NATURE & ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

A Quick note:

    I was walking down at Goldstream Park the other weekend. Goldstream is this Park preserved for the spawning of salmon and other fish, as well as a protected area for other critters in need of some privacy. Anyway, the salmon were spawning, and the only thing that I noticed was how few and how small the salmon were. Their sizes were nothing from what I remember. I know I was smaller then, but the difference was just too great.

     A lot of changes have gone on at Goldstream. The places that you can walk are extemely restricted, which I guess is good, but it sure is different then what I remember. The park seems almonst assimilated to modern society, almost tame. Quite frankly, it looks loke a "yuppy" nature adventure. I mean it is still extremely beautiful, but ideal for the city dweller. Nature at it's finest only minutes away and in such a way as to not impose in inconvience anyone. Now don't think I am some sort of grudge or something, it is wonderful that it is there for people to see, especially children, and I am very glad that it still there, but I guess what bothers me is the major change. It seems that it can disappear so easily. But maybe these parks/nature preserves close to towns will be the only thing to open peoples' eyes to the whole experience who normally wouldn't leave the city.

    It just shows how fast things actually are changing. I guess you don't really consider it until you actually see it first hand. The salmon numbers and sizes really surprised me so much that I am still a little stunned! But really, to anyone reading this, if you ever do travel (to the west coast or anywhere for that fact), and have never really had any experience, (Or even if you have) make sure that you get to see parks like Goldstream, they really are extremely beautiful and you would be missing so much of them.

Quick References:

     This is something that makes me completely sick (it was just run on The National....actually while I was typing this...they showed scenes of seals skinned alive, hooking the seals by gaffs while alive, and leaving them to suffer and eventually die). It is enough to make you not want to even admit that you are a Canadian. Note....you might be a little disturbed by some of the pictures in here, but unfortunately they are the truth. They also list a boycott on the same site....I haven't read it yet but looking at the other page, it really makes you think.

     While not directly related to Canadian Environment or Wildlife, (but hey, why stop with Canada, nature is nature no matter where you look) this is another topic that I feel strongly about and I thought that there should be something mentioned here about it! The Manatee....one of the most gentle animals that exists. How can you not love them. I have found a few really good links that I found of interest!

• Manatee Haven
• Manatee Junction
• Save the Manatee Club
• Sea-Stats No. 13 - Manatees
• The Brain of the Florida Manatee
• The Wonderful World of the Manatee

     Here is a little something that happened upon by mistake but I found it very good.....please take a look at why Broken Red Book Promises are Harmful to your Health.

     I happened to pick up the February issue of Scientific American and found some pages that were of rather interest. They had to deal with animals used for research. So I decided to look at the web pages and there they were. So if you are interested I posted the links to those specific pages here! OVERVIEW: Trends in Animal Research Just to get a quick look at the history of Animal used for research, how society has treated it, and what has come of it. In no particular order check out two articles on the Pro's and Con's of using Animals for research PRO: Animal Research is Vital to Medicine / CON: Animal Research is Wasteful and Misleading And see what people thought of the articles and how they voted to particular questions sent to them by Scientific American. Scientific American: Animal Research Forum

World Wildlife Fund / World Wildlife Fund Canada 

BCWF / Canadian Wildlife Federation / National Wildlife Fund

EarthTrust - Wildlife Conservation Worldwide 

EnviroLink Homepage 

World Conservation Monitoring Centre 

International Wildlife Coalition: Home Page 

The Animal Welfare Institute 

Defenders of Wildlife 

International Primate Protection League

World Society for the Protection of Animals 

Animal Responsibility Cyprus (ARC) 

American Humane Association