Today I watched as the trees central to the CV library parking lot were sawed off with a chainsaw. Apparently there was a display last week to notify the public. This notification should have been made six months ago. I always enjoyed the trees every time I visited the library. It takes such a long time for trees to grow to maturity. I am distraught.
Part of the district’s/councillor’s job must be to look towards the future. What kind of future do they aspire for us for seven generations into the future? That we, or rather you, continue to eradicate nature for the sake of “development” or a parking lot, is no longer acceptable. We have paved and destroyed so much of the earth already. For this reason nature should always be protected for our future: for tourism, for health and for future ecosystems.
Please everyone take a moment soon, to walk the site of the proposed development near Berkey’s Corner. Look at the mature trees to see the red-listed Oregon Ash. These trees need to be saved even if some development were to happen on this site. Towns currently need more areas of raw nature for people to get enrichment from. One in five Canadians are depressed. We are certainly not going to get lasting enrichment from national chains or parking lots.
And please everyone, let’s find a concrete, visible, non-threatening way to put an end to idling. We need to reduce our use of the gasoline vehicle.
To [Coun.] Tom Walker: there are experts out there who propose that we can find a new way of doing things, one that does not destroy nature. Are you not aware of this? In Duncan there are thousands of folks who understand that nature is more important than more malls and parking lots. The sales associate at our local stationery store said, “Thank you for writing to council. I get so upset, I can’t write.”
Let’s find a solution which takes nature into account.
It all starts at home. Daily, I am working to change habits that are not healthful for the environment. I beseech you, our local councils, and my dear friends and neighbours, to do the same.
Dorothea Siegler
Duncan