Dear Editor,
Logging close to Highwood Junction, where is the sense in that?
In your well written article in the April 5 edition it was made pretty clear that Balcaen Consolidated Contracting Ltd. is a company that thinks rules do not apply to them.
They don’t even have to tell the lone resident trapper Justin Sjorgen there intentions to log the land he lives on!
In an era where major projects like the energy east pipeline are put on hold until all stake holders are consulted it’s hard to believe this company thinks they can just start surveying land adjacent to a major tourist area and not tell anyone what they are doing.
On Easter Monday, I drove to this area to have a close look at it as I have not been there for about a year.
I saw no less than 100 people taking part in hiking horseback riding, photography and wildlife viewing along the river, that’s a lot of activity on one afternoon.
In a presentation published this year by Alberta economic development and trade, titled Highlights of the Alberta economy 2017 they clearly outline the benefits of all industries.
The report outlines in 1985 agriculture and forestry was three per cent of the economy, tourism and consumer services was 3.8 per cent, roll ahead to 2015 agriculture and forestry was 1.5 per cent and tourism and consumer services was 4.8 per cent.
So, why should a dying industry be able to have an adverse effect on a growing industry?
When tourists see an area of burned forest they understand that forest fires are natural, when they see a logged out area they think, why would you do that in such a beautiful location?
The Kananaskis Highway was built to aid tourism and thousands of tourists local and outside use it every year. So, why would we want to have this big scab on the landscape in full view of the highway.
This logging will not only affect the tourism in this area it has the potential to affect other aspects of our tourism industry.
The Highwood River and its tributaries are the spawning grounds for the trout that live in the Bow River.
The Bow River is a world heritage river and it’s on the bucket list of every serious fly fisherman in the world. Fisherman travel to Calgary specifically to come and fish the Bow.
Our provincial government just gave us a 20 per cent carbon tax in the name of social licence, surely in the name of social licence this logging can be halted until all stake holders are consulted.
Daniel Robson
MD of Foothills
