Trees could be a source of food

THANK you for the informative article [“Planting the Future, One Tree at a Time,” Nov. 23]. However, in an era when oil is peaking, putting our food supply at risk -- yes, pretty much everything we eat that we don’t grow in our neighborhoods is oil-dependent -- we should be planting a variety of fruit and nut trees everywhere in our public and private spaces.

Our city has thousands of miles of superfluous auto parking lanes in residential areas. These could become orchards and food forests. Children could be learning how to take care of one another in the context of taking care of our future food supply in our neighborhoods.

Mayors and schools that really want to prepare kids for a future on this rapidly warming planet, take note!

LOIS ARKIN

Los Angeles

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YOU pointed out that Sherman Oaks is one of the few cities above the national average for tree coverage. In fact, I believe the abundance of mature trees here constitutes one of the neighborhood’s most attractive features. Which makes it even more baffling and frustrating to me when people move in -- then proceed to cut down the trees on their properties. It’s bad enough that developers do it to build their McMansions.

But why would any homeowner want to destroy one of the very factors that makes the area so desirable? Hopefully, the mayor’s program will highlight the vital importance of trees to the beauty of Los Angeles, as well as the health of its residents.

MICHAEL CAROFF

Sherman Oaks