Dear St. Martin Parish President Guy Cormier,

For many of us the peace,serenity, calm, and quietness of the Lake Martin Cypress Island Swamp system is the reminder that the world is made up of much more than just cities and commerce. In fact, our culture and traditions were born out of this natural landscape and just as the absolute logging of the Atchafalaya Basin has erased the memory of ancient cypress trees from our children's vision of the world, supporting and allowing the I-49 Teche Ridge proposal to pass through our parish will destroy this calm natural setting that so many flock to enjoy when they need to rest and recuperate from the hustle and bustle of every day city life. Ultimately this I-49 Teche Ridge route will convert our communities into the very disturbance that the people of Lafayette are trying to defend their own community from. We would prefer that the future development of our parish and cities reflect our cultural connection to the land and enhance our unique natural surroundings instead of building this imminence barrier that would create an impassable wall between our people and the natural world that spawned their heritage. Remember "Kids that Hunt and Fish don't Steal and Deal". We ask that you withdraw your support for this I-49 Teche Ridge Alternative.