Dear Editor,

I support preservation of the forested area of McLellan Park East at 257A Street, which is slated to be sold as five-acre lots.

It is worth noting that, until a little more than 100 years ago Langley Township was forested with primary virgin forest, of which none remains. Now the land is either agricultural, industrial land, or housing. Of the logged primary forest, there is scant little remaining.

The forested land in question is arguably the closest to the original, and also arguably the most beautiful piece of land remaining in Langley and the western Fraser Valley. If not pristine, un-logged forest, it does at least retain most of the original forest floor plants and insect species.

This wonderful forest is currently under the ownership of the people of Langley.

We are aware of the level of vision required of the Vancouver City officials who saved Stanley Park for the generations, at that time unborn. I believe a similar level of vision is now required of the current Langley municipal government. Vision is now required to save this remnant of Langley forest, and to imagine how it will grow and flourish, for the pleasure of our descendants two or three hundred years into the future.

The stumps in the forest speak of many 100-year-old trees that grew there until recent times. Given protection and sufficient time, the trees that are now growing will, in a few hundred years, return the forest to old growth.

That would be a wonderful legacy to leave Langley's future inhabitants.

As already stated: McLellan Park East is owned by the people of Langley Township, so to now compel the people to pay $3 million to preserve that asset seems a very unfortunate policy.

Raising $3 million to pay for a $30-million swimming pool will very soon be a forgotten budgetary item. Preserving a piece of original forest will be a many-hundred-year legacy, and a gift to future Langley residents.

I write as one who raised a family in Langley Township for 18 years.

Barry Cogswell, Vancouver