Native Trees - What
Are They
Cayman
Net News Earth Week Supplement, April 15, 2005
By Lois Blumenthal
A Cayman Islands native species is one that occurs naturally
in the Cayman Islands without direct or indirect human actions.
Some plants and animals are native to only one or two of the
three Cayman Islands.
There is much discussion since Hurricane Ivan about replanting
with native trees, but not everyone is clear about exactly what
a native tree is! Some trees that we like very much, like Mangos
are not native, but that doesn‚t mean that we shouldn‚t
plant them anyway! Mangoes are not "Invasive" and that
is the important distinction the place where the line is drawn
between welcome and unwelcome foreign plants just as it is drawn
between welcome and unwelcome foreign visitors of any other species,
including humans! While Mangos are not native, they have been
naturalized and there is general agreement that they have been
given "Status" and have become part of the local way
of life.
Native or Indigenous mean the same thing found
here naturally, and have been growing in the Cayman Islands for
thousands of years but can also grow in other places like Jamaica,
Cuba, Florida Haiti, the Bahamas, etc. Though they have been
replaced by imported plants in the more developed areas, they
still survive on pockets of undeveloped land all over the islands.
Endemic those species that are found only here
in the Cayman Islands and nowhere else on Earth.
Opportunistic native or non-native plants that
can become pests when the land is disturbed. For instance Maidenplum
springs up where forests have been cleared.
Useful? Sometimes the usefulness of a plant
is not immediately apparent. As we clear "useless bush" we
may be removing food and nesting sources for wildlife, causing
parrots and other birds to seek cultivated crops or to roost
in buildings.
Many plants regarded as "weeds" are in fact vital
food sources for native butterflies. Even dead trees support
wildlife, by providing nesting cavities and even food for birds.
Parrots build nests in dead Royal Palm trunks, and woodpeckers
will nest in cavities as well as eat insect infestations in dead
wood.
Historically, Caymanians used local plants for hundreds of purposes,
but in modern times we are less reliant upon the bush for our
needs. However, there are often hidden or little-known advantages
to keeping native plants. Maidenplum root is valued as a good
base on which to attach cultivated orchids, and even a plant
that no one has any use for, may have undiscovered medicinal
value or other qualities as yet unknown. There is no reason to
eliminate any native plants from the Cayman Islands. Perhaps
the Creator has put them here for reasons beyond our understanding!
Naturalized or Exotic Brought here from somewhere
else
Naturalized Beneficial plants from around the
world brought to Cayman‚s shores to provide fruit, flowers
or other useful things. Plants like mangos and tamarinds from
India, hibiscus and roses from China, tomatoes and bougainvillea
from South America, coconuts (so widespread that their origins
are still under discussion) and a myriad of other beautiful,
useful and food-bearing plants that are beloved and economically
valuable.
Naturalized Benign of no particular threat
or benefit
Naturalized Invasive imported plants that spread
aggressively eliminating all other plants in an area. i.e. imported
Scaevola, Casuarinas, (Australian Pine or Willow), Wild Tamarind
(a tree that does not bear edible fruits) and possibly Neem.
For more on how to incorporate more native plant species into
your garden, look for the booklet from Cayman Wildlife Connection
called LANDSCAPING WITH NATIVE PLANTS FOR BUTTERFLIES AND WILDLIFE
sold at the National Trust offices on all three islands, in Pure
Art, Island Veterinary Services, the Butterfly Farm other local
stores and venues or contact us at info@caymanwildlife.org
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