Wetlands and purple aliens

Regarding the article "Land Trusts Saving Much Wetland and Open Space," Aug. 5: Through my long association with The Nature Conservancy, I have been active in preserving prairies and wetlands. I am delighted that the land trusts are proving so successful in this important cause.Also, I grew up on the banks of the Sudbury River and canoed through its wetlands to the Concord River at the "rude bridge" of Revolutionary War fame. So I am particularly pleased at the success of that trust. However, I am disappointed that the photograph chosen to indicate the beauty of the wetlands emphasizes Purple Loosestrife, a European alien. We in the Midwest are trying to protect our wetlands from the spread of this plant as it threatens to drive out native plants and wildlife. Edmund C. Bray, St. Paul, Minn.

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