[njensen]

“As a plant ecologist specializing in habitat restoration, I rely on a qualified botanist to perform detailed plant surveys of projects if no good survey or species checklist is available. So I whole heartedly agree with Carl [Wishner] that a checklist must be complied by QUALIFIED BOTANISTS, and that this should be essential to any project and especially a CEQA development type project. In reviewing projects for LA CO ERB, I find that good species lists are hard to find ... usually a cut and paste job and not specific to the site. I thought that it was a requirement to have a specific plant checklist. Another important issue is the qualification of the botanist compiling the checklist. In my long ago job as a project manager for a consulting firm that shall remain nameless, I learned the hard way why it is essential to have a qualified botanist perform plant surveys. I will never forget receiving a castigating review of the plant list for a project that was compiled by the consulting firm's "botanist". I was presented with SEATAC's review, and the fact that many species on the list were outside of their range .... Needless to say, I don't work without consulting a botanist that is qualified for specific areas. I think that there are very few truly qualified botanists as demonstrated by the number of species Carl comes up with versus an inexperienced biologist's list. This leads to the idea of some type of certification process that I believe might be in the works now.