A renowned scientist and National Geographic explorer-in-residence believes the area currently being developed for the Red Chris mine is worth more untouched.
Anthropologist and author Wade Davis lives in Washington, D.C., but his heart resides in the pristine wilderness of British Columbia.
He spends every summer on a property at Ealuie Lake, an area not far from the mountain currently being carved out for the Red Chris project.
Davis’s daughters grew up in the region, which he argues has the potential to be an international eco-tourism hotspot.
“The Canadian people, if they just knew about this country, would be as outrage as I am that it’s being compromised to benefit the economic well-being of but a handful of us,” Davis said. “This area warrants a Banff Springs Hotel, a Jasper Park Lodge. This is where it would be.”
From his work with National Geographic, Davis knows a lot about what attracts tourists to special areas; he travels the world talking about his books, projects and the interesting people he’s met.
But now he’s taking on the Red Chris project, teaming up with members of the Tahltan First Nation who are upset their community is being divided by economic forces from far away.
“All these guys in Vancouver who get on the [phone] with their pals in Toronto or New York boast of living in beautiful British Columbia,” Davis said. “While in their day jobs, they orchestrate the destruction of the very place they claim to love.”
Davis says the issue isn’t whether or not to mine, but rather how many mines to build and where – and at what cost to the environment.
One of the key concerns at Red Chris is the proximity to what’s known as the Sacred Headwaters, an area where three major B.C. rivers begin: the Stikine, Skeena and Nass.
Davis recently authored a book on the Headwaters arguing the unique region should be preserved for future generations.
If the mining projects cannot be stopped, the author says they must at least ensure best practices are followed to avoid unnecessary environmental impact.
With a report from CTV British Columbia’s Ed Watson
