To the Editor:
Driving around lately, I have noticed a number of stands of white pine trees. One in particular, along State Road entering West Tisbury, part of a Land Bank property, has naturalized harmoniously with the native oak forest.
The idea that they are not native seems arbitrary, since they are growing within their native range, and are thriving. They have not become invasive, and they add variety to the woods. The main problem with the white pine plantations are how densely they were planted, and how congested they have become.
Besides the politics of the controversy, principally who gets to decide, there doesn’t seem to be any attempt at compromise. Why not clear out the overcrowded trees, lessening the fire danger, and leave the healthy trees, preserving these groves as unique additions to the ecosystem?
Robert Macgregor
West Tisbury
