I've been instigated to ponder questions this week. Questions that were once quite clear cut (excuse the pun) to me. Ones that seemed to make sense. To an environmentalist, which is what I'd like to think is one facet of myself, I have always looked at forests as something to preserve, respect, and honour. Sure, we can extract, but under two important conditions: that it's not old growth and that it's done in a moderate and sustainable fashion.
The other side of the coin has always been portrayed to me in literature or in passing conversation with industry figureheads....forests are important for timber as a generation of income, some people's livelihoods depend on it, family run businesses mean the next generation automatically must rely on it to make their living in society. And yes, I've been able to see forests from their point of view for miniscule fragments in time, but then find myself reverting to back up my belief that in Canada we must moderate our timber extraction. Like any other natural resource in this country overextraction in the past decades have left us with large cutblocks and clearcuts, resulting in habitat fragmentation of animals, devastating landscape changes and a realization that this is not a infinite resource. The heavy logging in the 70s and 80s, particularly here in BC, has left its mark, quite literally. This is seen the most in small logging towns on the Northcoast of BC, Vancouver Island and here on Haida Gwaii.
I knew this coming into this semester, but my eyes were pryed open to it last night, when our class attended a land use plan town meeting in Port Clements, in the interior of Graham Island. I was expecting the typical town meeting type setting...a mayor, some local townspeople, some arguing and hot-headedness, disagreements, some humour possibly in there, and we retire to our homes. What we got was 2.5 hours of local townspeople-mostly loggers, fellers, tradespeople and farmers fearing for their livelihoods, their homes, their children. They expressed concern for their futures and childrens' future and the future of the island. The land use agreement was something that I would normally jump at supporting-it was an ecosystem-based management strategy to largely reduce logging to protect habitat of fish, wildlife, and plan for regeneration of over-forested areas.
Instead, I was quietly humbled by the experience. What if someone told you you could no longer teach your classroom as a teacher, or see your patients as a doctor, or fix cars as a mechanic. Imagine having to fear that you would suddenly be forced to scrounge to get food on your table for your children, and to be forced to learn new skills or adapt to a new way of living, when there is really only one way you know to live, and this has been the way of your family for decades.
This experience opened up my mind to new ways of thinking, new points of view to ponder. Thoughtful discussion everyday with my classmates over articles, intimate accounts of guest speakers' trials and tribulations are all shaping the way my mind is opening here on Haida Gwaii.
The other side of the coin has always been portrayed to me in literature or in passing conversation with industry figureheads....forests are important for timber as a generation of income, some people's livelihoods depend on it, family run businesses mean the next generation automatically must rely on it to make their living in society. And yes, I've been able to see forests from their point of view for miniscule fragments in time, but then find myself reverting to back up my belief that in Canada we must moderate our timber extraction. Like any other natural resource in this country overextraction in the past decades have left us with large cutblocks and clearcuts, resulting in habitat fragmentation of animals, devastating landscape changes and a realization that this is not a infinite resource. The heavy logging in the 70s and 80s, particularly here in BC, has left its mark, quite literally. This is seen the most in small logging towns on the Northcoast of BC, Vancouver Island and here on Haida Gwaii.
I knew this coming into this semester, but my eyes were pryed open to it last night, when our class attended a land use plan town meeting in Port Clements, in the interior of Graham Island. I was expecting the typical town meeting type setting...a mayor, some local townspeople, some arguing and hot-headedness, disagreements, some humour possibly in there, and we retire to our homes. What we got was 2.5 hours of local townspeople-mostly loggers, fellers, tradespeople and farmers fearing for their livelihoods, their homes, their children. They expressed concern for their futures and childrens' future and the future of the island. The land use agreement was something that I would normally jump at supporting-it was an ecosystem-based management strategy to largely reduce logging to protect habitat of fish, wildlife, and plan for regeneration of over-forested areas.
Instead, I was quietly humbled by the experience. What if someone told you you could no longer teach your classroom as a teacher, or see your patients as a doctor, or fix cars as a mechanic. Imagine having to fear that you would suddenly be forced to scrounge to get food on your table for your children, and to be forced to learn new skills or adapt to a new way of living, when there is really only one way you know to live, and this has been the way of your family for decades.
This experience opened up my mind to new ways of thinking, new points of view to ponder. Thoughtful discussion everyday with my classmates over articles, intimate accounts of guest speakers' trials and tribulations are all shaping the way my mind is opening here on Haida Gwaii.
Hi Jules!
ReplyDeleteYour pictures are so beautiful and your words are poetic. I'm really enjoying reading your blog but I must say I'm having some trouble finding Haida Gwaii on a map. I guess it's in or near Canada but I would love to know exactly where you are.
Miss you heaps as always!