| 6 Week | Thursday, August 4, 2022 WHITBY NATIVE WENT UP THE MOUNTAIN MARGARET CARNEY ON A FORMER NEIGHBOUR'S THAILAND ADVENTURE if Df f paler. ' ie Ai " ts y 4 wh » 4 bh 4 4 7 ~ on = MARGARET CARNEY Column She was a darling baby and a bright little girl who grew up right next door, so I got to watch her growth spurts and witness her milestones. Then she went away to university, became a primary school teacher and disappeared across the planet, full of the confidence, curiosity and thirst for adventure her parents -- both wonderful teachers and travellers themselves -- passed on to her. Katie Brailsford also grew up camping. She loves the great outdoors and it was through her, vicariously, I had a special nature experience of my own. When she came home for a visit this summer, I heard how she climbed Doi Chiang Dao, the third tallest mountain in Thailand, in time to watch the sunset from the highest point. Then at dawn, she crawled out of her tent again to catch the sunrise. Katie has clearly loved teaching in "the land of a thousand smiles" where, due to travel restrictions during COVID-19 for the last three years, she had countless school breaks and weekends to explore nooks and crannies of the country, and absorb its many wonders. But she always wanted to climb the "mountain of stars" near the Myanmar border, a 2,175-metre-high limestone massif at the eastern end of the Himalayas, which has special spiritual significance for the local people. And on New Year's Day she did. A wildlife sanctuary famous for its transitional forests, endemic mammals and turtles, and 300 species of birds, the area is protected by a national park. Access is strictly limited. Visitors have to sign up well in advance and pay for the privilege of entry -- funds cover the salaries of guards and guides, local people who, among other things, put you through a three-hour orientation on how to carry every bit of waste, both plastic and human, out with you leaving nothing behind. They then check to make sure you did so, after your descent. Katie was truly impressed by the care and respect being given to the natural world, inspiration for habitat protection everywhere. I could have talked with her for hours, asking how the trees and _ flowers smelled at every altitude, how many birds she saw and what she liked best. It meant a lot to me that her brother, on holiday from where he lives in the Netherlands, made the climb with her and shared those special moments at the top of the world. When they were little, I took both of them to the Bowmanville Zoo for an elephant ride -- a thrill for all three of us. I am glad they're still open to adventure. Nature queries: mcar- ney1490@gmail.com or 905- 725-2116. Metroland columnist Margaret Carney finds so much to discover and marvel at exploring the great outdoors. TO LEARN HOW TO SUBMIT YOUR OWN CONTENT VISIT DURHAMREGION.COM SUNRISE ON DOI CHIANG DAO Katie Brailsford photo A sunrise seen from the top of Doi Chiang Dao, the third-tallest mountain in Thailand. Columnist Margaret Carney's former neighbour, Katie Brailsford, teaches in the country. Katie climbed and camped atop the 2,175-metre peak. WB LETTERS & COMMENTARY PARKS CANADA 'PUTS NATURE FIRST To the editor: Re: Concern about common terns nesting at Rouge National Urban Park. I have visited the area many times over the years and observed the changing location of the sandbar. Recently, I saw the sandbar had blocked the normal flow of the Rouge River and diverted the flow west along the beach, which caused a great deal of erosion. I noticed the flow of the river was approaching the beach washroom facility, which may pose an environmental risk to aquatic ecosystems. I was very glad and relieved to see, on the internet, that the RNUP quickly closed the beach for remedial work on the sandbar. The RNUP never planned to remove the sandbar. This remedial work was postponed when the nesting terns were discovered. I have hiked along the trail at the beach a couple of times since and saw the tern nest area _ totally closed off to the public with large metal fencing and some signs. Parks Canada puts nature first and has a long history of environmental success in national parks. Not only did the RNUP close off this area, but it has done so with other areas when breeding birds were nesting. The fact they did not start the much- needed remedial work when the terns were discovered and they protected the site from the public proves this fact. The heavy equipment will not start the remediation work until the terns are hatched and totally fledged. The remedial work of the RNUP is always well planned and well implemented. Any suggestion that the sandbar will be removed is false. The sandbar will be shifted to return the normal flow of the Rouge River to Lake Ontario. The money spent on this project will open up the historic channel for the river to flow into Lake Ontario and restore the beach and the sandbar for the benefit of all the birds and the people who use it. LARRY NOONAN PICKERING SUBMIT YOUR LETTER 10 THE EDITOR TODAY! ABOUT US This newspaper, published every Thursday, is a division of the Metroland Media Group Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Torstar Corporation. The Metroland family of newspapers is comprised of more than 70 community publications across Ontario. This newspaper is a member of the National NewsMedia Council. Complainants are urged to bring their concerns to the attention of the newspaper and, if not satisfied, write The National NewsMedia Council, Suite 200, 890 Yonge St., Toronto, ON M4W 2H2. 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