Invasive Species

Sandor Ellix Katz’s chapter “Plant Prohibitions: Law Against Nature” is centered around the idea of “invasive species”. She explains how states have protective laws that prohibit certain invasive species to cross boundaries. Some states have what she describes as “dirty lists”, or lists that specify only those plants that are not allowed to cross their boundaries. The United States has uses this system. Other states have “clean lists”, or lists that specify only those plants that can cross their boundaries. The latter system is more restrictive. These lists are increasing superfluous bureaucratic regulations. Many people traveling from foreign countries are forced to get rid of their live foods, which are believed to be a threat to local ecosystems. However, this food gives people a connection to their home, and there is no set way of knowing how invasive one plant species may be. Katz argues that the current dialogue of “alien” as bad and “native” as good has created a xenophobia against foreign plants. She calls for a “neutral vocabulary” to discuss plants.

Katz also addresses how the search for exotic plants was the driving force behind globalization, when Europeans explored the Orient to find exotic spices. It seems that when an “invasive species” is beneficial for a nation’s economy and can fit into a market niche, it is not thought of as an evil plant that will destroy ecosystems. Take corn for example. Corn eventually became a staple crop in Africa in the 19th century after being brought over by the Europeans. Corn quickly surpassed the native cassava for grain production, “invading” Africa’s more traditional agriculture. It also completely changed Africa’s subsistence farming, leading to an unstable, monoculture-mechanized agriculture. Corn in Africa fit into the Europeans needs of the Industrial Revolution. Mining in South Africa provided Europeans with vast natural resources and valuable commodities, especially gold and diamonds. However, they needed cheap labor in order to reap as much profit as possible. With the use of mechanized farming, corn enabled a mass scale of food to be produced for little money. Cheaper food meant the miners could be paid less, and the Europeans could gain more profit. In other words, corn helped facilitate a labor system founded on the ability to keep labor wages low. Looking at the history of plants crossing borders, what makes a plant “invasive”? If a plant completely overturns a traditional way of agriculture, is it “invasive”? Or is it a commodity, as it helped those in power stay in power?