After illegal brush-cutting in a sensitive riparian zone along Green Lake, members of the Association of Whistler Area Residents for the Environment (AWARE) are signalling their displeasure—literally.
As previously reported by Pique, last month, resident and Whistler Naturalists member Maeve Jones was walking from the Nicklaus North Golf Course towards Alpine Meadows when she noticed a large swath of trees and brush cut near a home at the end of the Green Lake boardwalk. It’s not the first time illegal brush-cutting has been reported at Green Lake and its surrounding foreshore, a hub of biodiversity home to more than 200 of Whistler’s recorded bird species.
On Friday, Dec. 20, AWARE joined members of the public and the Whistler Naturalists, along with Sea to Sky MLA, the Greens’ Jeremy Valeriote, at Green Lake for the raising of a banner, facing homes along the foreshore, that read: “Protect Priority Habitats, Preserve Our Future.”
In a release, AWARE's executive director Pegah Pourkarimi highlighted the importance of preserving Whistler’s remaining riparian areas.
“These habitats are essential for our ecosystems, wildlife, and community well-being. The destruction of these areas threatens Whistler’s unique biodiversity,” she said. “If we don’t protect them, we risk losing species, degrading water quality, and diminishing our resilience to climate change.”
Friday's small demonstration took a page from other jurisdictions that have had to deal with illegal tree-cutting. In September, Australia’s Lane Cove council erected a large, red banner blocking homes’ prized views of Sydney Harbour after nearly 300 trees were cut down last year along the foreshore. The double-sided sign read, in part: “Trees shouldn’t die for a view.”
The Resort Municipality of Whistler said in a statement this month it was aware of the recent brush-cutting at Green Lake, and has hung door hangers at properties nearby requesting any information the public may have.
“Our bylaw and environmental stewardship teams are regrouping to come up with some options to avoid future issues in this area," the statement went on.
