Wednesday, 18 May 2011

Life on the Edge

by Sandy Paiement on Sunday, November 1, 2009 at 12:57pm

Yesterday, I went to the bog to search out the coyote. I didn't see any this time, but I did see deer. A young buck stared back at me from a distance while I captured his image with my camera. He entered the woods, and I followed him slowly out to the toe of the bog at the western edge. There he gathered his small herd of two does and two young adolescents, and pushed them into the tall grass out of sight. They occasionally peeked out at me, and seeing that I was non-threatening, eventually made their way out to graze on the clover in the field, taking a bite and darting back into cover. I spent a delightful hour with these deer, which came to trust me enough to play in the tall grass, and graze comfortably in my presence. The young buck was trailing one of his does with his nose in the air, sniffing - waiting for her to be ready to mate.

It was with great sadness I left the area, for I realized that may be the last time I ever see them.


It is precisely at this location that the government is building a highway, on land expropriated from the farmers and right on the toe of this bog, right where the deer come out to play and graze. Right where I go on many deer stalking and coyote watching walks. My little trail has been muddied by the construction equipment that have already started the preloading and buried much of the deer's meadow land.


The completion of the South Fraser Perimeter Road project will either drive the deer deeper into the bog or there will be a slaughter once the trucks start rolling. So sad to think the latter may be the case, as the deer cross the road to get to the forage in the farms on the other side.


http://www.sunburyneighbourhood.ca/PeaceArchAug122009.htm


Hwy 17-99 section:

Here is some bullshit the government is handing out to the public. I have talked with the two of the local farmers, who are directly impacted by this expropriation and construction and they do not feel like they have benefited from this at all, in fact, they have been put through a process of bullshit, and terms originally agreed upon for the removal and proper placement of top soils, which are now dumped in large piles on their land, have been ignored at great financial burden to these farmers. Disputes are still on-going. It remains to be seen whether the government will live up to its commitments or put the screws to the farmers. Warren, Wayne - I'm on your side.

http://www.th.gov.bc.ca/gateway/SFPR/docs/community_rels/SFPR_Community_Update_Oct_2009.pdf



by sandy-hawk walk in bog-deer stalking-friend of the coyote

November 1, 2009

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