Folks -- I enjoyed perusing Jerome Jackson's book on searches for the ivory billed woodpecker, and comments on the natural history and ecology of the species. In one paragraph towards the end of the book, Dr. Jackson commented on management practices which tend to occur even in "protected" areas for woodpeckers in which tree harvest protocols are designed to cull trees before they are dead of dying and to salvage dead trees after insect infestations, fires, etc. Dr. Jackson pointed out that dead trees often have more value to a forest than live tress, and he pointed out that the natural process of decay is important to the natural biotic community of the forest, from fungus to beetle larvae to woodpeckers to those animals which use holes dug in trees by woodpeckers, etc. I especially liked the analogy of such decay to a time release vitamin capsule that slowly releases nutrients back into the forest. I would have bought the book today if the line at the bookstore had not been so long, but I recommend this neat little book for the discussion of the woodpecker as well as the ecological lessons that I found well-expressed.
Stan Moore San Geronimo, CA [EMAIL PROTECTED]
