By Contributed Opinion – Gulf Islands Driftwood

By GEORGE EHRING

Over the May long weekend, I had the opportunity to go on a marine nature tour with Ian Gidney of Gulf Islands Safaris. As much as I really wanted to push thoughts of the Trust out of my mind and enjoy watching the orcas, sea lions, seals, eagles and other wildlife, the concept of the need to protect the riparian areas that support the marine environment kept interrupting me.

Riding in Ian’s zodiac and looking at what’s around you, you can’t help but feel that we live in a beautiful, special place. We say this so often that I think we lose sight of it. Special place, yeah, yeah. Sure.

Five years ago now, the province told local governments that they couldn’t issue permits to private landowners for development in areas along streams (“riparian” areas) unless an environmental professional assesses the proposal and provides development guidelines. The province wants to protect fish habitat. I think protecting fish habitat is a good idea.

But it isn’t just for the fish.

Protecting riparian areas also has the benefit of providing some protection for our drinking water supplies. By helping prevent sediment from washing into streams, it will also reduce unwanted and excessive nutrients from washing into the lakes. It will help prevent the dangerous algae blooms that now plague St. Mary Lake, as an example.

We at the Trust are frequently told we should promote tourism and enhance the economy.  Anyone take a walk down to the dock lately and see all the boats owned by commercial fishermen? Anyone think about all the recreational boaters who come here, not only because “it’s a beautiful place” but because they also go fishing? Anyone think that tourists might be dissuaded from visiting our island if they read that they can’t drink the water?

Protecting complex and fragile riparian ecosystems enhances the economy as well as our environment — not to mention our own health.

One of the things that the province was saying to landowners when they brought in the Riparian Areas Regulation was: try to plan your development more than 30 metres from a stream. It’s a very sensible idea. Not that you can’t develop there if you have to, but the easiest, simplest way to avoid regulation and expense is to try not to disturb that 30-metre buffer. If you can’t, you call in a professional and get some advice.

Now I fully realize that my little letter isn’t going to have much of an impact on the people who are waving the flag of “property rights.” That’s okay. They’re certainly entitled to their opinions.  In fact, you can bet that there will be letters next week with the predictable denunciations, denials and assertions that they want to protect the environment. Fine. I know they’re coming, and you can judge their merit for yourself.

But I also know that the Trust is required to implement the Riparian Areas Regulation, and we will, just as dozens and dozens of other local governments have already done. We’re trying to craft a bylaw that will respond to the concerns of homeowners and reduce delays, red tape and expense as much as possible.

As I said, this is a special place, and we like to think we’re special. But we’re not so special that we can ignore a regulation brought in by provincial legislation. On top of that, it’s the right thing to do, for many reasons. Look around.

The writer is a Salt Spring trustee on the local Trust committee.

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