Re: “Helping parks live long and prosper,” Reporter’s Notebook column, July 2.
The writer says, “according to the film’s location manager… no trees were cut down and only two sections of dead limbs were removed.” This is not true. I saw the falling of a live green tree. It was not the healthiest tree, but it was alive. The tree was then removed from the park, which goes against park rules. Green limbs were also cut from a large tree. Later, volunteer climbers had to replace trail markers that had been removed.
According to the film contract, a mere $100 a day went to the park. This is pennies compared with what local people and tourism bring to Squamish and the Stawamus Chief campground each year. It is disappointing that this is considered enough for when the impact was so high (up to 250 people on filming days) in such a condensed area.
We all have the right to share BC Parks. The concern with the film industry was not that they inconvenienced climbers. The concern stands with moderating the high impact and damage created from commercial groups. The lack of an official climber’s liaison resulted in volunteer climbers walking through the filming areas simply because they care about the forest and wanted to minimize impact. If it weren’t for them, the cutting of the tree, limbs and other damage would have gone unnoticed.
Most people do their best to care for the forest and educate others about respecting the forest and leaving no trace of their visit. The film industry and contractors should be held accountable for violations and not exempt from rules. If every user group was held at such low accountability and allowed to trample and cut and remove any tree and shrub they wished, more than the forest canopy would suffer.
Thomasina Pidgeon
Squamish
