US

Bob Parcelles,Jr. rjparcelles at yahoo.com
Wed Feb 6 12:32:03 EST 2002


From: "Mark Walker" <MWalker at gensym.com> 
To: leps-l at lists.yale.edu 
Date: Wed, 6 Feb 2002 08:39:14 -0500  
 
Reply-to: MWalker at gensym.com 
 
         
Alex wrote about how the increased listings of subspecies 
(and previous subspecies who've been given full species status) have
been detrimental to the already degrading perception on the
collection of 
butterflies.  I find myself in great personal conflict over this
issue.  

On the one hand, there is no question that there is a 
growing (and false)perception by the public that ALL butterflies are
disappearing or in danger
of extinction and that the perception is influenced by the increased
frequency of listed subspecies (that, interestingly, may not have
even been
considered unique from a "lumpers" view).  I think Alex is correct in
his accusation that certain people who seek to add to these protected
lists are at least partially motivated by the desire to see
collecting banned or
publicly challenged.  Alex is also correct that many of the
increasing numbers of people who take offense to net-wielding have
been led to that
perspective by the calculated actions of certain 
influential people.  I was first introduced to this shifting of
perception by an increase in animosity
I experienced in the field from the gawking public.  And 
then, while "lurking" myself on S.B.E.L. back in 1996, I came face to
face with the ugly
shift.  I recall one young and excited novice who began to post about
his new found fascination of leps through collecting, only to be
lambasted by
persons who took offense to collecting and who made a 
gracious plea that the lad be liberated from his cancerous and
barbaric way of thinking before it
was too late.  "Put down the net, pick up some binoculars, and find a
higher calling", or some such nonsense.  Gee, I wonder where that 
came from?

Speaking as a lover and passionate student of entomology, 
on the other hand,
I know from close inspection that there are many unique 
lepidopteron
entities whose very survival is hanging on a thread.  I 
know the principal
cause of this is because their equally unique habitat is 
rapidly being
devoured by a wasteful and ever increasingly consumptive 
human population.
Listing seems right and urgently necessary when the 
preservation of these
entities is at stake.

Now perhaps there is good news in all of this conflict.  
I've seen some true
education taking place on this listserve over the years by 
both net-wielding
and non net-wielding lepidopterists alike.  I truly do 
believe that we are
witnessing the fruits of positive dialogue and human 
collaboration, and that
we are now better poised to take the correct message to the 
gawking public
so that habitat is preserved or restored.  I sincerely hope 
that the synergy
taking place in Miami and southern Florida will rise above 
egos and
bureaucracy and succeed in PREVENTING another listing - 
this is possible.
There is plenty of landmass on this planet to protect 
virtually every unique
habitat.  There is no reason that we have to outlaw or 
discourage the
collecting of invertebrates - it just doesn't have to be 
so.  Keep the trees
and you'll always have plenty of leaves.

Mark Walker
Oceanside, CA

=========>

Mark, 

I thank you for well thought-out post. The rush to list is seldom in
evidence (unless you are a developer). However, some the people who
are anti-colecting seem to be doing this very thing with respect to
leps anyway.This is taking place due to some naivete as well as the
mindset that some animal rights activists have. A non-consumptive
world is not necessary to preserve our national heritage and our
resources. It takes planning, mangement, education, activism, common
sense and a truly democratic process. Unfortunately, most or all of
these are presently lacking to some degree in our society.

One of the main goals of the Miami Blue Butterfly Restoration Project
and its grass roots task force is to affect a restoration to some
degree before any listing, state or federal takes place. After which,
the Task Force (Miami Blue Butterfly Recovery Team) disbands and its
member organizatioins continue the process on their own. Gardening
etc. The Project will continue and monitor, or help monitor, whatever
the case will be, the recovery of this subspecies. We will continue
to educate the public and TILS and C2M's Institute of Ecological and
Environmental Studies will operate in their own right to sponsor  new
studies for later action.. We hope the feds recognize the Project and
its momentum as well as fait acomplishe` and at least let us
coordinate any assigned projects that are given out. Most of the
people to whom they would award any studies to, are either aboard or
coming aboard. The Project and its Task force will have the exact
methodolgy down for application to other butterflys in South Florida
or elswhere. Both entities will be able to ressurect in full capacity
when needed.

Their have been some references, both sincere and patronizing about
amateurs running this thing. We have gleemed great knowledge form the
many of you who are either on the Seering & Oversight Committee under
John Calhoun, on a Science Advisory Team or just helping out.

But let me say this. While the Task Force is a loosely, organized
coalition...a grass roots thing...the project is not! We have no
amateurs, only experienced professionals. For that matter, the
leaders of the Task force, particulary Anne Kilmer, of dark humor
fame, have been there  and done that!

The 1973 Endangered Species Act, which in a small way, helped to
bring about, is much misunderstood by citizens. Its importance lies
not just in protecting individual populations, regardless of their
taxa or rank, but as recognizing them as indicators of the
environment in trouble. It is to save ecosytems not species (or
subspecies). Now this does not mean we should not have compassion for
the criters and plants. But to me, the Miami Blue is as important as
the manatee. even if ionly as a symbol of what people can do. Gopher
tortoises are much more important than C. thomasi from an ecological
standpoint. Over 350 species are dependant on it to some degree.
Manatees gain public support, even though they raise controversy. PR
gains forums...from them come education. The Miami Blue can give us
PR, methodolgy and a sense of satisfaction, whether you are anti-fed
or not, collector or watcher, breeder or gardener. As Anne has said
the kids are going to help do this.

The people on this project are not playing games, nor are they
playing at ego enhancement. A certain person in South Florida, who I
had met once with a favorable impression,and who I thought, due to
past associations with Anne, was in line to be one of Anne's top lts.
in the task Force (or do Viceroys have generals?: was offered by me a
high spot on the committee under Howard Wolf, Vice Chair-Support &
Liason. She stated third hand (big mistake!) that she did not want to
be on a committee with a unscrupolus person. I found out who she
meant. It was our own Leroy (Leptraps). He was completley rightous
and legal in the incident and was the wronged party. People like this
are not needed in my group and are deivsive in any. So Mark, you
certainly have valid points! My "political" move to bring her up from
the Task Force because of who her mentor and idol was and to contain
this person did not backfire it added to the learning curve. I
appointed Dr. Bob Kelly, U of Miami Proffessor, President of Miami
Blue NABA, Past President and a driving force in one of the top
audubon chapters in the US... Tropical Audubon. He is on close terms
with every government agency in south Florida as well as garden
clubs, Native Plant Societys and more. He also will work hand in hand
with Anne at the Task Force Level.

While we are on the subject of mentors and personalities. I would
like to publically thank Dr. Jeff Glassberg for bringing the public's
attention to C. thomasi. His change of stance has certainly been the
intititive , I needed , to reach out to all of the poeple I am so
proud to be affliated with on this Project. I feel now is the time
for Jeff to contact me and also give the project a very large public
endorsement of the MBBRP and the MBBRT (Task force). I have the
national press standing by.We could make room for him to roll up his
sleebves and get into the dirt with rest of us.

We also would graciously accept a large donation.

So whether it some little fish in a desert spring, a salmander
endemic to one mountain or a butterfly clinging on to one or few, at
best, sites... lets do it!

Bob Parcelles, Jr.
MBBRP, Project Manger and Chairman,Steering & Oversight committee.
*********************************************************************
Bob Parcelles, Jr.
Pinellas Park, FL
Ecologist, RJP Associates
BWPTi/C2M
Reply To: parcbob at aol.com
Phone: (727) 548-9775
Toll Free Voice Mail and Pager: (800) 228-0476 Pin # 1079060
Fax: (720) 441-3682
Nature Potpourri
Care2's Race for the Rainforest
#####################################################################







=====
Bob Parcelles, Jr
Pinellas Park, FL
RJP Associates, C2M-BWPTi
rjparcelles at yahoo.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/naturepotpourri
"Change your thoughts and you change your world."
- Norman Vincent Peale

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