The Cycad Homepage of Mornè Ferreira :
Cycad Conservation.
Popularity.
Cycad collecting has
become a popular pastime in the last few decades. If not for
its ornamental beauty in landscaping, then for its uniqueness
as living fossils.
Plants in the wild.
Only a limited number
of plants still exist in the wild and a number of the Southern
African cycads are in danger of extinction. Due to reckless,
ill-considered collecting of these plants the stage has been
reached where more plants of particular species are found in
private collections, than in the wild.
Scarcity vs. desirability.
The scarcer a species
becomes the more desirable it also becomes to certain collectors.
Unfortunately some of these collectors will go to great lengths
in acquiring such plants, even if it means collecting them illegally
from nature. This has led to thousands of cycads finding their
way into private collections irrespective of stringent legislation.
This type of behaviour cannot be condoned. Those who took part
in the removal of plants before the appropriate laws were in
place, have since become stern cycad conservationists (although
most won't admit to ever taking part in any such activities).
The illegal removal of plants has unfortunately led to many honest
and sincere collectors being branded as unscrupulous, with a
resultant mistrust in any well-meant actions.
Pollination.
Without the intervention
of mankind pollination is totally dependant on wind and/or insects.
Studies have shown that insects may play the major role in natural
pollination. Studies have also proven that for effective natural
pollination to take place, male and female plants should be positioned
quite close to one another. Unfortunately some species have been
depleted to such an extent in their habitat that natural pollination
still occurs only by way of exception or in many cases not at
all. Plants occur literally on islands and distances between
male and female plants means natural pollination of female cones
cannot take place. This is where artificial pollination has to
play an important role.
Conclusion.
For the survival of
threatened species, especially in their natural habitat, it is
of the utmost importance that all remaining wild plants be utilised
for artificial pollination projects. Plants cultivated in such
projects may be harnessed to replenish the same declining or
depleted populations. At the same time plants collectors or owners
of plants in private gardens should make every endeavour that
their plants are pollinated regularly with a view to satisfy
the increasing collectors market. Many critics may say that collectors
are only interested in large specimens, but this is not the case
with the scarcer species. Even if this were the case, seedlings
cultivated today would still play a role in 50+ years time. I
have no doubt that cycad propagation has indeed become an important
tool in fighting the illegal removal of plants from nature in
years to come.
Conservation authorities
have, for many years, been stocking nature reserves with animal
species that have become locally extinct. Some animal species,
like rhino, have been carefully bred in captivity and ultimately
returned to the wild. This may become the future fate for many
cycad species. Some of the plants are still there, each population
with their own unique genetic pool, and every effort should be
made to ensure their survival.
Cycading Greetings,
Mornè Ferreira
