Don’t mess with mother nature
A decade ago, a large section of Mt. Tzouhalem was cleared to make way for a new golf course and housing development. This project was cancelled after all the trees had been removed.
What has happened since?
The hillsides are now covered in dense thickets of maturing broom.
As the broom matures it changes from a bright green to a mixture of woody stems and bright green branches — increasing its risk as a fire hazard.
The rain water that used to stay on the mountain and nurture the forest now flows off the mountain in streams and waterfalls down towards Quamichan Lake below.
With this in mind, do we really want to expand clear-cut patch logging operations on Mt. Tzouhalem, Maple Mountain and Stoney Hill?
Anyone who lives in the area knows how quickly broom takes over open spaces and how difficult it is to remove.
If broom takes over a clear-cut patch, it will make it more difficult for the newly planted trees to grow and it increases the risk of wildfires, especially if the summer droughts continue.
The planned logging cuts are in the North Cowichan Municipal Forest — they are not on private lands — they are in our Community Forest.
Rob Fullerton
Duncan