Dear Premier Redford:
I'm giving you an image of today's sunrise: February 16th, 2012
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| David McIntyre photo |
The view looks northwest into Alberta's iconic Livingstone Range from the Rock Creek valley. As you look at this morning's image, please know that you're looking past a herd of approximately 300 elk, an unknown number of mule and white-tailed deer, and directly at approximately 100 bighorn sheep ... and at least a few mountain goats. Please know that you're looking into a landscape where dozens of wintering moose are wandering through willow thickets, where cougars leave nightly tracks, where black bears and grizzlies are curled up in their dens.
Please know that the crest of the range is the flyway for thousands of golden eagles - more than 5000 have been counted during a single autumn migration. Please know that the springs and creeks that flow from this headwaters forest are home to cutthroat trout, and that these streams are tributaries of the Crowsnest River, a river that, despite its small size, is known internationally due to its incredible trout fishery. Please know that the pictured landscape is rich with prehistoric archaeological features.
Please know that you're looking at a world renowned landscape. It's part of the cutting northern edge of the Crown of the Continent. This is vintage Alberta.
Please know that your government plans to begin clear-cutting this landscape in the near future. It's on the chopping block, just like the Castle, just like the Crowsnest, the Oldman, Bragg Creek, the Ghost and more.
What are you going to do to keep this landscape intact?
The view looks northwest into a designated Heritage Rangeland Viewscape. At its core, the MD of Pincher Creek meets the MD of Ranchland meets the Municipality of Crowsnest Pass. The thin strip of coniferous forest that's visible near the extreme right of this image happens to be the Oldman Watershed Council's logo. It's this logo image that SRD has targeted for clear-cutting.
Sincerely,
David
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