In 2004, every level of government contributed $73 million dollars of tax payers money to purchase the lands of Burns Bog. Purchasing those lands did not save Burns Bog for protection. Burns Bog is still not protected by the existing Conservation Covenant as long as the BC Liberal Provincial government holds the Covenant in one hand and continues construction of the South Fraser Perimeter Road with the other hand. This road endangers the sensitive overall hydrology of Burns Bog.
In 2004, the UNESCO World Heritage Site nomination and designation suggestion for Burns Bog was first acted upon by John Hague, then Director at Large for Burns Bog Conservation Society and a Green Party of Canada candidate for Newton North Delta and Dana L. Miller Green Party of Canada candidate for Delta-Richmond East and Eliza Olson, President of the BBCS.
In 2004, John, Eliza and Dana compiled a box of information with videos and books to forward to a Member of Parliament with the hope the box of information would be received, seriously considered and acted upon to nominate and designate Burns Bog as an UNESCO World Heritage Site.
Photo by Georgia Esporlas. Burns Bog Shore Pines, and Cotton Grass At Dawn. Art Direction A. Traviss Corry for Earth Artists
UNESCO designation would create a buffer zone around Burns Bog. A buffer zone would protect Burns Bog from the destruction of roads like the now under construction South Fraser Perimeter Road.
The past BC NDP government including, their NDP MLA Ian Waddell, wanted to put the steel and concrete Pacific National Exhibition (PNE) on top of Burns Bog. During the 2008 election, at an all candidate’s debate, the NDP candidate Ms. Silvia Barna proved to be ignorant of her political party’s historic destructive proposals towards Burns Bog. Many candidates run in ridings wherein they don’t understand the history or issues of the riding.
The 2008 Green Party candidate, Michael Wolfe, directly endorsed the Conservative candidate, Alice Wong. Michael Wolfe is an activist with the Save the Garden City Lands organization. The organization’s website endorses Delta-Richmond East Conservative candidate John Cummins, who for 14 years failed to protect Burns Bog, of which 90% of the lands are in the Delta-Richmond East riding.
The 2008 Green Party candidate, Matthew Laine, indirectly supported the advancement of John Cummins through flattering comments at all candidate meetings. Even a reporter in Richmond commented on the cozy conversations between Matthew Laine and John Cummins. The destruction of our local environment continues, including the destruction of Burns Bog by the South Fraser Perimeter Road. When Green Party candidates endorsed and indirectly supported Conservative candidates, Green candidates set a historical record of contributing to the destruction of our environment.
In October 2009, Sukh Dhaliwal, MP for Newton North Delta, stood in the House of Commons and announced the campaign UNESCO World Heritage Site Status For Burns Bog, and the petition of signatures gathered from his riding.
In October 2009, A. Traviss Corry and Dana L. Miller met with Delta Mayor and Council requesting they sign a letter to support UNESCO for Burns Bog protection and forward it to the Prime Minister of Canada. Regrettably the existing and dedicated Burns Bog Conservation Society has been working alone for the last twenty years. The Earth Artist’s Day Of Ephemeral Art and it’s support for UNESCO World Heritage Site Status For Burns Bog was the first cooperative effort and proved successful in bringing together multiple parties support on the Federal level towards bringing final protection through UNESCO.
Ecological awareness increases and the 2009 UN Climate Summit is upon us to call out to leaders for protecting the largest remaining domed peatland in the Western Hemisphere, Burns Bog.
