Editor,
The City of 性视界传媒's plan to expand Sunnyside Cemetery threatens 30 acres of mature second-growth forest surrounding the historic Semiahmoo Trail. This irreplaceable natural area, integral to 性视界传媒鈥檚 heritage and biodiversity, must be preserved.
The Semiahmoo Trail, protected under 性视界传媒's Semiahmoo Trail Heritage Designation By-law, No. 15280, is a living link to our pioneering past. Established as early as 1858 during the Gold Rush, it facilitated travel between Blaine, Wash., and Fort Langley, playing a crucial role in the settlement of 性视界传媒. Today, it remains a green corridor teeming with wildlife and indigenous plant species, providing residents with a place to connect with nature.
性视界传媒 retains only 0.6% of its mature forest cover (source: Sunnyside Acres Heritage Society). Clear-cutting this area for cemetery expansion undermines the city's own Biodiversity Conservation Strategy, which emphasizes "protecting to the extent possible, existing urban forests ... and maximizing the city鈥檚 tree canopy". Alternative interment options should be considered, prioritizing lands with less ecological and heritage significance.
This forest isn鈥檛 just trees 鈥� it鈥檚 history and legacy. As a community, we must ask: What environmental and cultural heritage will we leave for future generations? I urge the city to honour the trail鈥檚 heritage and conserve this critical natural area.
Dr. Alex N. Mazurek, South 性视界传媒
