WATERSHED UPDATE – January 7^th,2008

My apologies to Hans Penner, in yesterday’s e-mail I neglected to include a very important item.

At the Natural History meeting on Friday evening, following the presentation by both Kevin Davie and Brian Carson speaking on behalf of the Sechelt Community Forest, Hans stood up and read out aloud the following information pertaining to the Vancouver Natural History Society.

The closing statement that “When the citizens of Vancouver realize the necessity of the trees on the mountain slopes for the maintenance of this supply, they will not tolerate any interference with the timber or any part of the watershed…” This statement echoes the feelings and sentiments of the Sunshine Coast residents here on the Coast, specifically in regards to the protection of their drinking water.

Please take a moment to read the “statement” that Hans read out to the audience and in closing please know that Hans received a “solid round of applause” acknowledging support for the protection of our watersheds.

Regards

John Bebbington

Copy of Hans Penner’s statement made at the Natural History Society

=====================================================================

To:  The Sunshine Coast Natural History Society

        Meeting January 4, 2008

        Sechelt Arts Centre

Some of you may know Will Koop, of the BC Tap Water Alliance.  For some time Will has been researching the history of Watershed Reserves in BC and written a book about them. Recently he sent me copies of some interesting material regarding the Vancouver Natural History Society.

On October 1, 1924, in his annual presidential address to the Vancouver Natural History Society, John Davidson presented a speech titled: “The Handwriting on the Wall or Wake Up Vancouver”.  The following is a quote:

“Visitors from all parts of the world have praised Vancouver for its ideal situation, walled in on the north by high timber-clad mountains, and open to the sunshine of the south and west.  Without our local mountains, Vancouver would not occupy the position she does in the commercial world she does today, because this wall is Vancouver’s greatest asset, viz. our water supply.  We cannot over-estimate the value of a reliable source of cold, fresh water, furnished by slowly melting snows, percolating through the sandy, gravelly soil and cool shady forests to the water intakes; Vancouver is in an enviable position in this respect.  When the citizens of Vancouver realize the necessity of the trees on the mountain slopes for the maintenance of this supply, they will not tolerate any interference with the timber or any part of the watershed…”

This quote expresses exactly the feelings Concerned Citizens of the Sunshine Coast have regarding logging, road-building, or other industrial activity in our drinking Watershed Reserves – particularly Chapman Creek and Grey Creek.  We, citizens of the Sunshine Coast have realized the necessity of the trees on the mountain slopes for the maintenance of our water supply, and will not tolerate or accept and will actively resist, as we did this last year, any further destructive activities in our drinking water – regardless of who proposes to do it – CNI, Western Forest Products or the Community Forest. 

We hope that The Sunshine Coast Natural History Society shares the view of the Vancouver Natural History Society regarding protection of the forest in Watershed Reserves and clearly expresses its intention to support our local citizens in this struggle.

Thank you

Hans Penner,

for The Concerned Citizens