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Keep the Yukon wild

Keep the Yukon wild My name is Emma Dube, I am 22 years old living in Whitehorse with my partner and his beautiful daughter. I was born and raised here in Whitehorse in the Robinson Subdivision where I lived with my mom, dad, and my younger sister. My si

My name is Emma Dube, I am 22 years old living in Whitehorse with my partner and his beautiful daughter. I was born and raised here in Whitehorse in the Robinson Subdivision where I lived with my mom, dad, and my younger sister. My sister and I spent our childhoods outside and we learned firsthand how amazing our backyard was.

I want to keep it that way. I plan to raise a family here and have chosen this incredible land as my home. I am concerned that Yukon’s lack of outdoor recreational vehicle legislation will hurt the alpine and wetland regions of my beautiful home.

Yukon is the last jurisdiction in North America without ATV laws. We need to start enforcing such laws to preserve Yukon’s wildlife and habitat and to ensure that future generations have such beauty in their backyard as I once did.

This summer my partner, his daughter and I are heading on a sheep hunt. This will be our first hunt and we are all very excited. But with no offroad vehicle laws in place, I worry such hunts will not be possible for my future children and their generation. Irresponsible ATV use leads to the displacement and harassment of Yukon’s wildlife.

Yukon is depicted as pristine. We draw tourists to our land to visit our untouched backcountry. Is that still the case? Will it still be the case in five years?

Other parts of North America have made the same mistakes that we are currently making. Let’s prevent this degeneration while we still can. I want to be able to hike up Mt. Arkell in five years and see beauty, not ATV trails.

Yukon is my home. I understand the thrill of driving an ATV, but is the thrill worth the loss we will experience to our pristine wilderness and wildlife? I am asking you to please stop the ATV trails before they reach the alpine and wetlands regions and to keep currently untouched areas as non-motorized subzones.

Thank you for taking the time to read this letter. Yukon is in my heart and soul and I thank you in advance for keeping my home wild.

Emma Dube

Whitehorse