Dear Editor,

Over the past few years the forests and number of trees of the island have been declining at a frightening rate. Indeed, Jamaica ranks among the most rapidly deforested areas of the world. Over the long run, the country pays a great price for destroying its forests. So one way we could show that we are serious about protecting the environment is to begin a major reforestation of the island.

The government should set an attainable goal planting a certain number of trees each year. It could even make tree-planting competitive, with prizes for the individual or community that plants the most trees in any given year. But equally important with planting is making sure that the trees survive, so a reward should be set given for numbers and varieties tended for a decade or more. With the government itself leading the way, it is possible that within a few years Jamaica could again justify the meaning of its original name: land of wood and water.

Monty Walker

Kingston