"If the explorers of old had not brought exotic plants to England and nursed them in the great glass cathedral that is Kew Gardens, then several species would have become extinct forever, rather than just in their native countries.

Many plants and animals have been reintroduced to their native soils soley because they've been nurtured and reproduced elsewhere."

(LTS) - but this, too, can/should be done in situ...

Poem 203 of 230: IN SITU

When faced with a critical view,
    A zoo's main raison d'être is -
The conservation of species;
    But this can be done in situ.

From walkaboutsverse.741.com

To Janie:

Firstly, I try not to take an attitude of "passion" that you mention...

Poem 150 of 230: TEARS

Watching a documentary
    Of the '66 World Cup,
And the way of England's Ramsey,
    I thought: "Let's give 'passion' up."

It voiced and showed his calm way -
    He playing things down a touch;
And, as his home team won the day,
    They showed care but not too much.

Analytical Englishmen -
    Cool over the tasks that lay;
We see some of it in Henman,
    But it's not the modern way.

Sadly, passion and youthful thought
    Have become the status quo,
And social-standards and sport
    Have sunk relatively low.

From walkaboutsverse.741.com

Secondly, are you sure that in the USA "That solid, virgin forest that stretched 1/3 of the way across this continent is gone forever"?...here in England, most native habitats/forest can be re-created by human hands - if the will and the land is there.

Thirdly, plant hunting/replacement has nothing to do with nature's/God's evolution.

To Theleveller: I think that's good - you'll be "doing your bit" (Churchill) to cut down on food-miles and packaging, and the taste will probably be better.