Re: (B.C. Views, Nov. 25)

Just a couple of weeks ago I stood at the overlook above the proposed Site C dam site near Fort St. John, and saw a swath of clearcuts. Local residents described how B.C. Hydro cut old-growth eagle trees, crushed beaver dams with machinery and chipped tall trees despite promises to salvage merchantable timber.

However dramatic this may look as HydroB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s spin fodder, when viewed against the nine-year engineering plan these are baby steps. Logging riverbanks and harassing eagles is not dam construction. There is plenty of time to stop this costly boondoggle, that has been purposely kept sheltered from full regulatory scrutiny.

And yes, agricultural soils B´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·“ not just the boreal forest B´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·“ do store globally significant amounts of carbon. According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, agricultural soils are among the planetB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™s largest reservoirs of carbon and hold potential for expanded carbon sequestration.

Even more to the point, agricultural soils produce food, which we can no longer afford to take for granted in an era of droughts and extreme weather. The Peace Valley has the capacity to provide fruits and vegetables for one million British Columbians every year.

When the government doesnB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™t listen, the only option left to citizens is to go to court. Treaty 8 First Nations and Peace Valley landowners are giving it all theyB´ÎÔª¹ÙÍøÍøÖ·™ve got.

Ana Simeon

Victoria