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Front Country Access

A look at the damage that is happening to local mountain biking trails.

I was saddened and disheartened when I saw for myself the damage done to the local Mountain Shadows trail network at the base of Mt. Seven – presumably by the woodlot licensee. To be clear these were ‘illegal’ trails but the vindictive way in which the damage was carried out – often destroyed by an excavator with no logging intentions in sight – was alarming. From the home page of the FBCWA: “The Federation of BC Woodlot Associations (FBCWA) promotes the economic and social interests of woodlot licensees, private forest landowners, and others involved in small-scale forest management in British Columbia. The FBCWA’s mission is for all its members to practice exemplary forest and natural resources management in a socially, economically, and environmentally responsible manner.”

My dictionary defines responsible as “able to be counted on owing to qualities of conscientiousness and trustworthiness.” Exemplary: “so good or admirable that others would do well to copy it.”

Although the Golden Cycling Club has asked all users to refrain from using these trails, I would invite people to take a hike to sample this forest stewardship. (Oddly, stewardship isn’t in my dictionary.) When there is not active logging of course.

This situation is part of a broader issue concerning access to our commons. Recently, the application for an independent power project (IPP) on Redburn Creek was made public, bringing the total in our area to some 27. Whoa. Cutting Ministry and Parks Canada staff and weakening environmental standards is not helping things.

I have always found our MLA to be very receptive to our concerns. Voicing these could be the start to a broader discussion. norm.macdonald.mla@leg.bc.ca.

Chris Brazeau

Golden