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’.V.VAVV . By Pam Owen 3 Rappahannock News Staff Writer
$ What plants can truly be considered “non-native” in our If area? It’s hard to pick a time when all of Virginia’s plants were “native,” since air and ocean currents as well as animals and the first humans to settle here have all introduced species to this area.
However, European settlers sped up the process by bringing many plants (and animals) from their homes with them — for their perceived beauty, for their economic value or just because they made these people who had traveled so far feel more at home. Modem transportation has further accelerated the process.
The result is that many of our native species are being overwhelmed by these relative newcomers.
Non-natives hitch rides on ships and airplanes when they aren’t being offered a seat on board by a government agency or commercial firm that thought they’d be beneficial to have here. After all, nonnatives have fed our livestock, perfumed our summer breezes, made our properties look pretty and helped stabilize soil that could otherwise erode and pollute our water. So what’s the problem?
While some people have argued that these exotic plants are just filling a niche that is available, others warn that this alien invasion threatens native plants and wildlife and the biodiversity they represent.
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