In The duty of May 17, from the pen of Jean-François Nadeau, we learn that an iron bridge is in danger. The Paré bridge spans the Noire River in the territory of Saint-Valérien-de-Milton, in Montérégie. This bridge, whose heritage value is recognized, has been closed for almost 10 years. Its structure is good; it needs repairs. Where is the problem ? Is it really so difficult to find the necessary financing to reopen it to traffic?
But maybe it is something else: local farmers want it to be demolished and replaced by another, wider bridge that would allow the passage of large, heavy and oversized agricultural machinery.
We are touching here on a more serious, more complex question, which concerns societal choices and is part of the timeline. To sum up, what is more important, the protection of heritage, landscapes and biodiversity, or the continuation of intensive and short-term exploitation of agricultural land?
However, another article from Duty mentioned recently, agricultural land in the Montérégie is suffocating, precisely because of this type of intensive farming. This is a major trend that could lead to the collapse of industrial agriculture within 20 years. It is therefore time to reflect on the medium-term future of this sector of our economy.
Moreover, in the context of the climate crisis which can only intensify, it is essential to protect the vitality and diversity of ecosystems, fundamental elements of our food production.
Can we ask our fellow farmers (and our governments) to think less in terms of growth (in area of fields, investments, production for factory farming and export) and more in terms of preservation of the environment and land, food self-sufficiency, quality of the living environment for future generations?
The protection and repair of the Paré bridge take on symbolic value here. By preserving our heritage, we are protecting our entire territory and our way of life.