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Small animals will disappear along with trees on Bose farm

What the city needs to do, before it grants approval, is to conduct a thorough wildlife inventory on this property and publish.
239surreyw-bosefarm
A letter writer laments the upcoming removal of more than 300 trees on the Henry Bose farm.

It was “good” to read that Platinum Enterprises plans to preserve a farmhouse and some sheds as part of its development proposal for the historic Henry Bose farm.

But the question is: Will the thousands of birds, small mammals and other creatures that will be displaced by the clearcut of more than 300 trees be invited into the preserved heritage buildings? Not likely. They will simply “disappear,” which is a polite, urban euphemism for “die.”

What the city needs to do, before it grants approval, is to conduct a thorough wildlife inventory on this property and publish it for all to see. Let’s all take a good close look at the animals that will “disappear” if council signs the death warrant.

And let’s do the same for all other so-called “vacant” properties in the city. I suspect that council might think twice about clearing forested areas if they saw the photo  I took of a deer grazing near the doomed city property adjacent to the Newton library branch a few months ago.

These properties aren’t just coloured areas on a zoning map. They represent real habitat for real wild animals, which we are still fortunate to have in Surrey.

Subdivisions and groomed “human parks” are no substitute.

 

David Hathaway

Surrey