To the editor:
Hooray for the tree lady, Stephanie Kirmer. Save our "Vital trees" (Public Forum, Feb. 7).
There are so many more reasons also to save trees. Environmentally, they hold our soil, make us cooler, provide homes for our birds, squirrels, etc.
Developers clear them away with their big bulldozers. City fathers, think how long it takes a tree to grow up.
So folks, keep your trees watered, fertilized and protected. Your kids also will enjoy them.
And by the way, concerning weekly comments on the traffic on 23rd Street. Much of it is caused by the dead end of Kansas Highway 10 at the U.S. Highway 59 crossover, which is not finished east.
So as Pogo said, "the enemy is us." Extend K-10 through the swamp - even if you have to elevate it. Come on Lawrence, you are big enough for a southern bypass.
Sam Seminoff,
Baldwin
Comments
Richard Heckler 12 years, 3 months ago
I'm with you on the trees. Pick another path for a bypass.
http://www.wheatonparkdistrict.com/recreation/fourth/floodcontrol.html
Wetlands Saves Tax Dollars: Economical and Fiscal Pollution Control Wetlands filter water for free and thus lower the need for, or the loadings into, wastewater and drinking water treatment plants. Further loss of wetlands will lead to increased need for treatment plants and clean-up strategies. Water Supply Wetlands and major retention basins, providing large quantities of clean water for municipalities. Wetland losses will lead to loss of quality water supplies, requiring costly searches for new sources of water. Flood Control Wetlands help control flooding, and thus prevent the need for costly flood control projects. A one-acre wetland holds 330,000 gallons of water if flooded to one foot. Shipping By filtering tributaries and runoff, wetlands hold back vast amounts of sediment that would fill up navigation channels, saving hundreds of millions of tax dollars in dredging costs. Property Protection By preventing flooding and by acting as wave barrier to prevent coastal erosion, wetlands prevent loss of property. Property Values By serving as scenic open space and ad visual and sound buffers, wetlands enhance a community's amenities and therefore its property values. Tourism and Recreation By producing so much wildlife and fish, by serving as scenic open space, and by protecting water quality, wetlands greatly benefit businesses based on fishing, boating, hunting, swimming, and sightseeing, including the lodging, restaurant and service sector. Food Wetlands produce much of the fish harvested by the commercial fishing and aquaculture industries, and are the only place where cranberry, wild rice and other wetland crops can be grown. Natural Resources Wetland produce most of the furbearers for the trapping industry. Forest wetlands can be an important source of timber when managed properly. Fiscal and Tax Savings By performing all the above benefits for free, wetlands save billions of tax dollars by avoiding the need for costly flood, erosion, pollution control, dredging and water supply projects. They bring in fiscal revenues by supporting the recreation, tourism, food and service industries. By enhancing residential property values, they maintain high
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