Re: “Concerns raised over proposed Glacier Creek logging”
The Ministry of Forests’ current Glacier Creek logging proposal is a continuation of the mismanagement of the Duncan valley drainage by local timber barons and the provincial/federal agencies in charge of Canadian resources.
At this point local folk gain little from any logging in Kaslo, Duncan and Lardeau valleys. There is literally no value added benefits. Bankers are doing fine financing expensive logging equipment; the logging jobs are important but they are short lived. There has been no serious effort by our local, provincial or federal paid representation to demand that our remaining high value timber create more economic opportunities in the north end of Kootenay Lake. We have been abandoned by our elected elite. Not sure why.
Western Canadian timber profits are vast. Enough to influence the Kyoto climate conference to exempt the planet’s forest cover from the negotiations, removing the most important asset to mitigate drought, air/water pollution and other human-related planetary issues — in essence undermining the international effort to start a meaningful framework that would help deal with the various economic/environmental problems facing humanity.
The current schism developing between status quo industrial clear-cutting and those pressuring for a holistic approach to our economy and the small amount of economically viable timber remaining will hopefully not result in violence against peaceful activists.
In the near past, a half dozen locals peacefully blockaded to prevent the destruction of Glacier and Howser Creek with vast hydro dams. A couple of years earlier we slowed logging and reluctantly received protection for mountain caribou from BCTS for a good portion of an ancient red cedar/hemlock ecological wonder in the Westfall River whose confluence with the Duncan is not far from Glacier National Park.
There was extreme violence toward our peaceful blockades by real heavy contracted dudes, that in my opinion amounted to a hate crime against a half dozen environmental activists. We felt abandoned by law enforcement and forests ministry staff.
We have a right to peacefully protect our children’s planet. Canada’s democracy will not function if industrial bullies are allowed to run amok. Environmental/social activists are killed routinely in Mexico and other third world countries.
As a well-educated western power that spawns a good number of international corporations, we have a responsibility to stop our bankers/real estate agents from wrecking havoc, lobbying South and Central American governments to allow huge mining and timber interest to destroy important protected areas.
Tom Prior, Nelson