Collecting Debate (again)
Dave Chesmore
E.D.Chesmore at e-eng.hull.ac.uk
Wed Sep 3 16:05:01 EDT 1997
I find it amazing that we have returned to the debate about collecting
again. I think this is the third time within 18 months. While I realise
that people come and go on the list and some may have missed the
earlier debates, I can assure you that the first debate (that I was
aware of) became very acrimonious with a lot of bad language and
character assasination. I hope we don't get to the same point again.
It seems to me that collecting of non-endangered species has several
important functions:
1. It allows people to become familiar with species (children
especially). Reading a book is no substitute for seeing features in
reality.
2. It allows difficult species to be identified, particularly if genitalia
need to be examined.
3. Often, official county recorders will not accept sitings without
voucher specimens.
There will always be people who cannot see the value in collecting
and there will also be a small minority who deliberately collect
without permits.
We must find ways of objectively putting collecting in perspective.
====================================================
Dr David Chesmore, FRES
Environmental Electronics Research Group
Dept. of Electronic Engineering
University of Hull, Hull, HU6 7RX
Tel: +482 465062; Fax: +482 466664
Email: E.D.Chesmore at E-Eng.Hull.AC.UK
Web page: http://www.hull.ac.uk/php/eepmds/home.htm
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