restoration of Miami Blue

[Ron Gatrelle]

US government has come (gone) a long way from what it was pre-civil war.
Today, government (at all levels) is what is judged by itself, and a great
percentage of our populace, as the best entity to deal with whatever
problems may come along. The resources of the private sector and everyday
people no longer counts for much.   A big government makes for small
people.

The situation with the diminished presence of the Miami Blue (Cyclargus
thomasi bethunebakeri) is not a difficult one to resolve - not really.
Sure, any who would undertake this would have to know what they are doing.
Well, there are plenty of people who could do this is my view.  Of course
government does not see things this way .   There have been a couple of
posts here listing all the agencies that would become involved and the many
requirements that would be implemented if this is listed as an endangered
species.  In everyday language that translates into a lot of redundant
paper work and technical hoops anyone or group would have to jump through.

One thing that has not been mentioned here is how would endangered status
affect  life in south Florida if the law was carried out to the letter.
Under the endangered species act one is not allowed to bother the listed
taxon in any of its developmental stages or trifle with its critical
habitat.    This would mean that no one would  be allowed to remove Balloon
Vine (and other known "weedy" hosts) on private or public property without
first having the area surveyed for the presence of eggs and larvae.   It
would mean the critical habitat within the historical range (even where the
butterfly is not presently found) be given special consideration before
being eliminated.  This would apply to vacant lots, highway right of ways,
public areas of all kinds, etc.  It would mean that if a private citizen or
the Fl Dept. of Transportation removed Balloon Vine and a knowledgeable
person came along and looked in the lawn trash bag or the city dump truck
and found dead or dying Miami Blue larvae in the removed seed pods the
person or agency that killed/damaged  the endangered species would be
subject to potentially tremendous fines and other legal action.

This is an easy butterfly to rear.  Its host plants are easy to grow
"weeds" with prolific possibilities.  The bottom line is this.  What is
best for the butterfly?  A _private_ professionally done restoration
effort - with lots of volunteers and relatively little finances that all
translates into a fast track recovery.   Or, a multi layered _governmental_
effort (county, state, federal, and many agencies) with few well paid
professionals and strictly regulated activity that translates into a very
expensive (to the taxpayer) slow (for the butterfly) recovery.

These butterflies are engineered for survival.  If suitable habitat (a
weedy vacant lot) is near where they are they will spread on their own like
a forest fire jumping a fire line when the wind turns.  If the host plants
were simply allowed to do their thing (grow) around and out from existing
colonies they would recover - totally on their own.  This after all is how
they got to Florida in the first place - on their own.   And it is how they
spread across the lower half of the state at their zenith - on their own.
While all the kings horses and all the kings men (government) have to sit
down and figure out how to but the Blue back together again, Little Blue
not only thinks he can, he knows he can. Why?  Because he has been there
and done that - and probably more than once.  But, if government doesn't
trust the private sector or people - it is sure not going to trust a bug.

This post is presented as a counter balance (the other side of the coin) to
the stringent, restrictive, overly cautious, think of every reason to keep
the little guy out, don't try this at home, form  6 slash zed 7 Brazil (the
movie) bureaucracy tunnel vision through which government (and those whose
lips are sewn to its nipple)  views everything.

Ron Gatrelle



 
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