Forest plan

Press, 24 April 1980, Page 16

Forest plan

Sir, — In his article (Apri’ 12) Professor 5 IcKelvey commends the fast ’esters as “stewards” for the! <r inquiries of the pubii c as “owners” concerning p iolicy. Recently I suffered tli e em--rassment of being delegated to take a vj ‘siting American professor of some distinction to a forest" park, where he was astonisSl ed to see the introduction < »f exotics, together with six ;cious claims concerning the ] Forest Service’s ability to “ determine the most suitablevegetation for the area. Th e visitor was appalled am| kept repeating: “. . . but tbit ; isn’t tru.. It is propagaiM la in support of predeter mined commercialism.” I i was doubly embarrassed 1» icause I .had not bothered t( > read the “funnies,” the i nformation being in quasi-c artoon form for the public enlightenment. It may well ‘be different in academe, bo ft as far as the Forest S Service's accountability goes P r<lessor McKelvey’s as portions

amount to no more than pious wishes. — Yours, .etc., P. A. G. HOWELL. April 20, 1980.