By Acharya S.P.Dwivedi
The Burns Bog in Delta is the largest raised peat bog on the west coast of North America which is internationally unique because of its location,ecology,and species diversity. Burns Bog filters the air and releases oxygen; the bog stores carbon and this helps in reducing global warming and provides 3000 hectare of largest urban wilderness in North America. Moreover, it functions as the “Lungs of the Lower Mainland”. It is a major regulator of regional climate and a vital stopover for migratory birds over 400 species.
All bogs are wetlands and wetlands are those where the water level is near the surface of the soil. There are several kinds of wetlands such as bogs, estuaries, marshes, swamps and wet meadows but all wetlands are not bogs.
Peat bogs have been exploited for centuries . The peat moss is used to fuel cooking fires, to heat homes and harvested for fertilizing the agricultural lands. However, now there are sustainable alternatives available by using them we can conserve the ecosystem efficiently. Approximately, 80% of the wetlands, in the lower mainland of British Columbia, have been destroyed and now the Burns Bog is the only hope for us.
There are other challenges Burns Bog is facing:
*Under the current expansion plan 50 million tonnes per year thermal coal will be exported from the Delta port and it will be delivered by train and trucks. To achieve this the project of South Fraser Perimeter Road was brought out .
*evelopers want to destroy the Burns Bog and build business centers there.
The Burns Bog Conservation Society since 1980 has been trying to protect it from the short sighted developers and insensitive policies of local and provincial governments . The BBCS , under the devoted leadership of Eliza Olson and with support of pro- environment groups has been generating not only awareness but challenging in courts against those who want to destroy Burns Bog.
Every year the Society organizes pilgrimage to Burns Bog and this year a cross cultural event was organized on April 26,2015 in which more than 200 people of different ages participated.The program commenced with the recital of prayer and blessings by the native-Daughters of the Drum and that followed with speech of Eliza Olson and MP-J.Sims.Peace songs were rendered by a group and Dr.Frank gave an inspiring speech in favor of Burns Bog. The pilgrimage was ended with talk and blessings by Acharya Dwivedi
