Dear Editor,
Re: Trio lobbies for halt to gravel extraction, March 21, The News
I wish to express my gratitude to scientists John Werring, Mike Pearson, Matt Foy, and Marvin Rosenau for their efforts to protect precious salmon habitat in the Norrish Creek watershed, to Jack Emberly for writing this article, and to The News for publishing it.
We, who are so fortunate to live in this beautiful place, have a responsibility to protect the watersheds and wild salmon that are foundational to the biodiversity of these ecosystems.
Endangered red tailed frogs and spotted owls are part of the same world we live in.
This is our world, our home.
Our children and grandchildren are relying on us to make sure they have the same opportunity to live a healthy, full life… so they don’t become an endangered species too.
In this time of climate crisis, it is especially important to realize that glaciers, streams, forests, and rivers are central to the well-being of all of us… of all life.
The priorities of Canadian Pacific Railway and BC Ministry of Highways are not serving the bigger picture here.
And it is up to us citizens to speak up, stand up, sing out, and write to say: we are all a part of the natural world. It is our home.
Tell DFO and BC Ministry of Mines: stop mining salmon rivers for gravel, unless it is for public safety or flood mitigation.
We the people, the collective consciousness, the public political will, have the ability to show the leadership needed.
Baba Dioum, the Senegalese forestry engineer, famously said, “In the end, we will only conserve what we love; we will only love what we understand; and we will understand only what we are taught.”
Let us teach our children by example: get outside, watch spring unfolding once again, marvel at the complexity of nature, and fall in love with the earth.
Become motivated to protect these wild salmon that have the good manners to return every year and replenish life.
Holly Arntzen, Maple Ridge
BELOW VIDEO: "The Watershed Song from 2015, The Wilds Band (Holly Arntzen & Kevin Wright) and 2,500 children
