January 3, 1997

John Palmer, Forest Supervisor
Allegheny National Forest
P.O. Box 847
Warren, PA 16365

Mr. Palmer,
My name is Johnny the Nurse Log and my father was a tree.  He was one of the best batteries on earth and he stored biological money within me.  I am food for the soil.  I make better connections with my neighbors when I make soil contact. More so I am a free water reservoir for trees at dry times and a winter resort for associates of my fathers including mycorrhizae.  I am ALIVE!   I am just as important to your forest as the spark plugs are  to your cars performance.  My stored carbon will play a very very important role in your soils carbon-nitrogen ratio.  Thus reducing nitrates from contaminating streams and ground water.  Simply adding fertilizer does not replace me anymore than a bolt would replace your spark plug.  I am not a tree top I am a tree trunk and my family starts at 1 1/2 feet in diameter by 4' long.  I love my friends including the fisher who does use me for transporting purposes.  We have a symbiotic relation ship where as the fisher at times will add a little organic fertilizer to me which helps me break down more efficiently (scat).  Please do not believe the serpent who wants you to believe I am a health risk to the forest.  I trust you will have common sense and see I am an asset and not an liability.
 

Johnny the Nurse Log