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Letters: Forest lands protect us

Editor: Creekers know that we live on a slope that carries water from Mount Elphinstone to the Strait of Georgia.

Editor:

Creekers know that we live on a slope that carries water from Mount Elphinstone to the Strait of Georgia. Our creeks flush during rain storms and during very heavy rains they can overrun causing damage such as the washout in February 2020 (“Evacuation order remains in place as scramble for washout fix continues,” Coast Reporter, Feb. 6, 2020). Clearly these are not everyday events but with climate change we can expect them to occur more often.

Water flows are affected by the amount of rain that falls but also by how this rainwater moves. In forests, a large portion of rain soaks into the ground reducing the amount that immediately reaches creeks during heavy rains. Upper Creek forest cover is thus an important stormwater management feature that helps to protect downslope assets through the Lower Creek to the Strait.

This is why the proposal before the SCRD to rezone Lot DL1312 on the eastern edge of Roberts Creek concerns me. The application would subdivide a forest area into 2.5-acre lots suitable for residential development. If approved this would be the first rezoning of forested lands for residential purposes under the Roberts Creek Official Community Plan, which has been in place since 2012. Although the DL1312 application would rezone only one small area, its approval may open the door to developers for conversion of other forest lands to residential developments all through Upper Roberts Creek. These developments will replace forest with buildings, driveways, roads and ditches, reducing infiltration and increasing surface water flows during heavy rain events. The consequences could be severe.

Any rezoning should be put on hold until there is a thorough assessment of the potential environmental impact of any such residential developments in the Upper Creek.


John Devlin, Roberts Creek