PERRY RIDGE WATER USERS’ ASSOCIATION
4403 Slocan River Road,
Winlaw, B.C. VOG 2JO
Ph/Fax 1-250-226-7324
www.perryridge.org
December 12, 2017
Dear Members and Supporters:
Season’s Greetings
The Association received a response to a letter we wrote to BC Timber Sales. The last paragraph states: Lastly, you asked to be advised of our plans for the remaining portions of Perry Ridge and reports done for these areas. At this time, BCTS does not have further plans on Perry Ridge for 5 – 7 years other than the active TSL being harvested currently. Barring an outbreak of a forest pest we will not proceed with development for at least 5 years.” Regarding our query about collection of precipitation data and about calculation of carbon sequestration information BCTS has stated they do not intend to do either. The Association requires this data collection prior to removal of any of the remaining forests. We will be searching funding for this data independently. The complete response can be viewed at www.perryridge.org
The current logging is on the back of the ridge. The Association will work during the 5 – 7 year period to educate the government, in particular BCTS and the Ministry of Environment of the value of the remaining forests on Perry Ridge. These remaining forests provide protection to our homes from landslides, sequester carbon and help with climate change, provide visual beauty to Rails to Trails and the scenic route of Highway 6 and the Slocan River The forests protect the creeks, seeps and springs, which provide us with some of the world’s finest water.
Perry Ridge Water Users Association held the annual BC Rivers Day Celebration in September. At the event the keynote presenter was Mr. Frank Fowler, Instructor of Geology and Hydrology at Selkirk College for 10 years; currently retired, M.S. in Geology from University of Minnesota. The Upload of the presentation is now on You-Tube at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iocw0nWRNcw&feature=youtu.be
Relationships Between Climate Change and Rivers
Perry Ridge Water Users Association also hosted a successful Christmas Faire for local artists and for community non-profit volunteers. Both BC Rivers Day and the Faire were funded by CBT Discretionary Funding and RDCK Area H Discretionary Funding. We will continue to host these annual events and produce you-tube uploads of the presentations at the BC Rivers Day.
Also of interest and supported by Perry Ridge Water Users are the two legal cases on Lemon Creek. The Criminal Case, violations under the Fisheries Act and Environmental Management Act, is before the courts and is scheduled for a week at the end of January for the closing arguments. All the witnesses have given their testimony for the prosecution, which included Dr. Ian Birtwell as the fisheries expert. He was an excellent witness with years of experience with Fisheries and Oceans. Early in the trial the Judge gave a stay to Executive Flight (this did not apply to the BC Government nor the Driver and so that case is still being heard. However the Federal Prosecution has filed an appeal of the stay for April 2018. The Civil Class Action case is also proceeding and was the first environmental class action suit recognized in BC.
An Anonymous author wrote:
“Nothing in the world can take
the place of persistence…
Talent will not; nothing is more
Common than unsuccessful
Men with talent…
Genius will not; unrewarded
Genius is almost a proverb.
Education will not; the world
Is full of educated derelicts.
Persistence and determination
Alone are omnipotent. The
Slogan ‘press on’ has solved,
And always will solve, the
Problems of the human race.”
Perry Ridge Water Users Association Directors wish you a Safe and Happy Holiday.
Marilyn Burgoon, President
Letters to Forestry
Forestry Letter p. 1
Forestry Letter p. 2