Town of Bridgewater, Vermont

Tree Warden’s Report
by Gerry Hawkes

January, 1997

Since the early 1970’s we have seen an ever increasing number of our trees become less and less healthy. Over the years, many of these trees died and were removed. Debate has raged over the causes, but mounting scientific evidence implicates acid rain along with other forms of air pollution as the primary culprits.

It now appears that the entire forest ecosystem has been weakened over a huge geographic area and that we are ripe for widespread dieback and death of trees on a unprecedented scale.

What will this mean to us?

• Huge economic losses to the timber and maple sugaring industries
• Increased loss of the shade trees which beautify our towns and homes
• Loss of trees which line our highways and rural roads
• Loss of biological diversity and wildlife habitat
• Increased power outages caused by falling limbs and trees
• Generally poorer foliage seasons and loss of tourism
• Serious concerns about the quality of the air we breathe and the health of our environment

What can you do now that the problem has reached such critical proportions?

• Become informed
  • Read "The Dying of The Trees" by Charles E. Little
  • Ask that local TV stations air the program narrated by Walter Cronkite titled "The Search for Clean Air"
• Make major lifestyle changes
  • Minimize driving - telecommute or carpool
  • Minimize consumption
  • Simplify
  • Support the development and introduction of cleaner technologies

These actions will be too little too late to prevent losses which have already occurred or will soon occur, but they are a start toward reshaping society for a happier, healthier future.

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Contact Gerry Hawkes: ghawkes@eco-systems.org