Thank you to the Tidings and Scott Staats for the excellent — feature, "After the fire, a whole new world" (May 20).

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Forest fires, or wildland fires, tend to be misunderstood — by the general public. Staats's article penetrates the political gossip — and cuts into the real meat of issues related to social perceptions of — natural disturbance, the costs of fire suppression, and solutions to contemporary — problems created by historical forest practices.

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Readers can find it at:

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What a timely read for anyone concerned about the Ashland — watershed!

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Jay Lininger

Conservation Fellow. U. of Montana