Editor:
Re: Massive green waste facility planned for Burnaby park heads for public consultation
I am extremely disappointed that Joe Keithley has forgotten that he is a GREEN party representative, and that Alison Gu, as a young person, has forgotten that her possible children and grandchildren will be living with the consequences of climate change, brought on in part by our destruction of nature. Wetlands, swamps and forests are all carbon sinks.
The varied ecosystems council is considering destroying, house a wide variety of species, including plants, animals, insects, reptiles, amphibians, birds and I would encourage members of council who are considering supporting this recycling facility to take a tour with a local naturalist/birder/or anyone who understands these systems and knows what is living/breeding in this area, to learn the value of preserving it. Do a bird count down there — where will they go?
As I watch the trees come down in our neighbourhood when properties are redeveloped, I can’t help but think that council is entirely unaware of the great service these trees perform in producing oxygen, stabilizing soil and providing habitat for wildlife. Why is it so important to please developers who want to remove the trees? And how is it possible for a five-to-10-foot-tall new tree (or bush) to replace a 50-year-old one?
It sounds to me like council has already made up its mind, so what will you do if the public says no? Burnaby has a reputation for having large cash reserves historically — use some of it to purchase property somewhere, and leave the parkland as is.
Marion Shikaze
