THE PUBLIC MIND: NATIVE FOREST LAND IS NOW A FRACTION OF ITS ORIGINAL SIZE

To the Editor:

In regard to your editorial on Friday in which you stated that America's forests are in better shape than they were 30 years ago, you could not be more wrong. Our native forests have been reduced to a mere fraction of their original size. The Bootheel of Missouri was once a dense oak and cypress forest which covered hundreds of square miles. Its been reduced by the stewards of the land to a mere 1,000 acres thatch known as Big Oak Tree State Park.

The timber companies bring pressure to bear on our political leaders to gain access to our national and state forest. They assure us that our forests are in great shape but one need only look with eyes open to see that this statement is just a political ploy. Our old growth forest in Missouri are completely gone replaced by the stewards of the land with trees of uniform height and of little diversity. This uniform forest has led to a decline in song bird populations and in many areas has led to the endangerment of many other species. These so-called private stewards of the land as you call them speak little of the natural environment or the $5.6 billion that the taxpayers are forced to pay each decade to subsidize their reckless use of our national treasures.

Contrary to what your editors may think, we so-called environmentalists are well informed and only want what is good for all citizens, not just the few who will see short-term profits from the depletion of our beautiful forests. We environmentalists are smart enough to realize that the small fraction of wooded land that is left must be protected before these so called stewards cut the last remaining fraction.

With the national deficit hovering at 2 trillion dollars, let these stewards find their money from another source other than the taxpayer. Let them buy their timber from the private sector and sell this wood to the highest bidder, which is usually Japan.

Alan Gerecke

Sierra Club member

Cape Girardeau