Letter to the Community

Perhaps Cortes residents have heard about the latest community dispute involving logging and fire mitigation plans for the Anvil Lake region. Many of us are firmly against the present road building process and inadequate public consultation with the community at large, such as the lack of involvement and dialog with the Registered Professional Forester in charge of planning the project.

Here are some of the reasons why the Anvil Lake area is so important.
- A unique undeveloped lake/wetland/green space and wildlife corridor in the southern portion of the island.

- Protected in theory under the official community plan, ‘DPA’ bylaws (Development Permit Area) indicating no development. Listed with the Discovery Islands inventory of sensitive ecosystems.

- Home to an amazing range of wildlife including mammals – deer, cougar, wolves, otters, muskrat, voles and squirrels, raccoons, and formerly beaver, as well as bat habitation and nesting location(s). Bird population includes eagles, ravens (nesting), vultures, four types of owls (barred, northern pygmy, horned and possibly spotted), marbled murrelets, hawks (common night hawk, Cooper’s hawk, osprey, sharp shinned hawk, red tailed hawk), waterfowl/ducks – wood ducks and others (nesting), common loon (nesting), great blue heron, geese (Canada and Greater white fronted goose), Band tailed Pigeon, Woodpeckers (Northern Flicker, Pileated Woodpecker, Hairy Woodpecker), Red breasted sap sucker, Rufous Hummingbird, Hammond’s Flycatcher, Violet-green swallow, Swainson’s thrush, Townsends warbler, Western Tanager, sparrows (spotted Towhee, House sparrow, Song Sparrow) Blackbirds (brown headed cowbird, red winged blackbird), Finches of many varieties (house finches, red crossbill) Purple Martin and Short billed Dowitcher Sandpiper, Pine Sisken, Red Breasted Nuthatch, Varied Thrush. There is also a variety of common forest inhabitants including robins and intermittent jays, as well as a variety of transient or seasonal visitors. A previous population of blue and ruffed grouse seems to have disappeared unfortunately, and there is evidence of habitat displacement for owls already. There is a population of newts, red-legged and other frogs, alligator lizards, garter snakes and fish in the lake.

- The woodlands include considerable old growth fir (including habitat trees) and cedar as well as a selection of second growth habitat and wetlands for a variety of ecosystems, mushrooms and other forest products.

Since my time as a property owner in the area, there have been two other (less intrusive) attempts to develop roads and access to Anvil Lake, both of which failed after concerted outcry by the community as a whole. The proposed ‘wildfire mitigation’ is highly questionable by experienced foresters we have contacted and has likely immediate adverse effects including to the water supply and hydrology of this shallow vulnerable lake.

I strongly suggest that the community again informs themselves about the Anvil Lake area and supports the efforts of adjacent property owners to create dialog with the Cortes Forestry General Partnership to properly understand and influence this project now and into the future. I believe that a temporary freeze on the road development and logging in the meantime is appropriate. This controversy is generating much ill feeling and divisiveness in the community which is unfortunate but should be resolvable with better communication. I would like to state that I do not hold a lack of respect to any of those involved, but my values are that I should advocate for preserving this wonderful unique pocket wildlife refuge to the best of my abilities for the sake of the community and the island.

Thank you for your attention,
Kirstie Overhill