Mar 9, 2018 1 min read

Columnist misses mark

George Block’s outdoors column on March 4 concerning thirsty trees clearly tries to simplify an already very regulated issue.

While Mr. Block has for decades been the go-to guy to share with us his wisdom of the pre-64 Winchester Model 70 .270 caliber, his knowledge on this topic is limited. He may want to check with the Washington County Soil and Water Conservation District. Every community has many regulations in place for even the single home being built outside of a subdivision. This stormwater management is very regulated, as it should be. There are permits needed now for earth disturbance and stormwater control like we have never seen.

When Mr. Block grew up in the Hill Station area of Cecil, as in many townships surrounding it, there were farmers planting from property line to property line. Now when these farms are developed into subdivisions, the homeowners usually plant 20 trees per half-acre that were not there prior. More trees are now in Washington County than there were 40 years ago …

Let Mr. Block stick to what Mr. Block knows.

Joseph McLaughlin

McMurray