Dear editor,

The study of keystone species has been front and centre of environmental issues for decades.

Keystone species are those individual groups within an ecosystem that are absolutely essential to the collective. Removing these species results in environmental collapse.

Our Pacific coast freshwater ecosystems within B.C. have been in very steep decline for more than 50 years. Extinction and near extinction of wild salmon, starving bears, and declining volumes of historical carbon soils (etc.) are at issue. These areas of concern are in direct political conflict with the term 鈥渟ustainable forestry.鈥�

The 鈥渒eystone鈥� species removed from our B.C. ecosystems historically has been very big trees, also referred to by academics as the 鈥淐limax Forest Canopy.鈥� The climax canopy and historical accumulations of carbon soils are fundamental components to watersheds retaining water and biodiversity. Removing these big trees as a keystone species in areas of riparian concern has historically resulted in the collapse of wild salmon, water conservation/retention and diminished carbon soil volumes in each and every situation.

We in Canada have historically denied the above statements are true. Who is willing to debate issues factually rather than politically?

I suggest we compare our B.C. salmon-bearing ecosystems in the Pacific with the incredible salmon abundance each and every year in Russia and Alaska. Isn鈥檛 this a perfect apples-to-apples comparison?

What exactly is the difference in these comparison areas?

Alaska and Russia have vast areas of unaltered habitat, including in many areas, the climax canopy. Alaska and Russia have retained big trees, wild salmon, extreme biodiversity, and extreme numbers of commercial/sports fishers.

Are we interested in an environmental or salmon resource comparison with Alaska and Russia? Absolutely not, we are Canadians, please don鈥檛 confuse us with the facts or objective dialogue.

The next 10 years regarding environmental science, ecosystem awareness, and critical thinking are likely to be extremely brutal politically. We continue to swim poorly in political soup. Politics promises everything; natural physical law dictates everything.

Tom Gray,

Fanny Bay