Our project to live in the forest, without any modern commodities, goes back to our childhood dreams.
In the years we have lived in a modern society, we have had to face many challenges that have asked much courage and perseverance from both Sharon and I. We have had to work more than a third of our lives at exhausting and demanding jobs but have permitted us to use this experience as a trampoline towards our new life with nature. It’s true that it is harder to obtain life objectives than executing those we want the less. Most of the time, life seems to bring undesirable things compared to what you want the most. Anyway it seems to be the case with us.
My childhood dream to be a hunter and a trapper, living amongst the Indians will not be achieved. Times have changed, trappers have almost disappeared and hunting is also disappearing due to the pressures from ecologists and organisations that defend the animals. The white man has not changed their behaviour towards mother earth or nature, exploiting excessively in order to acquire personal property, riches as well as power. Today’s Indians no longer listen to the voice of nature and mother earth. They act the same way as the white man toward nature. Indians who still listens to the voices of mother earth, according to their traditions and customs, are very rare.
The planet is being torn apart with wars and their own environmental destruction in which man is mainly responsible. Many open spaces that were once pure have now become civilized. Plants and animals are forced to retreat more and more if they have not already disappeared completely for the face of the earth.
Even with warnings from scientists and wise men throughout the world, man still continues to act like a cancer toward the earth. It’s not surprising that he himself has also developed a multitude of illnesses and cancers that did not exist before. In my opinion, without being too pessimistic and this despite my goodwill, it is a bit too late to react or at the very least, we are at the limit of what the earth can endure from man. This is my personal opinion.
At Lake Manouane, I have seen in the last 30 years, nature deteriorate before my eyes and animals disappear from the territory. The seasons are no longer what they used to be, cyclic and harmonious. The pure forests of yesterday no longer exist with the exception of a few islets of greenery here and there due to the massive deforestation. Hunters, fishermen, outfitters and Indians have become aggressors of nature, which they are supposed to protect, like a father protects his children. They have become environmental pedophiles. The facts are real and the reports are disgraceful. Government cuts have diminished surveillance in the area. They who are suppose to protect the environment, exploit excessively and very little is done for the environment because exploitation = profit and protection = expense.
Despite the numerous and not very encouraging results, I have decided with Sharon to attempt or at least to try to do something for the nature of Lake Manouane. The first is to create a firm gesture in order to protect the nature. The second thing is to try and change the mentality and the behavioural style that people have in general towards nature of Lake Manouane. Your support and your help are essential, not only for us but for the environment of Lake Manouane. One way to help us is to become a member and friend of the Owanka Nature Consciousness Movement. The money will go directly for the Lake Manouane environment.
In order to work effectively on the land, we had to create an organisation to protect the Lake Manouane environment and which will permit us to live in the forest while working on the land for the environment, therefore the reason for the creation of the Owanka Nature Consciousness Movement.
Here is the list of our accomplishments:
1- September 2007, create an environmental and ecologic organisation for Owanka Nature Consciousness Movement
2- Denounce to the municipal and provincial authorities the excessive resorts, the illegal outdoor dumps, illegal camps in the forests, the reparation of the forest roads, the abusive hunting and fishing on the territory and the poaching.
3- We have placed posters at certain strategic spots where it was necessary to sensitize people and draw particular attention to their acts and gestures such as the Lake Lortie dumps.
4- The 26 and 27th of April 2008, the Owanka Nature Consciousness Movement held two conferences during this week-end. This allowed the movement to gain better visibility and credibility with the public. We were able to show the people and sensitize them to the numerous environmental issues that we have encountered in the region of Lakes Manouane and Lortie. The article is now on our blog. For a brief resume of the conference on video, please visit the photo section on our web site.
Results:
1- File on the illegal forest shelters and camps: The MRNF reacted on this file and from now to the winter of 2007-2008, will take administrative procedures to evict the squatters, and their camps will be burned down. Results to follow.
2- The outfitter dump: closed definitely. File closed. However without having formal proof, we suspect them of disposing their garbage at the illegal dump at Lake Lortie, to be continued.
3- Reparation of the forest roads: It seems that they have started the repairs on our forest roads around Lake Manouane, to be continued.