Sir — P J Stewart (Letters, September 12) rightly calls for the revitalisation of teaching and research in Forestry at the University of Oxford.

As part of the recent University 'Campaign of Campaigns' the Department of Plant Sciences has launched 'Plants for the 21st Century' http://dps.plants.ox.ac.uk/plants/ campaign/default.aspx — a fundraising campaign for the endowment of the Professorship/Lecturership positions and associated infrastructure we need to put key areas of plant biology, including forestry ('Tomorrows Trees'), at the forefront of Oxford's research, teaching and training agenda.

Humanity is waking up to the fact that plants are of crucial importance to its future and the aim of our campaign is to attract essential funding from Government, non-governmental and private philanthropic sources.

Professor Jane Langdale, Head of Department

Professor Nicholas Harberd, Sibthorpian Professor of Plant Science

Dr Nick Brown, University Lecturer in Forestry

Dr Stephen Harris, Curator of the Oxford University Herbaria, University Research Lecturer

Department of Plant Sciences