POT GROWERS DESTROY NATIONAL RESERVES

The cultivation of marijuana in our national reserves is absolutely
devastating the local ecology. The harvesters have no regard for the
terrain. They strip the land bare of native vegetation, introduce
nonnative species, disrupt the ecosystem and scar the land
irreparably. They poison the watershed with sloppy and excessive use
of high potency fertilizers. On top of that, their presence becomes a
lethal threat to everyday visitors, who desire to enjoy these last few
places where our ecological heritage is supposed to be preserved.

Why do I not see streets blocked by ecological protesters? Why do I
not see editorials from ecologically friendly media, such as this
paper, calling for eradication of this plague? Why do I not see and
hear calls for law enforcement to deal with this doubly threatening
issue? Could it be that when it gets down to base priorities, it
becomes the ecology and the world we live in be damned, people would
rather just get illegally high? That says a lot about our society and
our hope for a future.

Gordon Laird

San Jose