Re: “Land of the giants,” April 22.
The article speaks of the value of the forest. Now let’s speak to the other reality.
Less than three per cent of the land west of the District of Sooke and out to Port Renfrew is set aside for public access. The needs of the wildlife — bears, cougars, wolves — are ignored. The remaining old-growth trees are unprotected.
The environment is reduced to a 60-year logging cycle for trees that mature in 400 to 1,000 years. The Juan de Fuca Marine Trail and Park, which was designed to provide a corridor and protection for wildlife, is been reduced to a 200-metre-wide strip along the ocean, with clearcut extending between the park and the highway between Mystic and Bear Beach.
This is being done on land recently purchased by the Pacheedaht and on land that belongs to us, the people of British Columbia. I understand that all but four parcels of land between Highway 14 and the ocean from China Beach to Botanical Beach belong to the Crown and are not part of the park. I understand that eight of those parcels of Crown land are subject to treaty negotiations.
There has been no public consultation about the trail; just vague statements of a win-win situation and that the province is negotiating for buffers.
Negotiations appear to be taking place between government ministries in secret. Who is negotiating? Who is winning? What buffer? What is left for tourism? What environment will be left?
It is a travesty.
Rosemary Jorna
Otter Point
