Editor:
Your June 5 issue contained a column by Scott Shalaway titled, Grapevines are aggressive, but not deadly. Both the title of the article and portions of content within the article are very wrong.
Left uncontrolled, grapevines will slow the growth of trees, and when vines are abundant, grapevines can physically pull trees down and kill them.
Grapevines can have an especially destructive effect on the regenerative capacity of forests that are harvested prior to controlling grapevines, since the increase of light promotes the growth of the vines, which then pulls down and suffocates young seedlings and saplings.
I am not advocating eradication of grapevines (you couldn’t if you tried), however, I am urging landowners to be active stewards of their forests, which includes controlling invasive species, harvesting timber in a responsible manner, and controlling grapevines.
Jed Coldwell, ACF
Consulting forester
Salineville, Ohio
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