progres-progress2c

Progress Report on Implementation of the Recommendations of the Panel on the Ecological Integrity of Canada's National Parks

Progress to Date

• Senior Parks Canada officials have met in every province and territory with senior officials from other governments to discuss cooperative ecological integrity actions. Most are supportive of collaborative measures; however, provinces underscored the importance of appropriate visitor use and related economic benefits.
• Parks Canada and Environment Canada are collaborating on several initiatives related to ecosystem-based management including Species at Risk and have begun preliminary discussions about a formal memorandum of understanding to address areas of potential cooperation such as monitoring.
• A memorandum of understanding has been drafted with the Canadian Forestry Service related to forestry research and forest management.
• Virtually every national park has identified numerous examples of collaborative efforts under way with provincial, municipal and Aboriginal authorities. These range from regional planning, working with local tourism associations, joint studies and research, collaboration on greening infrastructure, model forest programs, and more. Examples of collaboration with other federal departments and agencies or levels of government include:
  • Parks Canada is supporting in principle the creation of the proposed South West Nova Biosphere Reserve, provided that the biosphere reserve committee obtains support from key stakeholders including the province and adjacent landowners.
  • Waterton and Banff National Parks now have representatives who sit on provincial environmental resource committees; Jasper has had such a representative for some time.
  • In Yukon, federal, territorial and First Nations governments, the tourism industry and conservation groups agreed to work together on a public information program stressing the importance of intact ecosystems, protected areas and the importance of bears as a symbol of ecosystem integrity.
  • Jasper continues to be a full participant in the development of a provincial integrated resource management strategy and an integrated grizzly bear conservation program.
  • Five national parks (Pacific Rim, Jasper, Prince Albert, Fundy and Gros Morne) continue as partners in their model forest programs.

  Next Steps

  • Continued collaboration on initiatives like the ones listed above to the extent that existing resources permit, and additional resources are being sought.
  
  

  ---

  Previous | Index | Next