UPDATED: Critical Bog and Wildlife Habitat at the Richmond Nature Park is being destroyed by a Pipeline....

Update: City of Richmond has released a press release stating 75 trees have been cleared and 50 more to come down for this pipeline. There is no requirement for them to put in new trees to replace the ones they will take down after the pipeline is put in. 

 Richmond News published a story yesterday about this HERE. I finally got a response from the Mayor and Council Office. The land is on Ministry Land and no signage is required because the pipeline group is not the city or the province... absolutely no transparency

 City Councillor Michael Wolfe who voted against the pipeline replied to me. He was shocked that the construction had begun in secret. He went to check out the devastation himself. He took the below photo. He said that he was very upset that the Mayor and Councillors hadn't responded to me and asked senior city officials for an immediate response. The city will be drafting a press release today he also told me. At least even if they do not stop or reroute this pipeline I've held them accountable so they know we won't let them get away with destroying habitat in secret. 
Richmond Nature Park East with a road running through it for a pipeline - Photo: Michael Wolfe

 I was driving by the Richmond Nature Park East (on Westminster Hwy between Hwy 99 and Jacombs Rd) yesterday and noticed that there was a large area of trees cleared and a road built through it with active construction.  I found out by writing the Richmond News newspaper (since no signs were posted and the Mayor's office did not reply) that this is happening because of the YVR Jet Fuel Pipeline that is being put through it.


This is a real shame because Richmond Nature Park is an important birding hotspot. It supports Coyotes and the small remaining Richmond deer population. 

Richmond Nature Park is already divided into 2 areas East and West and is separated by Hwy 99. To create this pipeline the animals and wildlife will be even more fragmented. This will most likely cause increased population declines. This is not only an important nesting area for migratory birds but it is also an important 106.11 acre peat bog habitat. Bogs like this are scarce in Metro Vancouver and are extremely sensitive ecosystems that should be preserved.

There are no development signs up explaining the development and what is happening at the park.There was very little public consultation about this, I heard nothing and the Mayor himself said the public consultation was a Joke according to the Richmond News. It feels like this pipeline is secretively being put in. This clear-cutting and pipeline development is devastating to this important natural area. 

The Richmond News has done a recent story on this. You can read it HERE and HERE. However, no one is really talking about the impacts of this pipeline on the wildlife at the Richmond Nature Park. It is also unfortunate that few people seem as concerned by the oil tankers from Asia that will be coming down the Fraser River that could spill oil (causing massive salmon and other fish, bird and mammal los)s as they were about the Kinder Morgan Pipeline with domestic oil.

Every little bit of green space in Richmond seems to be getting developed. I wish govt's put wildlife first and the environment. This is a beautiful peaceful park where you can feel you are really away from the city noise and stress and where you can hear so much bird song in spring. It is a real shame this is happening. I cannot fathom why the city approved this despite stating on their own website that Richmond Nature Park east is "a very fragile habitat". Thanks to councillors Kelly Greene, Harold Steves, Carol Day and Michael Wolfe for voting against this pipeline.
I don't hold out much hope for the end to this pipeline since it's been approved by the city of Richmond and Provincial Gov't but it is still worth writing the Mayor of Richmond (Malcolm Brodie), The Minister of the Environment, The Minister of Forest and Lands,  MLAs, MP's and Premier John Horgan. Organizations such as VAPOR , David Suzuki Foundation, Delta Nats and the Musqueam First Nations have been fighting this pipeline to no avail.  

We can't give up the fight and at minimum the government should be accountable to the people and know we will not stand for our important wildlife areas to be desecrated under the table like this. They think us environmentalists won't notice and won't speak up but we must unite and fight for this important ecosystem and the wildlife therein.

Richmond Nature Park East will soon have a Pipeline running through it.

Comments

  1. Shou Ye GauthierMarch 4, 2020 at 10:43 PM

    I signed the VAPOR petition as well as wrote the MLA and mayor of richmond. I regret not following this pipeline project earlier, it seems to have begun quietly and sneakily, much to the chagrin of the citizens.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Melissa HaftingMarch 5, 2020 at 12:45 AM

      yep i wrote the city councillors and councillor michael wolfe (who voted against the pipeline) got back to me. he had no idea the construction and devastation and clear cutting had already begun. He went out to look at it tonight and said it was a devastating sight. He was shocked by just how many trees were clear cut and how much of the bog was dug up. Peat bog can't be replaced and when they try to re-green the area it wont ever be the same. what is so sneaky is the lack of transparency. the construction is being done with no signs informing the public about what is going on. we can't allow this to occur. All these poor animals disturbed by the noisy sounds and habitat destruction is heartbreaking. michael said he wrote to all the senior city officials for an immediate response to this destruction to critical wildlife habitat. will update when I get a response.

      Delete
  2. LonelytravellerMarch 5, 2020 at 12:26 PM

    How terrible. Thanks for bringing this to my attention otherwise I would never have known about it. I hope something can be done

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Melissa HaftingMarch 6, 2020 at 9:10 AM

      thanks. sadly finally got some answers nothing will be done to stop this and no signs are required because the pipeline group is not from the city or provincial gov't. You can see photos from today how it is destroying the bog despite what the province is trying to spin. Mayor responded and response was useless. his vote is what decided this to go through when the councillors were divided 4 to 4 his vote made the pipeline go through. so glad i did not vote for him.

      see the recent news story here https://www.richmond-news.com/news/updated-trees-cut-in-richmond-to-make-way-for-jet-fuel-pipeline-1.24091284

      and pics of bog devastation here https://twitter.com/bogberry/status/1235962565127106560

      Delete
  3. Bryony AngellMarch 5, 2020 at 4:10 PM

    Really sad. The same thing is happening in Seattle. I no longer recognize the city of my birth. I've long advocated for the open space and more vigorous tree preservation so thinking people like us do slow this trend, but we do not prevent it all together.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Melissa HaftingMarch 6, 2020 at 9:10 AM

      thanks. sadly finally got some answers nothing will be done to stop this and no signs are required because the pipeline group is not from the city or provincial gov't. You can see photos from today how it is destroying the bog despite what the province is trying to spin. Mayor responded and response was useless. his vote is what decided this to go through when the councillors were divided 4 to 4 his vote made the pipeline go through. so glad i did not vote for him.

      see the recent news story here https://www.richmond-news.com/news/updated-trees-cut-in-richmond-to-make-way-for-jet-fuel-pipeline-1.24091284

      and pics of bog devastation here https://twitter.com/bogberry/status/1235962565127106560

      Delete
  4. Beauty of Wild BirdsMarch 8, 2020 at 2:07 PM

    nice blog

    ReplyDelete
  5. Beauty of Wild BirdsMarch 12, 2020 at 1:41 AM

    nice post and nice blog..

    ReplyDelete

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