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These forests are not only
economically important to me; I depend on them for my own peace of mind...
As an ecology PhD student at Old Dominion
University, I depend
heavily on field work for scientific research that will push me towards the
completion of my degree. Without these forests, it would be impossible to
complete not only my ecology degree, but any ecologist’s research. Every day I
learn about new species and organism behaviors within the Virginian forests
that surround our cities. To lose these precious habitats would be morally and
scientifically criminal.
These forests are not only
economically important to me; I depend on them for my own peace of mind.
Spending a weekend, a day, or even a few hours in a Virginian forest allows me
to get away from the chaos of city life and relax with nature. The forests of Virginia are currently
quiet, calm and pristine – perfect areas for a pause from the hustle and bustle
of normal life.
These Virginian forests are also
home to thousands of unique species that occur only in small quantities in the U.S.
The Blackwater Ecologic Preserve in Isle of Wight
County holds carnivorous plants,
unique orchids, and the northernmost stand of naturally reproducing long-leaf
pine in the United States.
This preserve and similar tracts of forest in Central and Eastern
Virginia are also home to fungus-growing ants, large populations
of deer, and rare species of spiders. Other nearby wetlands in eastern North Carolina contain
the Venus Flytrap, a species that occurs naturally nowhere else in the world.
It would be a horrible event if
these forests disappeared due to our negligence. It would be even worse if
these forests disappeared due to a corporation’s greed; unfortunately, this is
exactly what is occurring. Fast food corporations are using large tracts of
land just like the Blackwater Ecologic Preserve to make their cups, containers,
and wrappers to hold their food. A small amount of public support would push
these companies to accept more environmentally-friendly practices that allow
for forests and fast food to coexist.
Marc A. Milne
Ecological Sciences PhD Candidate
President, Biology Graduate Student Organization
Vice-President, ODU Graduate Student Organization
Department of Biological Sciences
110 Mills Godwin Life Sciences Building
Old Dominion University
Norfolk, VA 23529
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