England landscape architects have called for the creation of an "emerald necklace''running from Maine to the Long Island Sound.

The greenway would be modelled on Frederick Law Olmsted's "greenway'' in Boston which is an uninterrupted corridor of parkland stretching from Boston Common to a 520-acre park.

Anyone who has been to Boston -- or other cities with green belts -- will know how important it is for any built up areas to have a green lung of public open space where people can escape from the stress and pressure of congested areas to relax. As arable land and open spaces continue to disappear, Bermuda would benefit from a similar plan, beyond the purchases of open space that Government has made over the last two decades.

Bermuda already has one national green belt -- the Railway Trail. In Hamilton, the former Pembroke Dump and Victoria and Par-la-Ville Parks form the making of a second. If the Corporation of Hamilton was to take up the long discussed idea of putting underground parking at City Hall Car Park along with a "green top'', this would give the city an almost contiguous park running from Marsh Folly to Par-la-Ville Road.

A third green lung could be developed along the South Shore, where the public beaches in Warwick and Southampton create a coastal belt, which could be joined with other green areas to prevent the "sprawl'' along the South Shore from becoming any more unsightly.

Environment Minister Arthur Hodgson has already demonstrated a high level of sensitivity to the protection of Bermuda's natural beauty -- sometimes beyond the wildest dreams of environmentalists. The designation and protection of green areas where residents and visitors can escape and relax would be a lasting legacy.

READ THE BOOK EDT Read the book Is it too much to ask that students have the text books they need at the beginning of the school term? Reports that there are insufficient books to go around for students undertaking the Literacy Place scheme have a ring to them -- more often than not, students seem to begin the school year without the text books they need.

One also hears stories that children are unable to take their text books homes because of fears -- possibly well founded -- that they will damage or lose them.

But it seems extraordinary that students who wish to get ahead and advance are held back either because the books they are expected to use are not ready or because they cannot use them as and when they wish.

Any education system should teach children that books are there to be used and treasured. Denying children access to books will only alienate them and plant the ideas that books are only to be used between 8.30 a.m. and 3.30 p.m.

Children should be learning that books are a vital tool for a successful life.