Survey

First, I'm going to ask you a few questions background questions about your nursery.

Q1

1. What is your position?

__a. owner

__b. manager

__c. full-time employee (if so, what's your title?)

__d. other

Q2

2)   What type of business does your company do? Type of business (check all that apply)

__a. Grower

__b. Retailer

__c. Whole-saler

__d. Importer

__e. Exporter

__f. Mail-order

__g. Landscaping

__h. Other

Q3

3) Who are your main customers and what kind plants do you deal with?

Q4

4) Where are you located?  Zip Code:

  City/town, state:

Q5

5)   What is the setting?  (circle one)

__a) Rural

__b) Suburban

__c) Urban

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Q6-7

6)   How many employees do you have in the peak season?

7)   How many year-round?

Q8

8)   To get an idea of your nursery's size, please estimate your yearly gross sales, if possible.

Gross Sales (please check off one)

__a)   $1.00 - $2,499.00

__b)   $2,500.00 - $9,999.00

__c)   $10,000.00 - $39,999.00

__d)   $40,000.00 - $99,999.00

__e)   $100,000.00 - $199,999.00

__f)   $200,000.00 - $499,999.00

__g)   $500,000.00 - $999,999.00

__h)   $1,000,000.00 - $2,499,999.00

__i)   $2,500,000.00 - $4,999,999.00

__j)   $5,000,000.00 and up

__k)   Don't know/Don't wish to reveal this information

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Q9

9) What does the term "invasive plant" mean to you?

Q10

10) How do you feel invasive plants and the efforts to control them effect your business and the rest of the nursery industry?

The term "invasive" means different things to different people, so to be consistent, I'm going to tell you the definition created by the American Nursery and Landscape Association and the Weed Science Society of America and ask that you use it while you respond to my questions. I'd also like to hear what you think of the definition, so I will ask you your opinion of it at the end of the survey. This is the definition:

   "Invasive plants are plants that have or are likely to (1) spread into native plant communities and cause environmental harm by developing self-sustaining populations and disrupting those systems; or, (2) spread into managed plant systems and cause economic harm."

Please keep it in mind as you respond to the rest of my questions.

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Q11

11)   Of these five plants, do you consider them invasive in your area? Does your business sell or plant them?

a) [Name of Plant (a)]

Invasive in your area?

__Yes __No __Don't Know

Do you sell or plant it?

__Yes __No __Don't Know

b) [Name of Plant (b)]

Invasive in your area?

__Yes __No __Don't Know

Do you sell or plant it?

__Yes __No __Don't Know

c) [Name of Plant (c)]

Invasive in your area?

__Yes __No __Don't Know

Do you sell or plant it?

__Yes __No __Don't Know

d) [Name of Plant (d)]

Invasive in your area?

__Yes __No __Don't Know

Do you sell or plant it?

__Yes __No __Don't Know

e) [Name of Plant (e)]

Invasive in your area?

__Yes __No __Don't Know

Do you sell or plant it?

__Yes __No __Don't Know

Q12

12)   Has your business ever discontinued selling and/or planting a particular plant because it was thought to be invasive?

   __Yes   __No   __Don't Know

If so, which plants do you recall being removed from your nursery's stock?__________________________________________________

Q13

13) Have you ever planted a plant in your own garden even though you had heard that it was invasive in your area?

__Yes   __No   __I don't have a garden

If so, why?_______________________________________________

Q14.html">Q14

14)   How strongly do you agree or disagree with the statement "My business places a high priority on addressing environmental concerns" on a scale of 1-5, with 1- strongly agree, 5-strongly disagree.

 (Strongly Agree)__1   __2   __3   __4   __5(Strongly Disagree)

Q15

15)   How important do you think it is to prevent plant invasions? Please  indicate how much you agree with each of these activities on a scale of 1-5 (1-Strongly Agree, 5-Strongly Disagree).

a)   Plants that are already considered invasive in the US should not be allowed to enter the country.

(Strongly Agree)__1   __2   __3   __4   __5(Strongly Disagree)

b)   Plants that are already considered invasive in the US should not be allowed to be sold anywhere in the country.

                          __1   __2   __3   __4   __5

c)   Plants that are already considered invasive in my state should not be allowed to be sold in my state.

                          __1   __2   __3   __4   __5

d)   Newly discovered non-native plants should be screened to determine whether they are invasive before they are sold in the US.

                          __1   __2   __3   __4   __5

e)   Invasive plants should be removed from the ecosystems where they are invading.

                          __1   __2   __3   __4   __5

f)    Invasive plants should not be planted near natural areas.

                          __1   __2   __3   __4   __5

g)   Invasive plants should not be planted anywhere.

                          __1   __2   __3   __4   __5

Q16

16)   Who do you think should be responsible for preventing invasive plants from entering the United States? (Pick all that apply)

__a.   The Federal Government

__b.   State Government

__c.   Local/County government

__d.   State Exotic Pest Plant Councils

__e.   Trade organizations (such as ANLA, state nursery associations)

__f.   No one, individual nurseries should use their own judgment

__g.   Other_______________________

Q17

17)   Who do you think should be responsible for preventing the spread of invasive plants already sold in the United States?

__a.   The Federal Government

__b.   State Government

__c.   Local/County government

__d.   State Exotic Pest Plant Councils

__e.   Trade organizations (such as ANLA, state nursery associations)

__f.   No one, individual nurseries should use their own judgment

__g.   Other_______________________

Q18.html">Q18

18)   What do you think of existing government efforts to deal with invasive plants? On a scale of 1-5, do they 1- go too far or 5-don't go far enough?

   (too far)__1   __2   __3   __4   __5(not far enough)   __Don't Know

Q19

19)   In your view, what problems do you think there are with current laws and regulations about invasive plants

Q20

20)   Would you participate in any of the following programs if they were sponsored by nursery trade organizations?

a)   Remove  a small, select group of plants considered invasive from your nursery stock (or discontinue planting them)

__Yes, I already do this    __Yes     __Maybe     __No     __Not applicable

b)   Distribute educational pamphlets to customers describing invasive plants and how to deal with them in the garden, and suggesting alternatives to invasive plants.

__Yes, I already do this    __Yes     __Maybe     __No     __Not applicable

c)   Put up signs in your display area that suggest alternatives to invasive plants.

__Yes, I already do this    __Yes     __Maybe     __No     __Not applicable

d)   Suggest alternatives to invasive plants to customers who express an interest in plants that are considered invasive in you area.

__Yes, I already do this    __Yes     __Maybe     __No     __Not applicable

e)   Donate a small percentage of your profits to research on invasive plants and their alternatives.

__Yes, I already do this    __Yes     __Maybe     __No     __Not applicable

f)   Develop new cultivars that could be used in place of invasive plants.

__Yes, I already do this    __Yes     __Maybe     __No     __Not applicable

g)   Participate in workshops to educate you and your staff about invasive plants and their alternatives

__Yes, I already do this    __Yes     __Maybe     __No     __Not applicable

h)   Conduct workshops for the public introducing invasive plants from your area and showing alternatives for them.

__Yes, I already do this    __Yes     __Maybe     __No     __Not applicable

i)   Include labeling that specifies the regions where a plant is considered invasive (a warning label).

__Yes, I already do this    __Yes     __Maybe     __No     __Not applicable

j)   Include labeling on alternatives to invasive plants that advertises it as a ecosystem-friendly counterpart to particular invasive plants.

__Yes, I already do this    __Yes     __Maybe     __No     __Not applicable

k)   Include botanical names on all plant labels.

__Yes, I already do this    __Yes     __Maybe     __No     __Not applicable

l)   Other _________________

Q21

21)   What might persuade (or already persuades) you to stop selling plants that are considered invasive? (Pick all that apply)

__a)   Knowing that there is substantial scientific proof indicating that the plant is invasive.

__b)   Knowing that the committee deciding invasive plant criteria included members of the nursery industry.

__c)   Knowing that most other nurseries were doing the same thing.

__d)   Receiving a certification that indicates that your business is "invasive free" that you could include in your advertisements and other publicity.

__e)   Receiving customer requests that you stop selling a particular plant.

__f)   Receiving requests from a local plant group, such as a wildflower society or a natural history group, that you stop selling a particular plant.

__g)   Nothing can convince me to stop selling any of my plants.

__h) Government regulation prohibiting the sale of particular invasive plants.

__i)   Other _________________

Q22

22) Do you believe that if customers are aware that a particular plant is invasive, they will buy it?

__Yes   __No   __Don't Know

Why or why not?__________________________________________

Q23-24

23)   Is your business a member of ANLA?

   __Yes   __No   __Don't Know

24)   If yes, how often do you believe that ANLA acts with your interests in mind?

   (Always)__1   __2   __3   __4   __5(Never)

Q25

25)   Is your business a member of any other trade organizations?

   __Yes   __No   __Don't Know

Which ones? (Please spell out acronyms)________________________________

Q26-27

26)   Do you recall ever receiving a publication from a trade organization about invasive plants?

   __Yes   __No

Which group?_________________________________

27) If you have received such publications have you read them?

   __Yes   __No

Q28

28)  Would you like to receive more information about invasive plants in your area and the country? (I am NOT going to pass your name onto any mailing lists.)

__Yes   __No

If yes, what sort of information would you find helpful?

__________________________________________________________

What formats would you like to receive this information?

__a. Mailings

__b. Email

__c. Newsletters

__d. Magazines

__e. Workshops

__f. Web sites

__g.  Books

__h. Television

__i. Video

__j. Other_______________________

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I am very interested in knowing what you think about the definition of "invasive plants" that I presented before.  Here it is again.

   "Invasive plants are plants that have or are likely to (1) spread into native plant communities and cause environmental harm by developing self-sustaining populations and disrupting those systems; or, (2) spread into managed plant systems and cause economic harm."

Q29

29)   In your experience, is this an accurate definition?

   __Yes   __No   __Don't Know

Why or why not? (Use as much space as you like.)

Q30

30)   This is the conclusion of my formal questions about invasive plants but I would be pleased to hear any additional comments. Is there anything else you would like to tell me about invasive plant issues and how they affect the nurseries in your area?

Thank you for taking the time to fill out this survey! Your responses will be an important contribution to the debate as the industry decides how to deal with invasive plants in the future.