If you like them, craft them! - Invasive Crafted Species
Actually it’s not their fault, but species can become 'invasive'.
It only takes that someone picks them out of their natural habitats (deliberately or inadvertently) and put them in a new habitat, where they can establish a population, reproduce and spread widely beyond the initial point of introduction. No matter whether it’s a plant or an animal, they are fierce competitors.
Invasive species are one of the main threats to biodiversity worldwide and also can carry diseases, what implies huge monetary costs!
It was on 2007 when I first realized how some species can become shockingly invasive!
Since then I change some of my actions. The most immediate was to stop bringing plants from my trips, I don't want to cause more harm to local vegetation.
Now I found this amazing campaign Invasive Crafted Species and I couldn't like it more!! It is based on a simple idea:
The only responsible way to have these exotic species at home is to make them yourself.
Some professional DIYers from different European countries were invited to make crafts of invasive species with crochet, watercolour, polymer clay, etc., and it was recorded on these tutorial videos:
"Now there’s no excuse: if you like them, craft them!"
If you want to help protecting biodiversity and like to craft, then you can send your creations and participate in the contest.
These are the 10 species to be crafted:
- Grey squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis)
- Rose-ringed parakeet (Psittacula krameri)
- American Bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus)
- American Mink (Neovison vison)
- Ruddy duck (Oxyura jamaicensis)
- Red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkii)
- Japanese Knotweed (Fallopia japonica)
- Raccoon dog (Nyctereutes procyonoides)
- Coypu (Myocastor coypus)
- Zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha)
Hope you enjoy this project as much as I did! Have a nice Sunday!
If you're interested in invasive species subject you would probably like to see my previous posts:
- Human influence on invasive species
- Introduced species that became invasive
- Water hyacinth - An invasive beauty all over the world - Photos from Portugal
- Water hyacinth invasion on Guadiana river - some numbers, facts and thoughts
I am a Conservation Biologist interested in studying invasive plants. My main purpose with these posts is to create some environmental awareness in Steemit, but without 'pushing' too much. Steemit should be fun!
BADGES Courtesy of @elyaque
Anything that brings attention to the problem of invasive species is a good thing. I did think that crafting with invasives was about using those invasive plants to make crafts, though, lol. For example, I've seen people weave baskets out of English Ivy (Hedera helix) that can take over our riparian forests here in the Willamette Valley.
I am in favor of eating invasives, too. I eat Coypu, crayfish (we have different invasive ones here), bullfrogs, and Japanese knotweed, that are all invasive here.
Yes, i couldn't agree more!! I also bought a flower basket made of Eichhornia crassipes in Ikea produced in th UK, where it's not problematic. I'm afraid that any economic business made with an invasive species can surpass the environmental interests and "produce" the invasive sp. became the main priority. Poor minds will try to make profit. I don't know the right answer for this, should the government allow to explore the invasive sp. commercialy...
It's such a complicated issue, isn't it. The officials in California are facing that exact problem with the Chinese Mitten Crab in the San Francisco and Sacramento Bay. They are edible and there would be a great market, but they are so afraid to develop an economy on it, because then they will lose all hope to eliminate it. But without massive effort, the crab will take over. And then that will be one of the few harvestable production from the bay. It's such a problem. There is no good answer at all for many of these problems. I'm glad you keep posting about invasive species.
Yes, invasive species can be a big problem. Here is a list of invasive plants with description and recommended measures (for German gardeners).
Some of them are indeed very dangerous some others less (by the way a few nowadays even play important roles in the current ecosystems even if being invasive).
Apropos I think you made a little typo, you wrote:
"Human influence on invasive species"
Correct should be:
"Human influence AS invasive species" :-)
Just kidding, but sometimes we forget who causes more damage than all invasive animals and plants together ...
Have you ever been in the zoo of Frankfurt? In the building of the predators you come to a sign announcing the most dangerous animal ... then, if you continue to walk, you will find yourself in front of a mirror ... :)
Thanks for the link. I don't understand german and never went to Frankfurt, but I could see you also have Ailanthus altissima and Robinia pseudoacacia like here in Portugal.
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It's becoming recurrent nowadays...
I hate knotweed lol
Fortunately I never saw that plant, we don't have it in Portugal, but I can understand that feeling!!
:) I like the little clay plant video.
That's my favorite too! Probably the only I could try to reproduce. When I was younger I did a lot of jewelry! Ahah