<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body dir="auto"><div><span></span></div><div><div dir="ltr"><div>Yes, thank you Alan for this question. It does require and prolonged attention to observe how species interact, and under what contexts our companions are thriving. <br></div><div><br></div><div>I agree strongly with FRAUD. The category "invasive" operates far too broadly imho, rendering it not very useful and deeply problematic politically in terms of the ways it reinforces a nationalistic world view and refers to colonial documentation as the authority on what is native and what isn't. It also contributes to a kind of nostalgia that is perhaps not that useful when it comes to observing and interacting with the here and now. <br></div><div><br></div><div>I wonder if we can collaborate on a series of terms that recognize the range of ways "introduced," or newer species work. Because many species categorized as invasives (many in the pea family for example, or mallow on the California coast) operate like a scab on already human disturbed areas, fixing nitrogen, adding biomass, or breaking up hard soil for example. Over time, after this initial wave, the species in the area diversify. At other times species are way more aggressive, such as the ones Alan describes, and it does seem hard to see how they are contributing to diverse ecologies that are ultimately friendly to humans.</div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br clear="all"><div><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr"><div><br>--<br></div><div dir="ltr"><span style="color:rgb(204,204,204)"><a href="http://beforebefore.net" target="_blank">beforebefore.net</a><br><a href="http://guerrillagrafters.org" target="_blank">guerrillagrafters.org</a><br><a href="http://coastalreadinggroup.com" target="_blank">coastalreadinggroup.com</a></span><br><div>--</div><div><br></div><div><br></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Tue, Jun 12, 2018 at 9:18 AM, Shu Lea Cheang <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:shulea@earthlink.net" target="_blank">shulea@earthlink.net</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex">----------empyre- soft-skinned space----------------------<br>
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<p>Dear Alan</p>
<p>Surely your post has kept me and all artists working in the field
thinking... i organize these thread under your subject invasive
species...and do hope we <br>
all come back to this thread..meanwhile, i try to get week2 topics
started... thanks to FRUAD and John's posting.</p>
<p>very soon</p>
<p>sl<br>
</p>
<p>>>>from Alan Sondheim<br>
I have a question re: the release of spores from weather balloons
and other means of distribution. Are you concerned about the issue
of invasive species? We're fascinated by mycological environments,
and at least in some areas, this seems to be an issue. Mycelium
spread of their own accord; there's competition among species. At
the moment, with some more visible forms of life such as
phragmites (which can also be considered networked), there are
serious issues of native or local species going extinct. Do you
worry that articial spore releases can contribute to this? Is this
addressed? </p>
<p><font face="Arial">>>>>from Anna Scime</font><br>
</p>
<p>Alan raises an interesting question here (thank you Alan!)… there
are innumerable species of animals, plants, fungi, etc that are
introduced to new habitats through human intervention (intentional
and otherwise). Here in the Eastern Great Lakes and throughout
NYS plants like Phragmites and Japanese Knotweed are a major
problem. They grow like wildfire in monocultures that choke out
native plant species that would otherwise provide habitat, food
and shelter to the other native species (pollinators and
other birds, mammals, insects...) that live here. When they
become problematically prolific and threaten existing ecosystems,
keystone species, humans and/or human economies, they are labeled
as invasive species and government agencies, ecological
organizations and the industries whose operations they interfere
with spend A LOT of money every year in an attempt to remove them
from the ecosystems that they have colonized and to restore native
species. I work with aquatic species as well, and zebra and
quagga mussels, brown gobies, alewife etc are also subject to
similar management programs, though it seems that the most
effective/least Sisyphean efforts (though this is difficult to
measure and I think control efforts are still necessary in many
cases) may come via adaptation of native species to consume and
regulate these invasive species… </p>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>Additionally, I think that there are always possible risks and
rewards when we work with living materials and ecosystems… the
devil is in the details, and much research is required prior to
engaging with these beings (or their parts) through our art
practices and/or by introducing them to seemingly new
environments. Research in controlled environments and fieldwork
can only tell us so much, there is of course always chance...</div>
<div><br>
</div>
<div>The only mushroom species that I am aware of being labeled as
an invasive species is the Death Cap (Amanita phalloides - does
anyone know of any others?). Unlike many other invasives they are
not a hyper-prolific species that chokes out native species or
causes great expense to governments or industries, but they are a
problem for amateur mycologists foraging for mushrooms who may
misidentify them as edible puffballs when they are young, or as
other edible Amanita, Russulas, meadow mushrooms or paddy straw
mushrooms when they are mature and consume them (they are
colloquially referred to as Death Caps because if you eat them,
they can kill you – many who survive poisoning require a liver
transplant to do so). It is believed that they have been
introduced to new habitats through the cultivation of non-native
species of oak, chestnut, and pine. Which begs the question, when
we are curating our gardens, making bioart or engaging in
ecological studies, remediation and/or restoration work, are we
actually doing more harm than good? (I think all responsible
practicioners here try to way all known options before proceeding,
though mistakes are made and nature does 'find a way') And with
global travel in its myriad forms, is it even possible to prevent
the spread of spores, seeds, organisms….or are adaptations that
accommodate colonization of new lands and waters through
hitchhiking on larger animals like us (and/or our transportation
toys) unavoidable?</div>
<p> <font face="Arial">from FRAUD <br>
</font></p>
<p><font face="Arial"><b>A footnote on invasive / native</b>
(mentioned last week):</font><br>
<font face="Arial">Those definitions in themselves are quite
problematic. Usually there is a point in time after which a
species' arrival is determined to be invasive. That point is
heavily imbued in politics of immigration, colonialism and other
ways of viewing the world that have little to do with the plant
or animal's 'threat'. Without expanding further here, we did a
project exploring this some time ago, Dreaming in
tongues/舌頭/langues/ بألسنة/tunger, and Cooking Sections do great
work on this subject.</font> </p>
<br>
<div class="m_5782189970029078173moz-cite-prefix"><br>
from Alan Sondheim<br>
<br>
</div>
<font color="#000000">I'm well aware of the arguments re: political
etc. around invasive</font><font color="#000000"> species. But I
think this ignores numerous cases where the results have</font><font color="#000000"> been devastating (for example the Everglades,
where I've done a lot of</font><font color="#000000"> research and
work); I simply don't trust the release of spores by</font><font color="#000000">balloons, particularly when I've seen the results
on the ground; the</font><font color="#000000"> political issues
are bad enough, but say, the presence of tilapia or</font><font color="#000000"> pythons in the Everglades are killing and
impoverishing a system already</font><font color="#000000">under
attack from farming runoff up north. In RI, phragmites have made a</font><font color="#000000"> mess of numerous coastal sites, etc. I think the
issue of invasive species</font><font color="#000000"> is complex,
needs to be considered by artists in conjunction with</font><font color="#000000"> ecologists, etc.; it's not a matter for a brief
reply, I think.
</font>
<pre><font color="#000000">
Best, Alan
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<div class="m_5782189970029078173moz-cite-prefix">On 11/06/18 16:16, Alan Sondheim wrote:<br>
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<blockquote type="cite">----------empyre- soft-skinned
space----------------------
<br>
<br>
<br>
I'm well aware of the arguments re: political etc. around invasive
species. But I think this ignores numerous cases where the results
have been devastating (for example the Everglades, where I've done
a lot of research and work); I simply don't trust the release of
spores by balloons, particularly when I've seen the results on the
ground; the political issues are bad enough, but say, the presence
of tilapia or pythons in the Everglades are killing and
impoverishing a system already under attack from farming runoff up
north. In RI, phragmites have made a mess of numerous coastal
sites, etc. I think the issue of invasive species is complex,
needs to be considered by artists in conjunction with ecologists,
etc.; it's not a matter for a brief reply, I think.
<br>
<br>
Best, Alan
<br>
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</blockquote>
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