In late June, a group of people called Rainbow Family chose the Wolf Lake area to hold their annual 'gathering'. (see: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rainbow_Family ) Given that somewhere between 300 and 1000 people were expected to attend between July 4th and August 1st, KEW was asked to assist in discouraging the event.
We wrote to the contact person in the group:
As part of the local community... concerns have been expressed to me about the suitability of the site for a gathering of this size.
I have been travelling in the area for more close to 40 years...and am well familiar with the efforts to protect the forest, the threats from logging and possible mining. Alas, due to the great amount of publicity Wolf Lake and Paradise Lagoon has received in recent years, the biggest threat to the forest and the wilderness has shifted from logging to overuse. It is being loved to death.
Paradise lagoon itself can handle perhaps 6 people at a time...where will you put hundreds? How will you protect the delicate soils and vegetation? How can you ensure that so many footprints will not lead to permanent damage to the site?
Please contact me as soon as possible…
We received this reply: "We decided not to gather at wolf lake due to your concerns"
Indeed. Concerns were also expressed by the Kukagami Campers Assoc., Friends of Temagami, Ontario Parks, MNR and the City of Sudbury.
Wolf Lake and Paradise Lagoon are popular places, not too far from home. Visitors are encouraged to walk softly.
