Kentucky stands poised to lead the nation into the emerging economy.
Our forests already produce income simply by existing, sequestering carbon as a matter of course to combat global climate change.
Access to clean water is becoming a global concern, but Kentucky's Robinson Forest boasts some of the cleanest streams in the eastern United States.
Yet the University of Kentucky is determined to shortchange the state's economic future by commercially logging 800 acres of intact forest in Robinson starting this fall. UK plans to log up to the streams to study the pattern of stream sedimentation.
It is commonly known that trees keep sediment out of streams; trees keep soil in place, period. It is always illogical to disrupt intact forests and clean streams to study the resulting pollution. It is inane to do so when their value is at a premium.
UK's Board of Trustees needs to consider and articulate the full costs of this project, including loss of carbon sequestration, degradation of management-indicator-quality streams and the loss of drinking water purification, rainfall regulation, drought control and flood prevention.
Since these costs will be borne by all Kentucky citizens, we deserve to know how much is at stake. These functions have an easily determined economic value, and my generation and those behind me will pay heavily for such a grievous loss.
Why not study the economic value of intact forests and clean streams instead? Maybe Kentucky could lead the nation economically for a change.
Jane Marie Watts
Frankfort
