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June 30. 1995 1 6
Let's unite to save trees
For two weeks, the media has
focused on plns to down tmes
along Queen Mary Highway, St.
Croi. The Public Works Depos-
meat prolably did nao realize that
widening the road between the Unii-
versity of the Virgin Islands,
Willa's Deigl itandle Hamhs
Rest inesction would asm such
a upror. -
In 1989, Hurricane Hugo
destroyed hundreds of ree in [e
Virgin Isinds, particularly on SL
Croix. Then came the devastation
of a two-year drought tht cased
even dims tat hold water for years
togory.
No mass planing of rees was
doe alter Hugo. n fact. we did Ihe
opposite ad cm down m s.
The roadsides of Queen Mary
Highway once were planted with
oconul trees. Because so many
hurricanes hit St. Croix over the
yeaus, people, pariculrly chudien,
planted the roadsides with
mahogany and fuit trees, which
withstand hurricane winds better
dhun caonttresdoa
Historicaly, the trees along
Quee Mary Higway served as
resting place out of t ot Iso for
people ghring fnitsl, ling to-
ries ad playing music as well a
adding to the beauty of the rad-
way.
I have written many articles
about ees and the ftnctio they
play in or islands' ecosystn. But
i still amaes me tha some of us
waterwy coming down mth h the
O e heatand of the slad, and empty-
S isgin a large estuy at Fair Plan
Dai8 This was the greatest mixing of
O fresh and salt water in he island,
Sand therefore a haven for all thec
Screatues which rive in and need
an expeiece a in breaih water to
compleethe hliesof their lives"
am so igant. LT roots of ecol- All tiswater onSt Coixwas a
gylic in nrmal history, which is as tes ofthc forest yscm which
old as the arth iAel Prehisoric domied so much of h island at
mn dependepnd on fishing, hunti one lime. Foe play a significant
and foed gtrig and so needed to le climd e anld I disulion
ikow where and when his quarry oain.
might be found. The esablishmen 1i icooovnesy of cning down
ofgricallre increased the ned maIrt s a g Quen May Highway
lean about the practice ecology of could have been avoided if the
plhns and domestic animals. This Department of Public Works did
bkowledge allowed man to survive. n keep such proposals sct from
When God created the beauifl usibn fe letnd aher experts.
Garden ofEd n, the atiom of a Public Works Commissioner
fon added to lthegar addivesity Ann Abiomon said, in proteting
of lfe. Tody, just to look on t the late oo y, "ey have got to
beauty of God's crtion compels e in it from the beginning." But
moe to give him praise ad h anks how can a eywhenm om were
giving, invid the be;iiag g
St. Croix, once garden, is CPla alsoain at orks for
much differs today. i a u Dam Rain Ft This
monuc had differem tod ad rives project probably will involve
thnce waered manye o andome widening the road and removing
old-thim s wl ell they leadl hie l0 arld r a.
sins ia =Come on, la a wink together
0 swim in ta uruS, lehing try- S o f nt Lacb r
fish ad els. George A. Seaman i ofagil ch otherinpro-
menained tihe air PlacUie srem in g "
his book "Ay Ayr "It is the thid OlaeDa, wm nhold; aa
b idgeinthe at orowswi mwan orerf e mn etr mage a
not so long ago ricbudh m ad mst a r ad y cMf7, a
bea ul saam." S Crix ecologist. activist ad
He.fonrher stated. "A grand wrier.
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