I feel compelled to respond a few points contained in a letter to the editor written by Alice Klim.
Ms. Klim states, “the people of B.C. bought the land for Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park for people not rattlesnakes”.
In the B.C. Parks mission statement, however, the very first commitment laid out is the, “protecting and managing for future generations a wide variety of outstanding park lands which represent the best natural features and diverse wilderness environments of the province.”
Furthermore, the provincial park’s online pamphlet describes Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park as, “one of the few publicly owned examples of the rapidly disappearing natural grasslands that once stretched from Vernon to Osoyoos. It is a living museum of the region”.
The importance of the grasslands above Cosens Bay are specifically singled out on the B.C. Parks website.
Ms. Klim suggests that these grasslands are neither original nor fragile, citing a paper written by Rob Cannings in 1975 that recommended the use of Tordon to rid the area of knapweed (which was introduced and spread as a result of human related disturbance).
Tordon is an herbicide that targets broad-leafed and woody shrubs, leaving grasses virtually untouched.
The objective in using it was to rectify the damage done previously.
The native grasses rebounded successfully.
Seeing his name cited in Ms. Klim’s letter, I called Rob and asked him about the event. He was shocked to be referenced in such a context and emphasized that the grasslands were indeed natural, original and fragile.
To underscore the importance of the area, Rob sent me a recent article he published describing a new species of robber fly first discovered in these same grasslands above Cosens Bay and endemic to the Okanagan.
Perhaps an insect doesn’t mean a great deal to many but keep in mind that penicillin was extracted from a bothersome mold.
Amusement parks are for people. Provincial parks, on the other hand, provide us with the opportunity to view our role in a much broader, grander picture.
To fragment a precious jewel like Kalamalka Lake Provincial Park for the purpose of providing convenient access for a few property owners, where none was promised, is an affront to future generations
Let’s put our kids first.
Laurance Donovan
Vernon
