Re: “A beautiful forest,” Jan. 13.
What a fabulous photo of the old-growth Sitka spruce on the front page of the Islander.
Absolutely magnificent trees and yet it is inconceivable to me how and why we are still allowing on Vancouver Island such iconic gentle giants to be massacred by profit-driven corporations.
I went with my family to the Avatar Grove near Port Renfrew and we were overcome with a feeling of awe and inspiration walking among these ancient wonders.
In my past travels, this type of “forest bathing” experience, would be a No. 1 destination on an itinerary. Many countries would give their eye teeth to have such a treasure trove of 1,000-year-old trees.
How can we as “Beautiful British Columbia” residents condone this type of decimation of our forests? We are so behind what other countries are doing to promote their ecotourism sector. The clearcutting of our ancient forests has got to stop.
We must recognize that by destroying our forests, we are destroying salmon and wildlife habitat along with great swaths of intact ecosystems. We must not take for granted, as Canadians, pristine wilderness areas and must continue the fight to protect them for generations to come.
Rachel McDonnell
Victoria
