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The clear cut below Chimney Rocks will have irreparable negative consequences.
It's important to consider the ecological services an ecosystem provides and not simply its perfectly manicured appearance.
The previously forested area provided habitat for birds, mammals and important pollinators, most of which are in drastic decline.
As Stan Kotala pointed out in his letter, hackberry, hickory, basswood and maple -- all beautiful Pennsylvania native trees -- were in abundance below Chimney Rocks.
Hackberry provides an important source of nectar for pollinators in the spring and, as its name suggests, berries for migrating and over-wintering birds in the fall.
The hickory trees that once populated the forest produce nuts that are eaten by small mammals and birds.
The stunning flowers of the basswood and maple trees are favored by many essential pollinating insects.
The loss of this forest should be of great concern to the entire community.
The public should have been aware of the plans before any action was taken and afforded an opportunity to comment.
This decision was made with no environmental consideration. Agencies responsible for cutting trees should require an environmental assessment beforehand.
Therefore, such destruction could be avoided.
We are blindly and ignorantly losing wildlife habitat because of preventable decisions such as this.
Angela Spagnoli
Altoona