Letters.

NOT ALL SPECIES NEED FIRE

editor: I believe you were misleading in your article titled "Burning Issues" in the Winter 2000 issue of American Forests.

This article conveys the impression that all forests should be periodically burned; this is not true. I agree that millions of acres of coniferous forest require fire to reduce the amount of flammable material, discourage unwanted species, and encourage regeneration of desirable species.

There also are millions of acres of hardwood forest, particularly in the North and Northeast, where fire is not needed or desirable; this should have been noted in the article. A single blanket recommendation regarding fire does not fit all circumstances.

John Tillinghast

Ripley, West Virginia 

PLANT TREES FOR TIGERS

editor: Congratulations on your article "On the Last of 9 Lives" in the Autumn issue of American Forests. Talk about a slap in the face to the people who care about what is happening to wildlife and its habitat. I'm very pleased that your magazine is so involved in replanting the "roots of the world." Hopefully you will wake others to the destruction of the world's forests and its effect on both habitat and humanity.

Something needs to be done. People need to replant what has been uprooted and give back what has been taken away. Our lives are at stake, not just the Siberian tigers.

Your magazine was amazing for all the information about the Siberian tiger and other endangered animals. The tiger is one of the most beautiful animals in the forest. The fact that Siberian tigers are hovering at or below the 500 members needed for survival or multiplication is something we can't ignore.

Pauline Haskins

LaCrosse, Wisconsin

OSAGE-ORANGE MEMORIES

editor: The Autumn 2000 issue had an article by Jeff Ball concerning the osage-orange. It was of particular interest to me as an Illinois College student during the 1940s.

The description on page 62 that mentions the tree's use as a boundary fence reminded me of the osage-orange picnic tradition established by the college in May 1882. It was suggested to omit classes to entice the students to "grub-out" the unsightly hedge around the campus.

The original, declared Osage-Orange Day, continues as a celebration to this day and remains as a picnic in May on campus before graduation.

Leonard Staff

Tempe, Arizona 

NEW CHAMP NEEDED FOR WESTERN WHITE PINE?

editor: In your 1996-97 National Register of Big Trees you list a champion Western white pine (Pinus monticola) in El Dorado National Forest, nominated by Henry Carsten and Maynard Drawson.

Soon after its nomination and acceptance as champion, I telephoned Carsten to pinpoint its location. Four of us Forest Service retirees visited the tree and felt it was two trees grown together.

A few years later, a staff member of the ranger district where the tree stands reported that one of the trunks had fallen in a winter storm.

In September two of us hiked to the tree and verified that only half the tree remains. Unfortunately, we had no measuring equipment, but we did take two pictures. It would seem that with a good share of the crown and diameter gone, the tree would no longer have the points to qualify as champion and that designation should revert to the previous one.

Scollay C. Parker

Placerville, California 

A TREE FOR EVERY CHILD

Deborah Gangloff: As coordinator of our school's Earth Day activities, I have reviewed the materials you sent and am very excited about using them. I would like to know if our school could have 20 more packets. Our school has about 350 students, in grades pre-kindergarten to 8th. I like the activities in the Learning Guide and the poster will be a fine asset to my classroom. I'm sure other teachers here would love to have one.

I will be collecting for A Tree For Every Child. I feel it is a very important cause for us to be involved in here.

Fran Babiez

St. John Berchmans School Chicago, Illinois

KIDS ON SAVING THE EARTH

editor's note: We always enjoy letters from students, who have a tendency to get right to the point. We thought you might enjoy some of their comments as well:

From Tuskegee, Alabama, 5th graders, a slew of requests for earth care tips:

"I would like for you to give me some tips on how we can keep the earth clean. Because the way the beaches look, man they are dirty."

-Juana Jones

"I would like to know how I can help support our environment. There is trash in our forest and I need your help. Will you please call me or write me back."

-Stella A. Speer

"I am writing this letter to you because you would probably know this answer. I was wondering how to save the earth. Sometimes I think that saving the earth is very easy. But I see a lot of people littering and not using resources wisely. Would you answer that question."

-Aundrianna Fields

"I want to tell you about my environment. It is horrible. Our beach is just plain nasty. It has paper, spit, dirt, beer bottles, people's false teeth, and underwear. Please get us some help."

-Kelvina Marshall

"Can you get some information on how to save Earth? Our earth is getting old. Can you get in touch with some scientist to stop air from getting polluted?

-Christopher Howard

"Please let us at Tuskegee Public Schools in Tuskegee, Alabama, [know what we can] do to save the world. You don't have to say don't litter because I know that. Just tell us something else to do, and I promise you we will do it."

-Derren C. Simmons

From Gardena, California, 3rd graders who participated in AMERICAN FORESTS A Tree for Every Child program:

"We want to plant trees. We want to make the world more beautiful. We want to make the air fresher and cleaner. I hope that will be enough."

-Vanesa Islas

"We like trees because they help us. The trees are beautiful. All the Earth likes trees. The trees give us oxygen. We are happy with the trees."

-Blanca Uribe

SCIENCE LESSON

editor: I saw in the Autumn 2000 issue that Joan Smith asked about trees absorbing [CO.sub.2]. You responded that all trees absorb [CO.sub.2] and break it down into carbon and oxygen. Of course, you were probably oversimplifying and realize that the [CO.sub.2] is retained and combined with hydrogen from water to make carbohydrates. The oxygen released by plants comes from the breakdown of the water.

M. Petelle

via e-mail

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