Continue to save old growth before it’s too late
Dear Premier John Horgan and CVRD directors:
While I’m most happy Eagle Heights’s Kosilah River Forest has finally been rescued from clearcutting, this $7.15-million buy from Island Timberlands is also a reminder of the massive areas of old-growth biodiversity we have already lost to logging.
Loggers were apparently so impressed with the Koksilah’s stunning example of old growth in Eagle Heights they set it aside for more than a decade while Victoria talked about buying and saving it.
That idea was backed by Premier Horgan while previously serving as Malahat-Juan de Fuca MLA. He has made good on his promise, using taxpayer and donated private funds for the Koksilah River forest purchase as parkland.
Sadly, the verdant Kosilah River park area — holding sacred sites to Coast Salish people — is surrounded by clearcuts that would draw jail time in countries such as Germany.
From this fortunate saving of some of our Island’s last old-growth woodlands, we see how rare and not-yet endangered ecosystems must be bought to be saved from the crass forestry mismanagement that is emblematic of B.C.
I request the province, Ottawa and all levels of local government to continue working with private donors and conservation groups to continue buying and expropriating forests, meadows, wetlands and other precious ecosystems to protect them from corporate self-interests — before it’s too late.
Peter W. Rusland
Duncan