I hear the cries and the concerns of SATIIM.
Some weeks ago, I had the opportunity to venture into a piece of forest that had recently been surveyed. What I noticed is that the bush was so thick that, were it not for the trail cut by the surveyors, I couldn’t have gone very far, or it would have taken a long and difficult time to cover the distances we did in walking the entire perimeter of the land.
It is my understanding that in order to do the seismic testing that the oil companies want to do in the Temash National Park, they will have to cut many trails to reach the various locations. Now, if preserving the forest in its natural state to protect the wildlife is the goal of the forest guardians, I can understand their grave concern about these initiatives by the oil people. The dynamite charges is one thing; who knows what all will be affected by these subterranean shocks.
But more obvious to me, is the effect of having many trails cut into a once impenetrable forest. Suddenly, as SATIIM has observed, the forest will be navigable by many trails, making it easy for poachers to deplete the wild game, and putting stress and disturbance on the life habits of these and other wildlife. When everywhere in the jungle becomes easily accessible, where will the animals have to hide and be alone in their secret places?
It seems to me that the trails to be cut for doing the seismic testing are perhaps even more a problem for those concerned about protecting our “pristine” forest in the national park, than the testing itself. It can no longer be pristine when we have riddled the terrain with pathways for intruders, who will be thus encouraged to increase their presence in the area, and thus enhance the push of civilization upon a once natural forest habitat for wildlife of many descriptions.
Will we keep the park, or won’t we?