DeepSummary
The episode discusses the illegal trade of succulents and cacti, which has led to the extinction of some species in the wild. Dr. Jared Margulies, the guest, explains that cacti are a taxonomic family, while succulents are a broader category of plants with water-storing traits. He notes that around 75% of cacti are currently threatened, with illegal collection for ornamental trade being a major issue alongside climate change and land use change.
Margulies delves into the paradox of collectors who deeply care for and love these plants but whose desire for possession can lead to species extinction. He discusses the nuances of seed collection, with some conservationists arguing against it to protect natural seedbeds, while others see it as a sustainable alternative to reduce pressure on wild populations. The concept of ecological sovereignty is also explored, with debates around the rights of states versus ecological justice perspectives.
The episode explores the connections between desire, capitalism, and the illegal wildlife trade. Margulies highlights the shift in conservation approaches, with increasing militarization and criminalization, and advocates for sustainable use and livelihoods approaches that recognize the knowledge and rights of local communities.
Key Episodes Takeaways
- The illegal trade of succulents and cacti has led to the extinction of some species in the wild.
- Collectors who deeply care for these plants can paradoxically contribute to their decline through the desire for possession.
- There are debates around seed collection, with differing perspectives on its sustainability and ecological impacts.
- The concept of ecological sovereignty raises questions about the rights of states versus ecological justice perspectives.
- Capitalism and endless cycles of desire for new and rare objects fuel the illegal wildlife trade.
- There is a shift toward militarization and criminalization in conservation efforts, which may not address root causes.
- Sustainable use and livelihoods approaches that empower local communities are advocated as alternatives.
- The episode explores the complex interplay between desire, care, conservation, and possession in the context of succulent and cacti collecting.
Top Episodes Quotes
- “Oh, yeah, I couldn't agree more. It's devastating when I see literary allusions in, like, for instance, fiction or. Or in journalism where people talk about deserts as these dead spaces are empty spaces. If you've ever spent time in a lot of deserts, they're anything but that.“ by Jared Margulis
- “But under capitalism, we're repeatedly presented with the new object that might grab our attention and we might imagine holds the key to satisfying our desires. And even though we all know that the minute you get that new thing, we realize that the fantasy is gone in the sense that it doesn't actually satisfy you on this deeper level, as a human being, we still seem to repeat the same activity over and over and over again of looking for the next new thing that might kind of fill the void, so to speak.“ by Jared Margulis
- “And as they do that, they accrue in value, not just in monetary terms, but in emotional and sentimental terms. Many collectors I spent time with and interviewed have openly wept over the death of a cactus, not only because it represented an enormous amount of time and care within their own life or maybe even their own mortality, but the lives of others who went before them.“ by Jared Margulis
- “We have a lot of evidence from the criminological literature that efforts of criminalization and prohibition as a response to trying to curb forms of illicit economies often fail. We can think about the US failed war on drugs as a good example of this, and yet we're seeing some of the same problems being reproduced in combating illegal wildlife trade, again through more severe sentencing, less of a focus on rehabilitation or the structural underpinnings of why people might be engaged in, for instance, poaching in the first place.“ by Jared Margulis
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Episode Information
Green Dreamer: Seeding change towards collective healing, sustainability, regeneration
Kamea Chayne
2/9/24
“What we’re talking about are plants that people desire for ornamental collection and will oftentimes go to great lengths to get them. Sometimes, that desire leads to conservation problems, and sadly… in the worst-case scenario, the extinction of an entire species.”
Where does cacti and succulent life fit within the realm of illegal/illicit wildlife trade? What conversations might arise when we include them in a wider picture of political ecology and colonial histories? And how might the entanglement of desire, care, and conservation complicate trends of in-vogue succulent and cacti collecting?
Join us in this episode with our guest Jared Margulies, author of The Cactus Hunters, as we delve into prickly themes of globalized trade networks, desire, and preservation.