Re: “COLUMN: Questions about logging in Nelson’s water supply”
Valerie Warmington posted an interesting article on logging in watersheds in your paper. While I am certainly no expert on logging practices I feel my questions arising from the article are valid. I’ll stand corrected if I’m way off the mark.
1. Why are logging corporations allowed to externalize the costs onto the taxpayer for the environmental damage that they might cause? As in the several million dollars it might cost Nelson rate payers if logging in a Nelson watershed causes filtration to become necessary due to siltation caused by such logging? Shouldn’t the logging corporation be totally responsible for their actions?
2. Why are logging corporations being allowed to cut in forest reserves? I thought these reserves were there to grow and provide the next generation with royalties to help pay for their needs.
3. If logging corporations need to pick the lowest hanging fruit for larger profit then why are they being allowed to ship raw logs to foreign customers where foreign workers will turn those logs into lumber?
4. Why in Heaven’s name is the Kalesnikoff website the repository for documents and comments in advance of their logging in the Selous Creek watershed? This seems an abrogation of the government’s duty to stand watch over corporations that are being given access to the commons, owned by the people, encouraging self policing by profit driven entities?
Brad Fuller
Nelson