The Readers WriteDear Editor, After reading the Buckeye Farm News article regarding wetlands, written by Michelle Vargo, I am compelled to offer my opinions. In the year 1960, according to the United States Department of Agriculture, one farmer grew enough food to feed 28 people. In the year 2000, one farmer grew enough food to feed 101 people in the United States and 28 others. The tremendous difference in the production of foods, between the above dates, was accomplished by, among other things, the digging of drainage ditches, the digging of diversion ditches and the installing of field tiles for the purpose of draining wetlands thus changing them from useless areas to productive areas. I would like to call your attention to the fact that with less wetlands than in the past, people are living longer. According to the United States Social Security Figures, in the year 1940, men lived to be 68 years old. Women lived to be 72. In the year 2000, men lived to be 78.9 years old and women 83. Trees are a true natural asset to our lives. They slow erosion, they absorb carbon dioxide (a killer in large enough amounts), they give off oxygen, and they provide wood for our homes and other buildings. By driving the interstate highways, you can observe what happens to trees when they are engulfed by wetlands. They die. The definition of wetlands and the articles I read, regarding wetlands, refer to wetlands as habitats for wildlife. According to the United States Census of Agriculture, there are 14,100,000 acres of total farmland in the state of Ohio. Of those total acres, subtracting the 11,340,000 acres cropland from the 14,100,000 acres total farmland leaves 2,760,000 acres of undisturbed land and forest where wildlife can live undisturbed. Wildlife habitat, used as a reason for the need of wetlands, is absurd. Quoting the World Book Encyclopedia verbatim - " mosquitoes are among the deadliest enemies of man and domestic animals. In the far north swarms of mosquitoes may sting animals to death." The World Book Encyclopedia lists three ways mosquitoes can be eliminated. The adults can be killed, the larvae can be killed in the waters, which are insect breeding places, and the places where mosquitoes breed can be drained. Draining the breeding places is the most effective. The first two cases of West Nile Virus in Ohio were reported on Aug.14, 2002. This is according to a Kim A. Winpisinger, MS, Ohio Department of Health, Vector-borne Disease Program, who wrote, "In summary there were no human cases of West Nile Virus, in Ohio, until 2002. There were 435 cases of West Nile Virus in Ohio in 2002 and 30 of those people died. Case reports are, still, coming in from last year, and we hope to have a final tally by end of February." If West Nile Virus increases proportionately as it has in the last two years, we will need calculators to count the number of deaths from West Nile Virus in the years 2004 and 2005! Face the facts. Wetlands are breeding places for deadly insects! Ralph L. Butler, | |