An argument is that they would probably be burnt anyway, so why not buy
them and they are very common.

However, would you be happy for 100 year old English oaks to be pulled
up and sold as a sideline for building development in England? And if
you wouldn't, I really don't think you should be buying Tree Ferns,
however "trendy".
--
Larry Stoter



Larry, if the Oaks were going to be cut down or destroyed in any way
whatsoever, I'd rather they were sold off and relocated. I wouldn't be
bothered where to. If they went to China, I wouldn't care, at least they'd be
alive.

I think you have a problem with the NZ government's policy on development, and
that's another issue entirely. The only way to really address the issue in a
way that'd make you happy would be to stop development all together wherever
there are Dicksonia antarctica.

As the NZ government are unlikely to stop all development where there are
Dicksonia antarctica I think relocation is a good second option to fall back
on. At least the ferns are being preserved, only being taken from sites that
are being developed, and the government are regulating. I'm not sure that you
actually understand all the issues involved here. Whether people buy
Dicksonias or not is unlikely to affect anything at all.

Dave.