Community Celebrates Bute Inlet

Friends of Bute Inlet, Media Release, November 16, 2009

Quadra Island - A dark and stormy night didn’t deter more than 150 people who gathered at Quadra’s Community Centre to celebrate Bute Inlet. Organized by Sierra Quadra and Friends of Bute Inlet, the Saturday evening event included slides and video depicting Bute’s incredible natural beauty, and presentation of contest-winning photos soon to be published as postcards.

Several speakers offered information about Bute past and present. Local author Jeanette Taylor gave an historical overview describing First Nations settlement and mythologies, the bigger-than-life challenges of Bute’s wildness and Waddington’s road to the Cariboo gold fields as Bute’s first failed venture. Steven Mooney, Quadra naturalist, described Bute’s immense and unstable geological features, its rich soils and abundant flora and fauna. Ralph Keller, tourism owner/operator spoke about Bute as rare and precious grizzly bear and salmon habitat.

The program also acknowledged new social and environmental dilemmas created by more than 700 applications for river power in BC. Gwen Barlee from the Wilderness Committee warned about inadequate environmental assessments and the magnitude of river diversion issues. Independent energy analyst Arthur Caldicott explained how energy profits will benefit corporations instead of British Columbians.

Lannie Keller from Friends of Bute Inlet reminded the audience that Plutonic and General Electric’s proposed megaproject is far from a done-deal. She described the province-wide growth of opposition and many active campaigns aimed at saving Bute along with better solutions for BC’s energy needs.

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For more information, contact
Lannie Keller 250-285-2823
Anita Brochaka 250-285-2656