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People become OVGC members because they care passionately for the health, environment and ecosystems of the Ojai Valley. There is bound to be a broad diversity of opinion with regards to priorities, methods, and even goals. The OVGC strives to be inclusive and to promote discussion of various and sometimes conflicting viewpoints. Hence the action committee area below devoted to blogs, edited by OVGC committee chairs, and dedicated to such possibly dissenting, yet lively discussions, do not necessarily reflect the official OVGC editorial position.

Posted on November 23, 2007

Comments (2)

Watershed Committee member: Leland Hammerschmitt
Respectfully submitted for discussion.
RE: Rebuttal to the environmental committee’s opposition to arundo removal practices. 01-01-08

As a member of the Watershed committee and speaking only for myself, the position of the Environmental committee to stop the herbicide part of three part system is misguided, emotionally driven and worst can help derail the MUST-BE-DONE removal of this non-native invasive pest. Some of the reasons for the ABSOLUTE need for this plants removal are: “the reasons we do not want to see Arundo or Giant Reed invade our water system are: It uses about 8x's as much water as native plants, it is extremely flammable and can put our riparian zone and property in risk of fire, it is true that it was planted as bank erosion control years ago but it can actually easily dislodge in floods and clog up watercourse flow, it has no habitat or food value to native wildlife except for nesting wood rats. Finally, as all invasive plants do, it can push out and out-compete the native vegetation."
To support all necessary efforts to eradicate these “weeds on steroids” I want to steer the reader to the below listed site and then download an extensive document PDF file that details my arguments that the environmental committee's position is misdirected by emotionally driven fears and poor science and IDEOLOGICAL ABSOLUTISM. Please go to this website:
http://www.sawpa.org/arundo
Then scroll down "arundo removal protocol" file then download the PDF file and read for yourself. The PDF file is also attached to this email.

"Sometimes you have to cut the body to remove the tumor”

The environmental committee's position is essentially that knives are dangerous therefore one should NEVER use knives. They are misguided on their position and can possibly be dangerous in delaying a longstanding and YEARS effort of arundo removal because of an ideological belief that I submit is wrongheaded and will damage the efforts to restore the Ojai watershed IN ADVANCE to a state that will re-establish the steelhead trout, replenish NATIVE riparian vitality that is currently being pushed out by the arrundo and a return the Ojai watershed to its historical state pre-arundo.
Email submitted to the board.

Comment #1 Posted by Leland Hammerschmitt | January 4, 2008 9:23 PM

Local Beekeeper: Brian Cox

With respect to this arundo removal, I'm wondering if this material would be suitable as a source for biofuel. Since it would benifit the local chapparal environment by removing this undesirable plant it might make sense to convert it into a useful product at the same time. In addition, since the latest scientific studies that I have read indicate that biofuels derived from diverted crop lands actually increase carbon dioxcide and increase food costs. Using the arundo grass as a biofuel would be a short term benifit as a fuel and helping the local environment.

Comment #2 Posted by Brian Cox | February 25, 2008 7:36 PM

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