Hatch's Letter to Editor
More benefit than harm derived from pines in park
It is not because of the sound of the wind blowing through the trees that I want to save the Australian Pines at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park — though it is a soothing sound. It is because these trees protect us from the harsh Florida sun and allow us to enjoy the beach, our only beach in Key West with natural shade. The pagodas in the plans are not quite the same as shade trees.
If it is the state's goal of making this park more of a money-making park, through more and bigger concessions and wedding pavilions, then perhaps a beach with little shade will work. However, without the pines, most folks I know say they will visit the beach far less often.
Park officials have repeatedly said they would not remove these trees unless they posed a safety hazard. Just this week in The Citizen, Florida Parks Director Mike Bullock wrote, "We agreed to allow the Australian pines in the picnic area to remain until they die naturally, become a safety hazard or must be removed due to damage from storms."
Several days later, 72 trees in the picnic area were marked to be bulldozed.
The safety hazard here is the sun, and removal of the pines in the name of clearing this park of non-native invasive species is absurd. The non-native invasive species here is man. These trees should be nurtured in their non-native, man-filled coral corner of Key West where native trees do not grow. The pricey park experiments with natives have generally failed along the beach, and the sea grapes still alive only provide shade for short dogs. This is not Invasion of the Australian Pine Body Snatchers here. These trees are cheaply and easily controlled in the picnic area.
An invitation is extended to arborists, botanists and plant lovers rightly concerned about invasive plants in Florida to pass an afternoon picnicking at this unique park during which time I think they will see the benefits of letting these trees live in this little seaside spot.
A Winnebago Indian wise saying goes, "Holy Mother earth, the trees and all nature, are witnesses of your thoughts and deeds."
The state and the park goers are fortunate to have these shade trees here where little else will live. Killing them will ruin this park.
Richard Hatch
Key West
Published Key West Citizen 5/16/06
It is not because of the sound of the wind blowing through the trees that I want to save the Australian Pines at Fort Zachary Taylor State Park — though it is a soothing sound. It is because these trees protect us from the harsh Florida sun and allow us to enjoy the beach, our only beach in Key West with natural shade. The pagodas in the plans are not quite the same as shade trees.
If it is the state's goal of making this park more of a money-making park, through more and bigger concessions and wedding pavilions, then perhaps a beach with little shade will work. However, without the pines, most folks I know say they will visit the beach far less often.
Park officials have repeatedly said they would not remove these trees unless they posed a safety hazard. Just this week in The Citizen, Florida Parks Director Mike Bullock wrote, "We agreed to allow the Australian pines in the picnic area to remain until they die naturally, become a safety hazard or must be removed due to damage from storms."
Several days later, 72 trees in the picnic area were marked to be bulldozed.
The safety hazard here is the sun, and removal of the pines in the name of clearing this park of non-native invasive species is absurd. The non-native invasive species here is man. These trees should be nurtured in their non-native, man-filled coral corner of Key West where native trees do not grow. The pricey park experiments with natives have generally failed along the beach, and the sea grapes still alive only provide shade for short dogs. This is not Invasion of the Australian Pine Body Snatchers here. These trees are cheaply and easily controlled in the picnic area.
An invitation is extended to arborists, botanists and plant lovers rightly concerned about invasive plants in Florida to pass an afternoon picnicking at this unique park during which time I think they will see the benefits of letting these trees live in this little seaside spot.
A Winnebago Indian wise saying goes, "Holy Mother earth, the trees and all nature, are witnesses of your thoughts and deeds."
The state and the park goers are fortunate to have these shade trees here where little else will live. Killing them will ruin this park.
Richard Hatch
Key West
Published Key West Citizen 5/16/06
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