Judy,

You had an interesting point yesterday, but exotic removal usually
involves removal alone without immediate replacement.  If replanting
with natives does occur, it is a long time before equal plant cover is
achieved.  One of the good aspects about Brazillian pepper spraying is
that it often involves a microapplication of herbicide--Garlon applied
directly on the trunk with little or no off-target damage.  This
technique allows any adjacent native trees to fill in the void left by
the decomposing pepper tree.  I know that occasionally large areas are
broadcast sprayed with aircraft, but this is done when the site is a
monoculture of target vegetation.  Such has been the case with melaleuca
and now with Lygodium vine.

You mentioned laurel cherry (aka cherry laurel); are they being
eradicated too?  I have asked many people if they're exotic, but no one
seems to know.  I hadn't heard of anyone spraying them.  If so, that
brings up an interesting point--that their benefit to birds is
significant.  When we talk about exotic plants we often say how they are
bad for wildlife, but how bad are they?  When Brazillian pepper is
consumed by catbirds, robins, and waxwings, does it then assume a
functional role in the natural community that it has invaded?  Its easy
to draw a line at introduced species and say that they're bad for
wildlife, but how bad are they?  If all the pepper trees are removed
from an area and replaced with salt bush (Baccharis)--a native that is
not really utilized by birds--is that area now "better"?

Yesterday you stated that you didn't want your posting to start a
discussion on why exotic plants are bad, and likewise, I am not
interested in starting a discussion on how exotic plants are given a bad
rap.  However, as is usually the case with many ecological issues we run
the risk of over-generalizing.  Often, these invasions are bad for most
bird species while some may benefit.  The study cited by Bill Pranty
found increased densities of breeding common yellowthroats in Brazillian
pepper stands.  Similarly, the endangered southwestern willow flycatcher
has been nesting in invading salt cedar bushes and posing a
philosophical debate on exotic eradication.  I am not defending exotics
but just trying to remain objective.

Michael Meisenburg
Archer, FL