Being a senior, I can remember seeing and not picking up shells
over 50 years ago.  I can remember the Petrified Forest and the miles
around it being so dense in beauty as well.  Pollution or population
explosion
didn't kill that forest.  People did.  Not serious collectors, but
vacation types
that see something for the first time and 'Wow - lets take this home...'.

More than once I have paid "Native Americans" to trod on their land
looking for
rocks or Shell rocks coming back empty handed or an item for a full day.

It is the masses that do the damage not the clubs or collectors.

Some massive "collectors" that harvest by the ton via dredging the deeps
are not really collectors like you or I.
They are often, I suppose, like the old time strip mines that laid waste
to many an area until the reclaim laws were put in.

Scientists, I suppose, would drag a "bucket" along a line for samples only.
They wouldn't think of doing an X-Y map dragging to get more and more.

I think those in COA and other groups are responsible to the world and
to our
hobby and craft.

When we display our shells in the public library (myself) we
are heading off some of those that bring home to show and tell.  It is an
education tool for those that see as well.

If you have a barren stretch of reef or beach area consider seeding it.
Talk to
Fish and Game or find the controlling agency and see if you can help
them help
the world.  Often they just need a local observer and reporter.  The
Weather service
does that and in conjunction with weather, trees, bushes and the like
are setup
to be observed over a longer time in a unique area.  Research stations
can't be
in all places.

And for Heavens sake, let the government choose or help choose what to
seed.  We don't want
to seed something that wipes out the region.  We scientists have done
that and have
loosed upon the country for good or by mistake many species.

Martin


--
Martin H. Eastburn
@ home at Lions' Lair with our computer lionslair at consolidated dot net
TSRA, Life; NRA LOH & Patron Member, Golden Eagle, Patriot's Medal.
NRA Second Amendment Task Force Charter Founder
IHMSA and NRA Metallic Silhouette maker & member.
http://lufkinced.com/

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