To the editor:

I write to take issue with the tone and content of your March 4 editorial, “Oh, no!”, that disparaged a local effort to educate the community about the annual salamander migration at the Baker Wetlands.

While it may be the intention of this newspaper to politicize this issue, I witnessed no indication of that on Saturday night when I attended a gathering of salamander enthusiasts, a fun group of folks who braved the cold wind and rain to find and assist a dozen or so small-mouthed salamanders on their trek across 31st Street. I made some new friends and learned of an interesting biological phenomenon of which I was previously unaware. Community spirit was fostered and my collective ignorance was reduced. Both are positive accomplishments. It is exactly this sort of activity that makes Lawrence such a nice place to live.

Despite how laughable and quixotic the paper’s opinion may be of this undertaking, the fact remains that a fascination with nature is shared by many people regardless of their age, race, religion or socio-economic status. That fascination should be encouraged, rather than ridiculed, particularly in a state whose scientific reputation is now so woefully tarnished. The Journal-World’s readership deserves better than this.

Norman Davidson,

Lawrence