E mails required ! Himalayan Balsam in BBC R4

[Somerford]

Everyone on the forum ought to send an email to BBC Radio 4 PM programme.....tonight there was a piece on scientists developing a fungus to kill Himalayan Balsam off.....yet another way of reducing our bee's forage.*

I'M writing to Eddie Mair , the presenter, Email is [email protected]

If we get enough emails to them they might balance the need as they are very pro-bee on the BBC at the moment.

 

[Skyhook]

I'm sorry, tempting as a few more jars of honey may be, I don't think it makes up for the loss of native flora and fauna displaced by HB. I found the article very interesting.

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[Erichalfbee]

Will it confine itself to HB though I wonder?
Echos of Cane Toads?
I haven't listened to the prog I hasten to add.

 

[crazy_bull]

Himalayan balsam does a lot of damage to our river systems, best shot of it really.

C B

 

[Queens59]

I worry - scientist often start off doing something they think is 'good' and we end up with another problem 10 years down the road. Ignoring the issues around HB I really do think scientists should keep out and let nature re-balance itself...Email sent, on exactly these lines.

 

[crazy_bull]

I worry - scientist often start off doing something they think is 'good' and we end up with another problem 10 years down the road. Ignoring the issues around HB I really do think scientists should keep out and let nature re-balance itself...Email sent, on exactly these lines.

do you treat for varroa?

 

[Queens59]

Of course I do - and I am well aware that by doing so I may be running the risk of storing up problems for the future...scientist have over the years done good things - and bad - but rarely stop to think should they fiddle?? A bit like Jurassic Park...

And I do think people should do as they feel - without fear of being targeted by those who disagree, and forced to argue their corner - we do have the right of free speech...

 

[crazy_bull]

Of course I do - and I am well aware that by doing so I may be running the risk of storing up problems for the future...scientist have over the years done good things - and bad - but rarely stop to think should they fiddle?? A bit like Jurassic Park...

And I do think people should do as they feel - without fear of being targeted by those who disagree, and forced to argue their corner - we do have the right of free speech...

The point I am making is that without scientists you would not be able to control the invasive species (varoa) no different to Balsham, I wish scientists could figure out how to reverse the Dutch Elm disease etc, of course you are welcome to your views and to air them but to broad brush state that scientists should never meddle is a bit short sighted, of course in muy opinion.

 

[Skyhook]

Will it confine itself to HB though I wonder?
Echos of Cane Toads?
I haven't listened to the prog I hasten to add.

They are currently in the middle of testing it on non- target species. The opint was made that out of all the biological controls that have been licensed under the current system, thare has never been a problem.


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[Erichalfbee]

Busy Lizzie downy mildew?

 

[Queens59]

but to broad brush state that scientists should never meddle is a bit short sighted, of course in muy opinion.

Please tell me...where did I say that?? I said in fact that scientists ' have done good things and bad - but that they should leave nature to sort itself out...That is completely different to the quote you are trying to pin on me.

END...no more.

 

[Skyhook]

Busy Lizzie downy mildew?

I don't know whether they will test it on garden species- and to my mind, it's not that important a question. If it becomes a problem in hanging baskets, people can either treat it, or plant something else. The big issue is how it interacts with the natural environment, and even then it could be argued that it does not have to be proved harmless- just less harmful than the problem it is solving.


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[crazy_bull]

but to broad brush state that scientists should never meddle is a bit short sighted, of course in muy opinion.

Please tell me...where did I say that?? I said in fact that scientists ' have done good things and bad - but that they should leave nature to sort itself out...That is completely different to the quote you are trying to pin on me.

END...no more.

see bold

 

[Erichalfbee]

I don't know whether they will test it on garden species- and to my mind, it's not that important a question. If it becomes a problem in hanging baskets, people can either treat it, or plant something else. The big issue is how it interacts with the natural environment, and even then it could be argued that it does not have to be proved harmless- just less harmful than the problem it is solving
.

No....I meant, is it .....the infection....akin to another scourge of the garden Impatiens,rather than the Himalayan, Downy Mildew?

 

[Queens59]

Crazy Bull - but that they should leave nature to sort itself IS NOT

but to broad brush state that scientists should never meddle is a bit short sighted, of course in muy opinion.


I NEVER said NEVER ...YOU DID - DO NOT PUT WORDS IN MY MOUTH PLEASE...You have your opinions I have mine - leave me alone...ignoring you now...bye.

 

[crazy_bull]

Crazy Bull - but that they should leave nature to sort itself IS NOT

but to broad brush state that scientists should never meddle is a bit short sighted, of course in muy opinion.


I NEVER said NEVER ...YOU DID - DO NOT PUT WORDS IN MY MOUTH PLEASE...You have your opinions I have mine - leave me alone...ignoring you now...bye.

Sorry you have got het up about that, not my intention, and yes you didn't say 'Never' but the remove that word and my sentence was very factual, you just implied 'never'. Oh well since i am your ignore i guess you won't see the above. Take care, and .

C B

 

[jenkinsbrynmair]

I'm all for controlling balsam - but introducing another freak organism do do it! then what do we introduce to control that!?

 

[crazy_bull]

I'm all for controlling balsam - but introducing another freak organism do do it! then what do we introduce to control that!?

I completely agree,

Perhaps we need to train an army of bunnies to eat it and then when they've eaten it all and start eating the crops, we employ an army of foxes to eat all them, and then when the foxes get to many and start eating the rest of the wildlife......... there is a flaw in this plan somewhere.......

C B

 

[pargyle]

The point I am making is that without scientists you would not be able to control the invasive species (varoa) no different to Balsham,

There's a point of view that says science interferes too much in nature ... using sledgehammers to crack walnuts. If you look at the resistance we, as humans, are building up to some antibiotics and what happened when pyrethroids were used excessively for varroa treatment you begin to realise that the panacea presented by science may not be best solution.

I think Queens has a point ... perhaps if we gave natural selection and evolution more of a chance and used a little less of the chemical cures then we would store up less problems in the future.

Don't get me wrong ... I'm not totally averse to science but. occasionally, I just wonder whether we are sometimes a bit quick to go for the treatment when a little time and nature may provide a more sustainable cure ?

 

[crazy_bull]

There's a point of view that says science interferes too much in nature ... using sledgehammers to crack walnuts. If you look at the resistance we, as humans, are building up to some antibiotics and what happened when pyrethroids were used excessively for varroa treatment you begin to realise that the panacea presented by science may not be best solution.

I think Queens has a point ... perhaps if we gave natural selection and evolution more of a chance and used a little less of the chemical cures then we would store up less problems in the future.

Don't get me wrong ... I'm not totally averse to science but. occasionally, I just wonder whether we are sometimes a bit quick to go for the treatment when a little time and nature may provide a more sustainable cure ?

Balsam has been in the UK over 150years and still nothing natural has developed to control it, we must remember that not all science is agro chemical and gm, if science can find a natural solution that is taking too long to 'evolve' under natural condition and can accelerate the transition under controlled circumstances (think selective breeding or similar) then cool. I seem to remember (not sure where though) I read an artical where they were trying to encourage various native bugs and creepy crawlies to eat balsam under controlled conditions, and if any started to, then breed from them, I guess that didn't work....