LetteR 2 BC GovT: PROTECT SKAGiT VALLEY! [UPDaTed]

KEY UPDATES ON THIS HEINOUS PROPOSAL:
The Narwhal: Coalition Determined to Save Skagit Valley
&
The Narwhal: U.S. Senators to BC: Clean Up Your Mining Mess!

To write your own letter, use this LINK:
Wilderness Committee's tool to save Skagit Valley from logging


Here's my letter (sent to Premier Horgan & MLAs)

I am writing to express my horror upon learning of BC Timber Sales' plans to log in Silverdaisy Valley & in 26 Mile Valley this year.  This is devastating news for one of BC's most biodiverse ecosystems & key conservation imperatives..

Both of these valleys, the areas being targeted, encompass beautiful old-growth forests within the Donut Hole (surrounded by Manning & Skagit provincial parks) which contain critically endangered species' habitats & provide clear clean water to the Skagit River system, renowned for its abundant wild fish populations.  Logging this thriving ecosystem --one of the last old-growth forests in BC's interior-- would have calamitous effects on all living species in this area & beyond..

More than ever now, as our survival depends on Nature-friendly non-violent activities, we have a duty to uphold our responsibilities as stewards of the land (per our Constitution) by protecting wildlife & their habitats from severe human-caused degradation which cannot be mitigated.

I am asking the BC government to act now to cancel current AND future logging plans in Silverdaisy & 25 Mile valleys, to place the entire Donut Hole off-limits to logging.. & to extinguish ALL logging & mining tenure in the Skagit watershed immediately.

Please uphold BC's best interests & First Nations Reconciliation with a public show of faith by LEGISLATING protection of the Skagit watershed & surrounding lands, ASAP, to instate a critical addition to BC’s protected area system supporting Manning & Skagit Provincial Parks.  Our future depends on retaining such protective zones to avoid dire loss of biodiversity & critical eco-health, as well as honoring previous agreements with Washington re. groundwater health.

It cannot be stressed enough, strong legislation protecting this important WILDLIFE HABITAT from all forms of development is required by the BC Govt. immediately, in order to ensure reversal of any & all pending destruction via logging--> water pollution etc.

SAVING OUR FORESTS & WILDLIFE HABITAT IS CRUCIAL TO BC's SUSTAINABLE FUTURE:  please prioritize conservation & protection of this key BC wilderness, before it is too late.  Time is of the essence with this urgent initiative!

Thank you very much.

UEGENT CALL TO ACTION: SAVE BC's ENDANGERED OLD-GROWTH FORESTS!

 

From our friends at Ancient Forest Alliance: ACTION ALERT: Support Expanded Protection of the Endangered Coastal Douglas-Fir ecosystem in British Columbia!

Link here:  https://www.ancientforestalliance.org/action-alert-support-expanded-protection-of-the-endangered-coastal-douglas-fir-ecosystem-in-british-columbia/

Please take just a couple minutes to WRITE to the BC government, telling them you support their proposal to expand protections in the endangered Coastal Douglas-Fir ecosystem on Vancouver Island and in the Gulf Islands!

The BC government is seeking the public’s input on their proposal to increase the amount of Coastal Douglas-Fir ecosystem protected on public (Crown) lands on Vancouver Island’s southeast coast and in the southern Gulf Islands.

The Coastal Douglas-Fir (CDF) ecosystem is home to the highest number of species at risk in BC, including Garry oak trees, sharp-tailed snakes, alligator lizards, and Vancouver Island screech owl and pygmy owl subspecies. With less than four percent of the region’s ecosystems currently protected by the province, the proposed protection measures are greatly needed and are a significant step forward, although by themselves are not sufficient to halt the loss of biodiversity from the region.

The BC government is proposing to protect 21 parcels of public land in Bowser, Qualicum Beach, Nanoose Bay, Gabriola Island, Ladysmith, Galiano Island, and Saltspring Island. The proposed new protected areas total 1,125 hectares and expands upon a similar process in 2010 that resulted in the issuance similar land use orders, which protected 2,024 hectares of public lands on southeast Vancouver Island the Sunshine Coast.
See:https://www.for.gov.bc.ca/TASB/SLRP/southisland/CDFAmendment.html

Please write to the BC government until Monday, January 15th 2018, to express your support for this proposal and for greater protection of the Coastal Douglas-Fir ecosystem.

Email your written comments toCDFOrderAmendment2017@gov.bc.ca and Cc Forest Minister Doug Donaldson at FLNR.Minister@gov.bc.ca and Environment Minister George Heyman at env.minister@gov.bc.ca.

Tell them:

1. You support the BC government’s full proposal to increase the amount of Coastal Douglas-Fir (CDF) ecosystem protected on Crown lands through their proposed Land Use Orders.
2. In addition, you also support the creation of a provincial land acquisition fund, which would allow the BC government to purchase and protect private lands of high conservation or recreational values to establish new protect areas in the CDF ecosystem and across BC. Because private lands constitute the vast majority of the region, this fund is needed to ensure the sufficient protection of the CDF ecosystem.
3. You recommend they read the report Finding the Money to Buy and Protect Natural Lands by the University of Victoria’s Environmental Law Centre, which details over a dozen mechanisms used in jurisdictions across North America to raise funds for protecting land (found online here:http://www.elc.uvic.ca/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2015/12/FindingMoneyForParks-2015-02-08-web.pdf).
4. You would like the province to consider a third phase of similar land use order protections on additional Crown lands in the Coastal Douglas-fir ecosystem.

*Be sure to include your full name and address so that they know you are a real person.

More details:

https://www.ancientforestalliance.org/action-alert-support-expanded-protection-of-the-endangered-coastal-douglas-fir-ecosystem-in-british-columbia/

See the Ancient Forest Alliance’s media release about the proposed expansion of Coastal Douglas-Fir zone protections at: http://ancientforestalliance.org/news-item.php?ID=1162