EDITOR,
Just how does that expression go involving paving roads with good intentions...? I never cease to be amazed at what people consider to be environmentally responsible behaviour. Just this morning I noticed a rather elderly neighbour from a few streets over throwing bread out for the seagulls to eat (and I don't mean one or two slices but an entire salad bowl full of bread slices). When I asked him what he was doing and why he was feeding the birds, he carefully explained it was not bread he was feeding but canola oil spread on the bread. At any rate, I asked him several times to please stop and I did my best to explain that bread is a wildlife attractant, we have bears and wildlife in the area, and he was not doing any favours to wildlife (I did not go into length how feeding wildlife is never a good idea and may be dangerous if not outright lethal for the wildlife - as well, within the District of Squamish feeding wildlife violates the wildlife attractants bylaw). He eventually took the not-so-subtle hint and presumably headed back to his own household. I can only hope that the message gets through that feeding wildlife can have negative and very unfortunate results for the very animals we love so much. I have always liked the Parks Canada motto: "take only pictures leave only footprints." Now, if we can also get people to pick up their poop bags which pollute our paths and trails for months if not years (why bag the poop if you're not going to carry it away??) then I would be very happy indeed!
Edith Tobe
Brackendale
