Re: 鈥淭o bee or not to bee? A question for our times,鈥� May 30
Jack Knox, if you are really concerned about society鈥檚 loss of connection to biodiversity, we suggest you take a walk around the former Royal Oak Golf Course.
Instead of mourning a loss of biodiversity, you will be witnessing a recovery. In the three years since the golf course closed, there has been a rapid increase of bird species to 71 recorded, a recovery of the Garry oak meadows with native plants and grasses; and a big surge in the number of resident deer, frogs, lizards and yes, bees.
But, the property is under application with Saanich to be removed from the Agricultural Land Reserve to facilitate development.
This is a rapidly densifying area. Within one kilometre, there are about 1,700 homes without backyards. Despite concerns about housing accessibility and affordability, these local residents tell us that it is this easy access to nature that makes living without backyards reasonable for them.
The former golf course is a peaceful, healthy green space that could be a source of food production for future generations.
Take a walk, listen to the birds and the bees, and ask yourself the questions: Is losing this large area of recovering biodiversity, with its potential for food production, a reasonable long-term trade off for our future generations?
Once it is gone, the biodiversity is gone forever.
Another bite gone from the apple, another connection lost.
Jan Elliott
Victoria
