Canadian Parks Council (CPC)

Winnipeg, September 11, 2007

Parks Ministers released a report today to help guide their work in restoring   habitats, controlling harmful invasive species and re-introducing locally   extinct wildlife in Canada’s parks and protected areas. This is the first such   set of guidelines produced by and for Canada’s park agencies.

The ecosystems in Canada’s national, provincial and territorial parks and   protected areas maintain biological diversity, preserve natural capital and   provide ecological services, yet these protected areas rarely contain complete,   unaltered ecosystems. Principles and Guidelines for Ecological Restoration   in Canada’s Protected Natural Areas outlines the benefits that follow when   ecological values of a protected area are restored. They include improvement in   biological diversity, increases in the population and distribution of rare and   threatened species, enhanced landscape connectivity, greater availability of   environmental goods and services and improvement of the well-being of   Canadians.

In endorsing the Principles and Guidelines, Parks Ministers recognized that   ecological restoration provides opportunities for meaningful public engagement   related not only to natural values but also to spiritual, aesthetic,   recreational, educational and social values. Direct engagement in restoration   activities and the resulting memorable experiences are at the heart of   maintaining the relevance of parks and protected areas to Canadians. Ministers   agreed to consider the applicability of the principles and guidelines in the   context of the mandates, policies and priorities of their respective park   agencies.

Parks Ministers also considered a series of case studies profiling leading   collaborative work between aboriginal peoples and Canada’s park agencies.   Throughout the country, park agencies and aboriginal communities are engaged in   cooperative planning and management and shared decision-making. The case studies   provide insights and lessons that can contribute to building and enhancing   collaborative relationships between Aboriginal peoples and park agencies.

In his preface for the case studies, the Honourable Paterk Netser, Minister   of Environment for Nunavut, noted; “Parks and protected areas in Canada   celebrate the beauty and history of our country and attract visitors from both   Canada and the world who want to learn about our natural and cultural heritage.   At the same time, expenditures to operate and manage parks and protected   heritage areas provide important economic benefits to local communities, many in   rural and remote areas, as well as offering employment and training   opportunities.”

Alex Peters of the Pikangikum First Nation and Sophia Rabliauskas from the   Poplar River First Nation attended the meeting to speak with Parks Ministers   about one of the case studies, Pimachiowin Aki, a proposed World Heritage Site   spanning the Ontario-Manitoba border. The site includes the traditional   territories of the Poplar River, Little Grand Rapids, Pauingassi and Pikangikum   First Nations, and includes Atikaki Provincial Park in Manitoba and Woodland   Caribou Provincial Park in Ontario. The 42,000 square kilometre area represents   natural and cultural aspects of the boreal forest, filling an identified gap in   the World Heritage Site system and demonstrating an innovative approach to land   management that combines traditional Anishinabe and western scientific   knowledge. It has exceptional ecological value with extensive undisturbed   forests, lakes, and wetlands that reflect unique geological processes and   represent critical habitat for several threatened or endangered species   including woodland caribou, bald eagles and wolverines. The site also represents   an outstanding example of traditional Aboriginal life based on a close and   enduring relationship to the land. Ministers acknowledged the potential value of   the Pimachiowin Aki site and the importance of First Nations’ leadership in this   project.

Ministers also agreed to strengthen their commitment to the Canadian Heritage   Rivers System (CHRS) through the implementation of a new ten year strategic   plan. This plan will provide a blueprint for the future growth and development   of Canada's national river conservation program. The CHRS promotes, protects and   enhances Canada's river heritage and ensures that Canada's leading rivers are   managed in a sustainable manner. Responsible river stewardship is the ethic it   engenders. Cooperation and public support are the strengths it builds upon.   There are currently 40 rivers which have been nominated to the CHRS, totaling   over 10,000 kilometres. Quebec has its own legal mechanisms for the protection   and development of heritage rivers and, therefore, will not be participating in   the CHRS.

In his concluding remarks, meeting Chair, Manitoba Minister of Conservation,   the Honorable Stan Struthers, stated; “Canada’s national, provincial and   territorial parks contribute to a healthier environment, to tourism and to the   economic well-being of nearby communities. Canada’s Parks Ministers agreed to   undertake a number of initiatives in these priority areas during our meeting.   Over the next couple of years, the Canadian Parks Council will continue its   dialogue on the planning and operation of parks with aboriginal people. Park   agencies will also work together to explore opportunities for engaging young   people in park programs, examine the health benefits of parks, develop   sustainable tourism best practices, conduct research into the personal, societal   and economic benefits of parks and invest in the development of future park   system leaders.”

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For further information please contact:

                                               

Charles McDougall            Press Secretary to Cabinet, Cabinet   Communications            Manitoba Government, Legislative Building            (204)   945-1494            Charles.McDougall@leg.gov.mb.ca

John Good            Executive Director            Canadian Parks Council            (705) 652-9752            jgood@parks-parcs.ca

Backgrounders:

   
1. Canadian   Parks Council
   
2. Principles and Guidelines for Ecological   Restoration
   
3. Case Studies on Aboriginal Peoples and   Canada’s Parks and Protected Areas
   
4. Pimachiowin Aki World   Heritage Proposal
   
5. Canadian Heritage Rivers Program  

BACKGROUNDER

Canadian Parks Council

Canada’s National, Provincial and Territorial Parks   Agencies: Working Together

Established in 1962, the Canadian Parks Council exists to promote excellence   in park planning and management, advance park and protected areas interests and   facilitate cooperation between member agencies on matters of shared   responsibility and concern.

Current Council initiatives include:

   
• Healthy by Nature – A program that emphasizes the   contribution that parks make to personal and societal health and well-being and   provides opportunities for people to enjoy healthful outdoor activities.
     
   
• Aboriginal People and Parks – A series of case studies   looking at leading collaborative work between aboriginal peoples and Canada’s   park agencies.
     
   
• Canada’s Parks Day – The third Saturday in July, Canada’s   Parks Day celebrates our nature and heritage from coast to coast to coast.
     
   
• Valuing the Benefits of Parks – Research to enable better   measurement of the personal, societal and commercial benefits of parks and   protected areas.
     
   
• Engaging Young People in parks – An exploration of the   increasing disconnection of today’s youth from nature and the outdoors and ways   to encourage them to become more involved.
     
   
• Sustainable Tourism and Parks – Putting parks in the   forefront of providing meaningful visitor experiences that contribute to the   conservation of park resources while at the same time supporting local and   regional economies.
     
   
• Park System Leadership Course – Leading edge training for   the future managers of Canada’s parks.

Parks Ministers meet, every two years, to review progress and provide overall   direction to the Council which comprises the heads of Canada’s national,   provincial and territorial park systems.

For further information concerning the Canadian Parks Council please   visit our website www.parks-parcs.ca

or contact:

John Good
Executive Director
(705) 652-6637
jgood@parks-parcs.ca

BACKGROUNDER

Principles and Guidelines for Ecological   Restoration in Canada’s Protected Natural Areas

Parks ministers released today Principles and Guidelines for Ecological   Restoration in Canada’s Protected Natural Areas. This report represents the   first-ever Canada-wide guidance for ecological restoration practices.

What is Ecological Restoration?
Ecological restoration is   the process of assisting the recovery of an ecosystem that has been degraded,   damaged, or destroyed. It serves as a means of halting and reversing ecosystem   degradation. In recent years, it has emerged as a management imperative for   those involved with protected areas stewardship.

Restoration in Protected Natural Areas
Canadian protected   natural areas are established to protect natural heritage for all Canadians to   experience, discover, learn and appreciate into the future. Despite this goal,   the ecological integrity of protected natural areas, and thus their ability to   conserve biodiversity and natural capital, is being degraded. Stressors such as   incompatible land uses, habitat fragmentation, invasive alien species, air and   water pollution, and climate change continue to threaten these special places.   Ecological restoration attempts to reduce the impacts of these stressors and   restore natural ecosystem structure and function. Through direct public   involvement, including, for example, volunteer programs, it also creates   opportunities for Canadians to develop a deeper understanding of natural   systems, the threats they face, and the challenges associated with restoration.   Through ecological restoration Canadians can enjoy enhanced, meaningful   experiences, and develop a sense of attachment to their parks and other   protected areas.

Principles and Guidelines
The Principles and   Guidelines for Ecological Restoration in Canada’s Protected Natural Areas were developed on behalf of the Canadian Parks Council by a   multi-jurisdictional, multi-functional working group, chaired by Parks Canada   and composed of a diverse range of Canadian and international experts and   managers. Working group members included representatives of Canada’s federal,   provincial and territorial parks and protected areas agencies, Canadian and   international universities, the US National Park Service, the Society for   Ecological Restoration International (SER), and SER’s Indigenous Peoples   Restoration Network Working Group.

The document sets out national principles for restoration that are:

   
• Effective in restoring and maintaining ecological   integrity
   
• Efficient in using practical and   economic methods to achieve functional success
   
• Engaging through implementing inclusive processes and   by recognizing and embracing interrelationships between culture and   nature

It includes practical guidelines for a range of restoration actions   including:

   
• Restoring natural disturbances and perturbations
   
• Controlling harmful   invasive species
   
• Re-creating native communities or habitat
   
•   Re-introducing locally-extirpated species
   
• Restoring landforms, hydrology,   and water quality
   
• Reconnecting protected areas with surrounding landscapes   and seascapes

The principles and guidelines are complemented a by a seven-step planning and   implementation framework that serves as the basis for making consistent,   credible and informed decisions regarding ecological restoration in protected   natural areas.

This approach to restoration will ensure that parks and protected areas   continue to safeguard ecological integrity while providing opportunities for   meaningful engagement and experiences that connect the public, communities and   visitors to these special places, and help ensure their relevance into the   future.

Next steps include the preparation of a companion document that will present   case studies from various Canadian jurisdictions and, in doing so, illustrate   best practices in the application of the principles and guidelines to real-world   situations.

For further information please contact:
Karen Keenleyside
Senior   Advisor, Environmental Quality
Ecological Integrity Branch
National Parks   Directorate
Parks Canada
(819) 934-4797
karen.keenleyside@pc.gc.ca

BACKGROUNDER

Case Studies on Aboriginal Peoples and   Canada’s Parks and Protected Areas

Parks Ministers released today a series of case studies profiling the leading   collaborative work between Aboriginal peoples and Canada’s park agencies. The   case studies illustrate “best practices” in the broad participation of   Aboriginal people in diverse areas of parks and protected areas planning and   management across the country.

The case studies recognize the special contributions that Aboriginal people   and communities have made and continue to make to Canada’s parks and protected   areas, and in particular the traditional knowledge that Aboriginal people have   of landscapes, ecosystems, wildlife populations and stocks, and cultural   heritage.

The 25 case studies address six themes, each representing an area where   leading work is being done cooperatively between park agencies and Aboriginal   communities:

   
• Co-operative involvement in park planning and management
   
•   Participation in landscape planning and protected areas network planning   initiatives
   
• Park interpretation activities and tourism ventures
   
• The   role of culture and traditional knowledge in park planning
   
• Parks as   cultural learning opportunities for Aboriginal youth
   
• Capacity-building

Park agencies identified three main ingredients to the success of the   initiatives highlighted by these case studies:

   
• Community leadership in articulating a vision for the sustainable use and   protection of their traditional lands
   
• Time, patience, trust and dedication   in developing and nurturing a meaningful partnership between the park agency and   the Aboriginal community(ies)
   
• Recognition of the importance of cultural   resources and traditional knowledge as an expression of Aboriginal peoples   history and relationship to the land

English and French copies of the compendium of 25 case studies can be found   at http://www.parks-parcs.ca. Aboriginal   translations of select case studies are also being prepared.

For more information, please contact:

Marc Johnson
Analyst, Intergovernmental Relations
Parks Canada
(819)   953-7256
marc.Johnson@pc.gc.ca

BACKGROUNDER

Pimachiowin Aki World Heritage   Project

The Little Grand Rapids, Pauingassi, Pikangikum and Poplar River   First Nations and the governments of Manitoba and Ontario are working together   in an ongoing effort to have lands east of Lake Winnipeg in Manitoba and in   northwestern Ontario recognized as a world heritage site by the United Nations   Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

The project has already generated considerable international   interest since the site would represent the boreal forest, filling an identified   gap in the World Heritage Site system of protected areas, and because it   proposes an innovative approach to land management that combines traditional   Anishinabe and western scientific knowledge. The site has exceptional ecological   value with extensive undisturbed forests, lakes, and wetlands that reflect   unique geological processes and represent critical habitat for several   threatened or endangered species including woodland caribou, bald eagles and   wolverines. The site also represents an outstanding example of traditional   Aboriginal life based on a close and enduring relationship to the land.   Archeological evidence in the area attests to over 6,000 years of habitation by   the Anishinabe people.

The area under discussion involves about 42,000 square kilometres   and includes traditional territories of the Little Grand Rapids, Pauingassi,   Pikangikum and Poplar River First Nations. It also includes Atikaki Provincial   Park in Manitoba and Woodland Caribou Provincial Park in Ontario.

To advance the nomination, the First Nations and provincial   government partners have created the Pimachiowin Aki (land that gives life)   non-profit corporation. Parks Canada and the International Institute for   Sustainable Development are providing technical support to the project.   Submission of the nomination is targeted for 20011/12.

If successful, Pimachiowin Aki will be one of only a handful of   sites on the World Heritage List that are recognized for both outstanding   cultural and natural heritage. World Heritage status will help to safeguard this   globally significant boreal forest ecosystem and the living cultural landscape   it supports.

For further information please contact:

Bruce Bremner, Co chair (204) 945-4842

Alex Peters, Co chair (807) 773-5578

BACKGROUNDER

The Canadian Heritage Rivers   System

The Canadian Heritage Rivers System (CHRS) is Canada’s national river   conservation program. It is a cooperative federal-provincial-territorial program   established in1984. The goals of the CHRS are to promote, protect and enhance   Canada's river heritage, foster responsible river stewardship, and ensure that   Canada's leading rivers are managed in a sustainable manner. Local citizens   champion the program, and are largely responsible for the management of Canadian   Heritage Rivers. Federal, provincial and territorial governments lend support   and guidance, and provide approvals as required.

The success of the CHRS program depends on voluntary participation,   partnership, cooperation and community involvement. Within this spirit of trust   and goodwill, governments have pledged to work in partnership with the public   and one another to build a Canadian Heritage Rivers System that truly reflects   the diversity and beauty of Canada's rivers.

Forty rivers have currently been nominated to the CHRS totalling over 10,000   kms. Thirty-six of these have been designated, meaning that the management plans   detailing how their heritage values will be protected have been lodged with the   Canadian Heritage Rivers Board.

The CHRS is operated through a Charter and Strategic Plan which sets out the   vision, principles, and over-arching priorities for the program. The new ten   year Strategic Plan serves as the blue-print for the future of the System. This   plan is designed to serve as a catalyst for governments, communities and local   people to take action to conserve and protect the best examples of Canada’s   river heritage, give them national recognition, and encourage sustainable use.

Quebec has its own legal mechanisms for the protection and development of   heritage rivers and, therefore, will not be participating in the CHRS.

For further information concerning the Canadian Heritage Rivers System please   visit our website at www.chrs.ca

or contact:

Don Gibson
National Manager
CHRS Program
(819) 994-2913
donald.gibson@pc.gc.ca