PlantAKiss
Moderator Schmoderator Fluorescent fluorite, Engl
First off...welcome Jonte Rm and Brutal to the forums.
I see the old field collecting topic is rearing its ugly head.
I don't think posting photos on a CP forum is going to cause a flood of people to jump on airplanes to fly to the location to buy a big fat Nep for a few bucks. You'd spend more on the flight there than if you bought yourself a big fat Nep here in the States. I enjoyed the photos because I think its interesting to see flora, fauna and cultures of other countries I'll never have a chance to see. It never entered my head to see it as promoting field collecting.
I doubt seriously if anyone here on this forum saw those photos as an invitation to go r/ape that area for Nepenthes. Nor do I think anyone saw it as encouragement to field collect or to buy field-collected plants. Anyone who makes the choice to do that is selfish and doesn't care a fig about conservation and protection of rare plants anyway and will do as they will, photos or no photos. Some people simply have no scruples when comes to personal gain or monetary profit.
Now. As for field collecting, I'm sure the VAST majority of people here understand the wrongness of field collection and wouldn't do it no matter what country they live in. But it also depends on the plant and the location. A plant might be rare in one location and common as weeds in another. Some are protected, some aren't and should be, some don't need legal protection as they are plentiful.
Fact remains that all the people here and on other forums who have collections of Nepenthes and other carnivorous plants have them ONLY because someone field collected seeds/plants at some time in history. It is a necessary evil to keep these plants in cultivation, some of which might have disappeared off the planet if someone hadn't taken wild seed and propagated it. Field collection is necessary at times but should be done by someone who is experienced and understands what a "sensitive collection" is and who does it for the right reasons (keeping the plant in cultivation to reduce the need to field collect for gain).
And it is a sad fact that people who live in less affluent countries than the US and Europe are sometimes reduced to doing something that makes most of us cringe...collecting plants or destroying habitat in order to make a living. Of course I don't want to see this happen but I cannot stand in judgement of someone who must decide on taking a plant out of the wild to sell or watching his/her family starve before his/her eyes. Same with the natives who log the rain forests. I hate what is happening in the rain forests but for me, who has a roof over my head and a pantry and refrigerator full of food, to look down on the person who does what he/she MUST do to just to barely survive would be totally wrong.
What you have to look at with field collecting is "intent". It is never acceptable to collect for personal collections, greed and profit. Necessity is another matter...whether its to feed a hungry family or ensure that a plant stays on this planet for generations to come. I will agree it is best NOT to purchase a FC plant if someone is making a great profit.
Obviously it would be better if people in poorer countries had more choices in how they make a decent living. Maybe some of the conservation organizations can give natives jobs protecting the plants instead of harvesting them for sale. Give them a reasonable alternative.
I see the old field collecting topic is rearing its ugly head.
I don't think posting photos on a CP forum is going to cause a flood of people to jump on airplanes to fly to the location to buy a big fat Nep for a few bucks. You'd spend more on the flight there than if you bought yourself a big fat Nep here in the States. I enjoyed the photos because I think its interesting to see flora, fauna and cultures of other countries I'll never have a chance to see. It never entered my head to see it as promoting field collecting.
I doubt seriously if anyone here on this forum saw those photos as an invitation to go r/ape that area for Nepenthes. Nor do I think anyone saw it as encouragement to field collect or to buy field-collected plants. Anyone who makes the choice to do that is selfish and doesn't care a fig about conservation and protection of rare plants anyway and will do as they will, photos or no photos. Some people simply have no scruples when comes to personal gain or monetary profit.
Now. As for field collecting, I'm sure the VAST majority of people here understand the wrongness of field collection and wouldn't do it no matter what country they live in. But it also depends on the plant and the location. A plant might be rare in one location and common as weeds in another. Some are protected, some aren't and should be, some don't need legal protection as they are plentiful.
Fact remains that all the people here and on other forums who have collections of Nepenthes and other carnivorous plants have them ONLY because someone field collected seeds/plants at some time in history. It is a necessary evil to keep these plants in cultivation, some of which might have disappeared off the planet if someone hadn't taken wild seed and propagated it. Field collection is necessary at times but should be done by someone who is experienced and understands what a "sensitive collection" is and who does it for the right reasons (keeping the plant in cultivation to reduce the need to field collect for gain).
And it is a sad fact that people who live in less affluent countries than the US and Europe are sometimes reduced to doing something that makes most of us cringe...collecting plants or destroying habitat in order to make a living. Of course I don't want to see this happen but I cannot stand in judgement of someone who must decide on taking a plant out of the wild to sell or watching his/her family starve before his/her eyes. Same with the natives who log the rain forests. I hate what is happening in the rain forests but for me, who has a roof over my head and a pantry and refrigerator full of food, to look down on the person who does what he/she MUST do to just to barely survive would be totally wrong.
What you have to look at with field collecting is "intent". It is never acceptable to collect for personal collections, greed and profit. Necessity is another matter...whether its to feed a hungry family or ensure that a plant stays on this planet for generations to come. I will agree it is best NOT to purchase a FC plant if someone is making a great profit.
Obviously it would be better if people in poorer countries had more choices in how they make a decent living. Maybe some of the conservation organizations can give natives jobs protecting the plants instead of harvesting them for sale. Give them a reasonable alternative.