant species and restore the native species?
I understand. The land manager is New York State Dept of Environmental Conservation. Good luck with that
Hey Gary. I have seen similar behavior here in our National Park. As photographers it doesn't make sense. Like Alan's explanation, I try to tell myself it's for the greater good. Still hard to swallow
johnohio wrote:
Hey Gary. I have seen similar behavior here in our National Park. As photographers it doesn't make sense. Like Alan's explanation, I try to tell myself it's for the greater good. Still hard to swallow
John
What I keep coming back to in my head is this; Our growing season here in Western New York is so short. As I've already mentioned, very soon these plants will be buried in snow for the next five months. People say they're invasive. They weren't the only plants in that area. There was also tons of milkweed which the Monarchs rely on. And now it's all gone. It just hit me pretty hard to see much life and beauty wiped out in what's supposed to be a natural area.
Appreciate the comment John
It's all about diversity. Non-native, invasive plants destroy that as they out compete the natives. Sure, some insects do well on the "weeds", but others rely on specific plants to survive. You should promote controlling noxious weeds, not condemn it. If you want to do something for the insects, consider planting your lawn to native pollinator habitat.
As far as the milkweed goes, the Monarch breeding season is at its end, so cutting the milkweed isn't harming much.
