Editor, The Times:
Sadly I gazed at our beautiful Clearwater Valley from the Shaden viewing platform and picnic area last week. The damage caused today will affect our future incomes for many, many years – long after the money gained from the lack of thought and care for the trees and wildlife has been spent and those folks have moved away.
I have nothing against ‘forest management’. Indeed, it would no doubt be healthy to harvest perhaps as many as ¼ of these trees. Carefully, one tree at a time. Harvesting only the big ones. Leave tobacco – be grateful.
These trees are just doing their jobs as assigned by the Creator. They are creating the oxygen for us humans so we can breath air and not CO2. They are assigned to hold back the waters and slowly release it into the waterways so that there will be water for the fish, and it will not flood. Harvesting could be done without a scar on the mountainside.
Then, in 10 years, more trees could be harvested. In 30 years still another 20 per cent and so on into infinity.
Now it will take 70 to 100 years to grow more trees. And even then it is not natural like we put on the posters! In the meanwhile our children will not be able to benefit, for we will have spent it all. So sad and so selfish.
My relatives and visitors from out of province and the USA wanted to witness what just yesterday was one of the remaining non-clearcut areas in our North Thompson Valley. However, it was not to be. As we drove up towards Wells Gray Park it was obvious that we humans will not be satisfied until we have nothing left to take.
I wonder to myself if the gentleman from Florida might have invested? How about those from Alberta? They did look at the ‘for sale’ signs and that always makes me wonder, if people were encouraged, might they consider expanding into this area? I could not encourage anyone to even consider investing in this area, for it was all I could do not to weep.
How sad that we do not seem to care about our future. We are allowing Canfor and the other forest companies to literally rape our future – and no one raises the alarms.
When I travel, I visit World Heritage areas. Last month we visited the Blue Mountains in New South Wales, Australia. We saw miles upon miles of artisan villages filled with camping areas and amazing hotels and hostels. Bright colors. Delicious coffees, world renowned eateries. Electric trains whisking people between these areas. This could be our future – but will it be? Our choice.
We visited. We left our money. We now tell everyone who has the time for a story. I share stories of all the World Heritage areas I visited and encourage people in the communities I’ve stopped at along the way to visit here. I am sure others do the same. I hope one day Wells Gray Park will be a designated area.
As for this situation? Well, I call only say that this logging is a shameful way to treat future generations, our business community and ourselves.
Cheryl Thomas
Clearwater, B.C