One of my most favourite places on the planet – Algonquin Park – is due to be logged. 78% of it, as a matter of fact.
I've made a lot of memories in Algonquin Park:
- I took my mom on a four-day canoe portage on the coldest May long weekend to hit Ontario in years. We had frost on the tents in the morning. We froze at night. And we built a lot of character.
- I fell ass-up into a bog with a fifty-pound pack on my back after my friend Lisa tripped on a hornet's mud nest, Consequently, I was stung some 15 times in the butt before Lisa dared to pull me from the smelly muck. And of course eagerly showed off my war wounds on my keister for the camera (ah... memories!)
- I made great memories with Matt, Jen, and Lisa in 2006 on the never-ending portage.
- I tried my best to cross paths with my brother and his wife, who portage with their friends in the park every year
- I paddled to exhaustion in the middle of a windstorm
- I made a great fire!
- I slept under the stars
Although it is, unfortunately, impossible to stop all logging in Algonquin Park, it is NOT impossible to lessen the percentage which is logged. This petition will strive to reduce the logged land from 78% to 46%, protecting and preserving 54% (rather than 22%) of the park for good.
Go to: www.savealgonquin.ca to submit your petition to stop/reduce the logging in this rare and wonderful provincial park.
The letter on the website goes directly to your local MPP and pressures them to act to save the park from logging.
Queens Park will be holding an open debate on June 15th. By making some noise now, we can pressure our MPPs to take note and to do something worthwhile for the park, the environment, and the eco-system of birds, animals, plant life, lakes, and rivers all rare to Algonquin.
Logging in Algonquin has vastly altered the composition of the natural ecosystem. A report by the Ontario Parks Board recently released by the government recommends that more land can be protected within the park while maintaining jobs in the logging industry.
A poll conducted by McAllister Research in March of this year shows that 79% of Ontarians are opposed to logging in the park. Furthermore, 90% agree that Ontario should protect more forests as a shield against global warming.
Algonquin is near and dear to my heart.
If it is to yours, too, please click to save it.
www.savealgonquin.ca
