Protected Natural Areas

Ecological uses:
 Maintaining the diversity of flora and fauna.
 Providing individual to repopulate areas from which species have
been previously removed (by overhunting, poisoning of the
environment). Ex, wolves had disappeared from Yellowstone Park
in US and were imported from Canada to repopulate the site.
 Maintaining natural environmental process.
 Providing natural areas to study the working of relatively
undisturbed environmental systems.
Social Roles:
 Protecting landscapes (providing elements for spiritual fulfillment)
 Provide space for nature based recreational activity
 Provide outdoor schoolrooms (educate about natural systems)
 Provide economic incentives for conservation activities through
compatible tourism development in surrounding regions.

Different types, levels, scales of protected natural areas

 Federal
- National parks
- National Marine Conservation areas
- Migratory bird sanctuaries
- National wildlife areas
- Sites of international significance (under international
protocols)
- RAMSAR sites (wetlands)
 - Biosphere reserves (UNESCO) (are sometimes the core world
heritage)
 Provincial
- Parks
- Ecological reserves
- Wildlife management areas (eg. Anticosti ls, QC)
NOTE: QC is the only province which calls its provincial parks
national parks (Parc Nationale).
 Metropolitan and Urban scale (examples)
- Former MUC parks
- Parc du Mont Royal
- Angrignon park
 Various private stewardships, land trusts. May be further
integrates public-private partnerships and regional parks

 Parks Canada – Systems administered

- National parks
- National historic sites
- National Marine conservation areas
- World heritage sites
- Biosphere reserves
 Intersection in status (example)
- Waterton Lakes national park
o 1895 – A Canadian national park
o 1979 – A UNESCO biosphere reserve
o 1995 – A world heritage site
o 1980s – part of a strategy targeting the “Crown of the
Continent” favours geotourism
 Brief chronology:
- 1885 – Banff National Park
- 1930 – National parks act
- 1988 – Amendments start to address ecological integrity,
endangered species
- 1994 – Guidelines to strengthen ecological integrity mission
 In any further selection of areas to be protected, the
occurrence of rare, threatened or endangered species
are required to be taken into consideration
 Greater emphasis on zoning system: 5 zones with
different degrees of protection
- 2000 – New National parks act
 Preservation and human activity
- Preservation is enforced most strongly in the zones I and II out
of the five.
- Zone I – Specific preservation zone. Presence of unique,
threatened or endangered species. No motorized access, No
services to visitors.
 This has helped in brining back species which were
considered at the edge of extinction.
- Zone II – Wilderness zone. Minimal human interference, no
motorized access, few services (ex. wilderness camping)
- These zones are expected to constitute majority of area of the
large parks and contribute the most towards the conservation
of ecosystem integrity mission.
- Examples
o Banff -4% in Zone I, 93% in Zone II
o Wood Buffalo – 10% in Zone I, 86% in Zone II
 Biosphere reserves – UNESCO
- Seek to integrate strict nature protection with economic
activities compatible with conservation objectives.
- The aim is to foster partnership among resident people and
serve managers + other stake holders (conservation
organizations, scientists, resort developers, tour operators etc)
- A major objective – to link natural resource stewardship with
local development needs and cultural traditions
- Zonation system – 3 major zones, tourism is factored in.
- Core area – used to monitor natural changes and conservation
of areas for biodiversity.
- Buffer area – only low impact activities allowed. Research,
environmental education, recreation etc
- Transition are – encourages sustainable use of resources by
local communities.