[b said:
Quote[/b] ]Are all cp's considered off-limits to collect or is it up to the locality?
The answer to this question is no. There are some reasons to collect some plants. Some of the reason's are scientific studies, to put a plant in tissue culture so they will become widespread. I'm sure that there are not many members here that can meet either of these criteria.
The only ethical way for you to take a plant out of the wild is to meet the guidelines set by the ICPS.
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]We support the practice of knowledgeable and responsible field collection only when (A)it is not in violation of the law (B)it is with the intention of introducing plants into cultivation by the collection of only a small amount of wild material ©only a small percentage of plants are taken.
We recognize that without experienced people with horticultural and/or botanical interests selecting and propagating species from the wild, there would be fewer choices of propagated horticultural material and consequent increased pressure on wild habitats with illegal or inappropriate collecting, and there would be less knowledge gathered on the nature of the plants.
We would encourage collectors to be responsibly aware that rare plants merit special consideration and should not be distributed or propagates taken unless there is a sufficient local stock to successfully perpetuate the population. most cases this means no collecting should be done.
For it to be ok to take a plant from the wild all four criteria must be meet.
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]Supposing I come across a pitcher plant this summer while walking along our local creek. Can I take one home as a souvenir?
The first rule says that by you taking the plant no laws must be broken. If it's not your land and you don't have written permission from the land owner than you probably have not meet the first rule.
[b said:
Quote[/b] ]We would encourage collectors to be responsibly aware that rare plants merit special consideration and should not be distributed or propagates taken unless there is a sufficient local stock to successfully perpetuate the population. most cases this means no collecting should be done.
I can think of no pitcher plant that will meet the above rule. Every pitcher plant site that I know of does not have enough plants where the whole population won't be harmed by the removal of a few plants. So the answer to your second question is no. It is not all right to take a pitcher plant that you happen to walk by. Unless it's your own property it is stealing and poaching. Even if it's state owned land. Most states will prosecute.
Now my personal feelings about taking plants from the wild.
The only criteria (assuming that it's legal) that I consider is if taking the plants will harm the overall population, or the ecosystem around the plant. Before you take any samples, you have to do your research and know if the plant is threatened and if it's legal to take it. There are very few cp's that meet this rule. Mostly the only cp that'll be established enough for some to be removed are some bladderworts. Some places are so overgrown with bladderworts that it can help the population by removing some. Sometimes they can acutely be a nuisance. Alot of fisherman will throw bladderworts on the bank when they reel it in on their line. I remember reading about a state (I think it was Washington) was asking people to remove as much of the bladderworts (I forgot which bladderwort it was) that they could.
In the end you have to decide for yourself if it's right to take a plant from the wild. In the case of a pitcher plant, I can tell you the answer, and it's no.