What A Difference A Day Makes

Yesterday morning, we noted the controversial pending sale by Western Forest Products of huge tracts of land that were removed by governmental fiat from their tree farm licence without requiring WFP to pay compensation or donate parkland. No local citizens, First Nations bands or other local governments were consulted. Wide swaths of pristine forest lands could wind up in the hands of developers with free reign to do as they wish.
But last night we learned that the Capital Regional District has bought about 20% of the lands with the intent to keep the majority of it as parkland. It includes 3.5 km of shoreline near Jordan River and land near the Sooke Potholes. The downside is the CRD could not afford all the land it wanted and has tapped out its park-purchasing funds for the next five years. However, there is talk that the University of British Columbia may buy another large chunk of the property. Stay tuned.