Why it's Critical the CRD Stop the Destruction of Our Region's Forests

The CRD plans to destroy 73 acres of forest near Mount Work Regional Park to make way for blasting, mining and a massive expansion of the Hartland landfill. Here’s why it is critical the CRD reconsider and choose a less destructive path.

The United Nation’s latest report card on biodiversity released September 15, 2020 gives failing grades to world governments and tells them they need to make significant shifts away from their “business as usual’ thinking. Biodiversity is declining at an unprecedented rate and our ecosystems are collapsing. The UN says we must transition to conserving intact ecosystems, restoring ecosystems, combatting and reversing degradation, and employing landscape-level spatial planning to avoid, reduce and mitigate land-use change.

Why is biodiversity important?

When we destroy biodiversity, we destroy the natural system that supports human life. COVID 19 provides a stark reminder that the greater the biodiversity, the less risk that a pathogen can spread rapidly and reduces the risk of transfer from animals to humans.

Expect Serious Consequences if CRD Proceeds with ‘Business As Usual’ Thinking

CRD’s plan to deforest 73 acres in Mount Work, in Saanich to expand the Hartland Landfill is a prime example of the old destructive mindset that the UN is asking governments to stop. There are alternatives to expanding landfills that include ways to convert our garbage into economic opportunity. We have 25 years before the current landfill has reached capacity, there is plenty of time for CRD to look at alternatives that don’t destroy parkland and threaten wildlife.

These 73 acres are an intact ecosystem with a number of threatened plant and wildlife species. It’s an important part in fighting climate change. Climate action depends on conserving these high-carbon ecosystems as they contribute to carbon sequestration and increase our resilience from climate change impacts.

The UN says we are on track for temperatures to rise by around 3 degrees C or more above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century, even if current commitments made by countries under the Paris Climate Change Agreement are implemented, and to even higher levels if implementation falls short. Such changes would have extremely serious consequences for biodiversity, increasing extinction rates and leading to the virtual disappearance of some ecosystems.

Our Future is in the CRD’s Hands

The CRD needs to shed its 19th century thinking and focus on developing alternatives to landfill. They must understand that the conservation of ecosystems is essential to keeping temperatures down and to protecting biodiversity. These are ‘nature-based solutions’ that are an important part of adaptation to climate change.

Our future generations depend on it.

Source: UN Report September 15, 2020: https://www.cbd.int/gbo5

Click image to open/download report pdf

73 Acres of forest will be lost. Buffer zones to parks will be removed.