A.S. Wretham

In communities across British Columbia, people are forming committees, writing letters, and talking to one another about the state of our province. They know that our very way of life is under attack. If you live in a rural area, you need drive only a few kilometers to see problems. If you are in a city, just read the newspaper–flooding, mudslides, and water pollution.

Our forests are being destroyed, our wildlife killed or starved to death, our water dirtied and diverted.

If you, as a taxpayer, want to complain about your once pristine, clean water being put on a “boil water” advisory, you are asked to prove that the clear-cut-logging company has caused the problem. It seems the company is obeying, and possibly exceeding, all our laws.

Ah, there’s the problem! The laws are wrong.

It isn’t the company that clear-cuts the forest within a few meters of a fish-bearing stream that is the problem. After all, it was determined by our government how close to the river logging could take place. The politicians made an error. They thought the forest would be OK if creeks and rivers were given just a 15-meter buffer zone of no logging.

We all know that we now have water-purity problems, caused by poor logging practices in our watersheds. We all know that the mudslides happening along the Sea-to-Sky Highway and everywhere else around the province are caused by poor logging practices. We all know that the huge increase in bears and cougars coming into our towns-- and usually being destroyed–is caused by poor logging practices. This is just common sense.

Can we prove it? Probably not. At the very least, it will take us years to prove it, and massive amounts of money for experts. Meanwhile, all the trees will be gone, the damage done.

I am not anti logging. I am not anti mining. I am not against producing power that can be sold south of the border. But I want it done properly. I want absolutely the most benefit possible to come from our resources. That does not mean simply making rich men richer.

Our government, our politicians, should be responsible to us. Not to their parties, and not to rich men.

I will be calling on my provincial politician to make a motion in government. I want to see the buffer zone around all rivers and creeks in this province increased to 100 meters.

By increasing the buffer zone, we protect water quality. We protect oases for our wildlife, and corridors for animals to travel to new living areas when their own habitats have been clear-cut. We protect tourism, too, as the beauty of our waterways is what draws people to us.
And finally, we create a wonderful legacy for all of our children’s children–a waterway near where they live. A place they can walk and enjoy nature. Clean water for us and the wildlife.
Come on, all you rich men! Your children’s children will also benefit from these lands. Give it up. These forests and waters are ours, and you already have enough money.

Ask your provincial politician to support these water greenways.