I took a tour of the Chilliwack River Valley Monday evening to see if the the "tough new measures" mentioned in the article below would actually happen this May Long weekend. The area up to Tamahi looked good but from there up things were near the worse I had ever seen, as the pictures relate. Pictures were taken showing some of the sites including by the washout, "The Cedars" and by Borden Creek where the bears were getting into some of the bagged up garbage. The other pictures were on the Bench Road which was a disaster area with shotgun shell casing every where.
If we are really serious about dealing with this destruction of this area we must have a stronger support from the RCMP and the Province with both providing enough personal to deal with this stain on our environment. Sometimes I think these law enforcement people are stretched too thin to cover areas like this.
Once again, from what I observed today and what was mentioned in this recent newspaper article I have posted below it appeared to have little impact on these thoughtless campers that have no regard for our ONCE beautiful Chilliwack River Valley, shameful.
Rodney may select a few pictures to post that I sent him to show you the mess left behind.
Bracing for a busy weekend
By Jennifer Feinberg - Chilliwack Progress - May 15, 2008
They’re stepping up the pressure in the Chilliwack River Valley just in time.
The crackdown on illegal camping and overnight parking is now a year-round priority, says a coalition of enforcement agencies using Section 58, of the Forest and Range Practices Act.
With the May long weekend in sight, revellers and rowdies heading this way are being sent a strict warning from the Ch-ihl-kway-uhk Tribe, RCMP, conservation and forestry officers, the Fraser Valley Regional District, and local residents.
The coalition of stakeholders came together last spring to protect one of B.C.’s most desirable recreational areas.
Overnight parking and camping on Crown land will no longer be tolerated, and violators will be slapped with a $115 fine. Vehicles will be towed and impounded, they vow, at $100 for a tow and $17/day fee for impounds.
“Last year we saw an incredible amount of life-threatening behaviour and environmental degradation caused by illegal campers,” says Tzeachten Chief Joe Hall. “This area and its residents deserve to be protected from vandals who have no regard for the environment.
“With the Section 58 Order now active year-round, our zero-tolerance policy is now in effect.”
In August alone last year, local authorities patrolled 1,965 km of roadways and trails and recorded 1,290 license plates.
“We expect to be much tougher this year,” says Chief Hall. “Violators will figure out pretty quickly that we’re serious and that it’s a long and expensive ordeal to get back home and recover their vehicles.”
The Fraser Valley Regional District also had a warning for all campers regarding the potential for waters to rise, given the weekend forecast.
“If we experience the high temperatures predicted, people camping close to rivers and streams could see themselves floating or stranded during the rise in water levels,” said Doug Wilson, Manager of Parks for the FVRD. “Although floods are not expected, the Vedder River could look quite different on Sunday than it does today.”
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Topic: Chilliwack River Valley Is A Disaster Area. (Read 52006 times)