Are non-native species all that bad, or are we just prejudiced against “the Other”? In the San Francisco Bay Area, one particular foreign species has been dividing environmentalists for years: the blue gum eucalyptus. Eucalyptus opponents say it’s a serious fire hazard. Defenders say there’s no good evidence it’s worse than native plants. Which is it? And is the fight against non-native species grounded in science or xenophobia? In this episode of Undiscovered, Annie and Elah investigate. 

GUESTS 

Fred Pearce, environmental journalist and author of New-Wild-P1090.aspx">The New Wild

Norman La Force, Sierra Club, San Francisco Bay Chapter

Dan Grassetti, Hills Conservation Network

Sara Kuebbing, Assistant Professor of invasion ecology at the University of Pittsburgh

FOOTNOTES

Read about the Bay Area’s eucalyptus debate.

Watch the debate between Norman and Dan in full, courtesy of Ray Madrigal.

Browse this website by a pro-eucalyptus activist and this page from the San Francisco Sierra Club, which wants to remove eucalyptus trees in some areas.

Invasion biologists defend their field and dispute allegations of xenophobia. Sara Kuebbing has also found that land managers aren’t arbitrarily eradicating non-native species, but selectively removing ones they deem harmful.

Mark Davis, a biologist who’s critical of invasion biology, covers some of the field’s history in his book, Invasion Biology.

Still want more? Check out these think pieces defending non-native species, including Michael Pollan’s article and 58-1-an-evolutionary-perspective-on-strengths-fallacies-and-confusions-in-the-concept-of-native-plants.pdf">Stephen Jay Gould’s essay. And for a completely different perspective, check out these sources on the impacts of non-native species, including an early study that attempted a rough calculation of their global economic cost.

CREDITS

Undiscovered is reported and produced by Elah Feder and Annie Minoff. Our senior editor is Christopher Intagliata, our composer is Daniel Peterschmidt, and our intern is Kaitlyn Schwalje. We had fact checking help for this episode from Michelle Harris. I Am Robot And Proud wrote our theme. Thank you to the whole Science Friday staff and to the many people on both sides of this issue who spent hours talking to us, taking Elah for nature walks, and providing us with documents.