A unit of Lasting Forests
Sustained forests; sustained profits
evolving since March 30, 1999

Project Pivotal-Rig

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Enterprise 10 The Plant People of Nature Folks

The Plant People is a profit-oriented group with objectives of preserving and protecting plants of the region, advancing knowledge of plants and their role in the ecosystem, encouraging diverse wild-plant-related recreation, encompassing responsible ecotourism, encouraging restoration of plant communities, and encouraging responsible wild plant gardening in the region.

The activities within the group, in no particular order, are:

1. Creating a membership
2. Publishing a newsletter
3. Making phenology studies (timing of plant changes such as bud break)
4. Creating county and regional plant occurrence checklists
5. Conducting surveys and tours
6. Participating in joint biodiversity surveys
7. Managing special wild-plant-emphasis trails
8. Selling books
9. Selling checklists
10. Conducting poisonous-plant surveys
11. Conducting wildlife food (mast) surveys
12. Encouraging Pivotal-Rig, Inc. gardens
13. Studying limits of the non-timber forest resource (decorative plants, etc.)
14. Selling maps (especially of frost periods and suitability zones)
15. Selling related software
16. Encouraging plant-related art
17. Maintaining a web site
18. Holding an annual conference
19. Encouraging and selling photographs
20. Helping to develop a local herbarium
21. Develop a seeds collection and wildlife food analysis system
22. Developing files on medicinal plants
23. Exploring commercial potentials in dyes, medicinals, and preservatives
24. Reviewing plant and plant ecology related books
25. Developing local plant identification aids and a training course and walkway
26. Developing a wild garden where "gleanings" from developed areas are placed
27. Writing and developing books and CD-ROMs (See Ken Stein's Appalachian plants CD)
28. Creating a game and regional contest related to plant identification
29. Sponsoring photograph display events
30. Creating a book or information system on plant and insect relations
31. Mapping wild plant locations with GPS locations
32. Sponsoring research on all aspects of the region's The Plant People
33. Participating in comprehensive modeling effort, simulation and optimization
34. Developing thoughtful papers on plant diversity; viability of populations; plants in ecosystems; plant-to-plant, plant-to-animal, and plant-to-geology relationships
35. Working to achieve knowledge of and engaging in practical efforts to manage fires as they effect The Plant People
36. Assisting in baseline descriptions
37. Promoting special studies of the roots and plants in the root-zone of The Plant People
38. Developing cost-effective rare-species recovery plans
39. Encouraging contributions of time, money, and knowledge to wildland studies
40. Encouraging ecological tours throughout the world
41. Promoting interest of minorities in The Plant People and their systems
42. Promoting and developing a computer wild plant information system and web site
43. Working with the Fire Force in describing effects of wildfires on plants and top soil

Other ideas include garden tours, gardens with places (alcoves) for many people to sit and rest, perhaps with tea service, expert systems for plants and plant diseases and pests, a county-fair weekend presentations of topics, publications and CDs, e-commerce with many suppliers, and a school resulting in special honors, awards, and knowledge competition. Working with AOL or others for percentages on book sales.

Estimates

A special botanist will need to be recruited and part time help developed with others in the region. As many of the other groups, each requires one or more people with special knowledge as well as enthusiasm for a topic. The search may be difficult but it may inform botanists (with limited employment options) that there is valuable work to be done that can pay its way. (Development costs: $50,000). Estimates of profits for Pivotal-Rig, Inc.:

• Low - $ 1000
• Mod - $ 5000
• High -$10,000

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This Web site is maintained by R. H. Giles, Jr.
Last revision June 8, 2002.