Congresswoman Ileana Ros-Lehtinen has agreed to intervene with the appropriate government agencies to ensure that the Australian pine canopy remains at Ft. Zachary Taylor. Save Our Pines is greatly encouraged by her willingness to become involved.
Fortunately, we haven't had any hurricanes so far this season, but this is a very important point to keep in mind:
Not only do the pines provide a canopy of shade for locals and tourists alike, they are part of the history of the Fort, acting as a buffer to protect one of the country’s ten most endangered National Historic Landmarks from hurricane force winds. The Australian pines serve as the first and perhaps only line of defense for the Fort by dispersing and absorbing the brunt of the storms’ forces. Natives and pavilions most certainly will not provide the same line of defense that the pines have provided so effectively for nearly 50 years.
Thank you very much to those of you who came to the fundraiser on September 22. It was a big success but we still need more funds to keep going. Please visit the website for updates on the pines: www.saveourpines.com. We now have PayPal on the site, so it will be much easier to make donations.
Another way you can help is by working at the Super Boat Races on November 6th through the 12th. The Market Share Company is asking for volunteers and they will pay Save our Pines $10/hour for every hour you work. Race days (Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday) will be the busiest, but help on any day will be appreciated. Scheduling will be anywhere from 7, 8, 9, or 10 am through 5 pm. If you are interested, please contact skitchar@aol.com with the subject: Super Boat Races.
Please forward this to anyone you know who would like to keep the shade of the pines. Thank you!
