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<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Hello,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> <u>Yankee</u>
magazine has been published in <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City w:st="on">Dublin</st1:City>,
<st1:State w:st="on">NH</st1:State></st1:place>, since 1935. Its readers
respect the magazine’s editors as experts in <st1:place w:st="on">New
England</st1:place> in different areas, including gardening. The Fall 2008
edition of <u>Yankee</u> contained a two-page essay by a <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:City
w:st="on">Boston</st1:City>, <st1:State w:st="on">MA</st1:State></st1:place>, resident
that extolled the virtues of the Acer platanoides, the Norway maple growing in
her small backyard. She wrote that urban parks should reconsider growing <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Norway</st1:place></st1:country-region> maples. <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> Disappointed
that <u>Yankee</u> printed this essay, I wanted to write a Letter to the Editor
that would reference different sources that corroborated the negative effect
that Norway maple has on native ecosystems. Since the Arnold Arboretum is in <st1:City
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Boston</st1:place></st1:City>, I contacted them.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> I
received the email below and find the answer confusing. First, why does the
Arnold Arboretum state that <i><span style='font-style:italic'>Acer platanoides</span></i>
<b><span style='font-weight:bold'>might</span></b> have “detrimental
effects…on native ecosystems”? Isn’t it a foregone
conclusion that Norway maple has “detrimental effects…on native
ecosystems”? The importation of Norway maple was banned in MA in 2006;
propagation of Norway maple will be illegal on January 1, 2009. Norway maple is
banned in <st1:State w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">New Hampshire</st1:place></st1:State>.
The state list banning Norway maple goes on and on. Where in this country would
anyone even consider that planting Norway maple was a plus for an ecosystem?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> <st1:country-region
w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Norway</st1:place></st1:country-region> maples grow
as “20 accessioned individuals” at the Arboretum which makes sense since
the Arboretum doesn’t accept as fact that Acer platanoides is invasive. However,
I find that other public and private institutions, while recognizing that
certain plants on their grounds are invasive, continue to keep them. The usual arguments
are that the plant was planted before its invasiveness was understood or that
the plant was donated to the institution. Does the fact that an invasive is
accessioned justify its continued existence?<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> Thank
you for your insight.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Grace Lilly<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'> <o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Hello Grace,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>The Arnold Arboretum understands your concerns regarding <i><span
style='font-style:italic'>Acer platanoides </span></i>and the detrimental
effects it might have on native ecosystems. However, it is not correct to
state that the Arboretum does not have any examples on our grounds; in fact, we<b><span
style='font-weight:bold'> </span></b>have 20 accessioned individuals. Therefore,
we cannot provide a statement such as the one you were hoping for.<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Regards,<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Marc Devokaitis<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'>Visitor Education Assistant<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><st1:City w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on"><font size=3
face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'>Arnold</span></font></st1:place></st1:City><font
size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:Arial'> Arboretum<o:p></o:p></span></font></p>
<p class=MsoNormal><font size=3 face=Arial><span style='font-size:12.0pt;
font-family:Arial'><o:p> </o:p></span></font></p>
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