Dear Editor:
I’m not a scientist but I do listen to scientists and take their recommendations very seriously. I’ve certainly done so with the scientific evidence surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic.
So when scientists, like Summerland’s own Lisa Scott, and 10 other biologists, strongly oppose the selling off of public waterfront lands due to environmental concerns, I’m going to choose science over politics.
READ ALSO: LETTER: Summerland’s lakeshore land should be protected
READ ALSO: LETTER: Riparian area should be protected
However, at a recent meeting, Summerland’s municipal council seemed to ignore the science. Instead, they supported a decision to sell public waterfront property so that the adjacent property owners could apply to legitimize two existing docks and build two new docks.
The Summerland council’s decision seems inconsistent with their own Community Energy and Emissions Reduction Plan, which calls to expand, upgrade and protect riparian areas. Scientists say that riparian restoration is more important now than ever in order to prepare ecological systems for the threats posed by climate change.
Over the last 200 years, 70 per cent of the riparian wetlands in the Okanagan have been lost to development. These riparian lands need to be restored as much as possible, even if it is a little bit at a time.
Let’s choose science over politics and hope for a healthy future for our children and grandchildren before it’s too late.
Barbara Thorburn
Summerland
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