I have not been to the Magee Marsh boardwalk for a while, but some photos I've seen recently seem disturbing. Apparently (in response to inquiries about this) a web page has appeared at http://www.dnr.state.oh.us/Home/News/NewsReleaseArchives/tabid/19075/EntryId/2736/Emerald-Ash-Borer-Impacts-Woods-Along-Magee-Marsh-Boardwalk.aspx announcing the Division of Wildlife has cut down many large and small ash trees to prevent injuries to visitors when these trees die as a result of emerald ash borer infestation. The photos, taken by others, show a much-denuded area, including vegetation near the stumps and areas where these trees fell, and I have been told still more trees have been marked for later removal. No one has mentioned this on this forum. In view of the popularity and iconic significance of this small beach ridge to wildlife observers, I am surprised to see no other publicity on this clearing. Does BSBO have anything to say, as they regard this feature as their signal attraction? Of course, a violent storm, hardly unknown along the Lake shore, could have wrought similar or even larger damage to this site. But I wonder if there would have been a lot more hand-wringing at such a disaster than there has been about one wrought by a government wildlife agency. Important patches of habitat disappear, often by means of human error. Sadly, seldom do patches of important habitat appear by the same means. Probably numbers of Lake Erie migrants will not greatly decrease if this little spot, so endeared to bird observers, winks out, but I hope folks who care about birds will learn something about habitat preservation as a result. Bill Whan Columbus ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. Additional discussions can be found in our forums, at www.ohiobirds.org/forum/. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: http://listserv.muohio.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]