NEW: Stop the Hypocrisy

An open letter to:

All the Powers That Be involved in any way with conservation and wildlife protection in the Dundas Valley

Dear, still-beautiful Dundas,

You can’t have it both ways.

 

You either live up to your much-publicized, glowing environmental reputation, by actually protecting this valley’s incredible, rare and beautiful natural environment and its indigenous wildlife

                                                                                     or

You hang out a big sign, beneath that “Welcome to Dundas” one on Osler Street, and be honest about the apparent reality of the situation:

THIS VALLEY UP FOR GRABS!

In addition, we suggest new signs be erected next to all those payment kiosks at Hamilton Conservation Authority parking lots to reflect the present reality:

NATURE!

  Come see it while it’s still here!

 

The natural environment is being rapidly and wilfully destroyed here.  If visitors want to see examples of rare Carolinian forest in Dundas and Hamilton, the remnants may soon only remain in the "tree museums" on paid display at the Hamilton Conservation Authority lands and the Royal Botanical Gardens.

The sad, ongoing situation of wildlife displacement and destruction of protected woodland at 979 Governors Road is not the only example in Hamilton, Dundas and Ancaster – not by any means.  Since we started the website, we’ve heard many similar stories from concerned citizens.

Some local residents have done what they can to document similar abuses of the rules, and have attempted to effectively alert the authorities.  But we all run into the same eventual roadblock: local bureaucracies who – for whatever reason – do not care to do their jobs. 

Why on earth are these public agencies not doing their jobs?  Inaction on the environmental file is, literally, deadly.  This beautiful, rare, Carolinian-forested valley can be destroyed very quickly, if greed is allowed to run rampant.

 

A Culture of Indifference

In recent news, the City of Hamilton was taken to task for having a “culture of indifference” toward road crew misbehaviour.  Well, we can attest that there is also a definite “culture of indifference” toward environmental protection.  The actions of the three agencies that are trusted and tasked with environmental protection are puzzling and illogical.  At times, their behaviour is openly, bizarrely hostile toward both the local ecosystem and concerned residents.  (To read an excellent article about the highly questionable annual deer hunt on Hamilton Conservation Authority lands, please visit www.mydundasvalley.com.)   Why are such anti-wildlife people being entrusted with environmental protection?

Frankly, as it stands now, environmental protection in the Dundas Valley is a sham.  You Powers That Be have broken faith with this valley’s environmentalists, and also with the thousands of visitors who flock here in every season to enjoy nature’s incredible local wonders. 

 

These people believe your agencies stand behind your attractive environmental names and the rules you all espouse.  We used to believe that, too.  We were wrong.

 

You put out beautiful and informative brochures, by the way – lots of pretty animal pictures and all the correct words about protecting wildlife and the environment.  It’s a pity you don’t actually seem to mean those words. 

 

We suspect this is just attractive window dressing, designed to bring in membership money.  Such marketing materials also serve as an environmental smokescreen, to hide your actual, pro-development activities.  The rules and regulations you cite are likely leftover relics of a bygone, more sincere era in your agencies – when top employees actually still cared.  Those top spots have been taken over by people who truly don’t seem to give a damn.

You can’t just keep coasting on your reputation, Dundas – not while similarly tearing it down with your inaction.  To keep a good reputation, you must live up to it.

 

The cat’s out of the bag in this beautiful valley.

Those secret realities lying just behind the trees keep popping out, hither and yon.  People are talking about the development infractions they’ve witnessed.  They are documenting them, and sharing their information.

Wildlife is being displaced.  Genuine natural wonders are being destroyed.

Lots of people know, now – more every day. 

So, Powers That Be:

-- Stop allowing the destruction of protected forests and wildlife habitats.

-- Stop misleading the public with assurances of protection that you don’t really mean.

-- Stop being such hypocrites!