Meaningful public engagement, caribou conservation, winter recreation and Maligne Toursā conceptual proposal were all topics of concern during Jasper National Parkās annual public forum, Nov. 6.
The forum was the publicās first opportunity to provide input on Parks Canadaās Maligne Valley Implementation Strategy.
The strategy is in its first phase, with Parks collecting feedback on a recently released draft report that lays out everything the agency knowns about the valley, from resource conservation through to visitor experience.
After hearing how the public can provide its inputāby sharing it at the forum, by emailing or mailing it or by attending future open housesāJasperās Monika Schaefer stood up and asked how Canadians can trust that the input they provide will in fact be taken into account.
āI hate to rain on the parade, but you telling us, āyes, weāll listen,ā in my view is just not enough,ā she said. āWe all have a recent memory of when the Brewster Skywalk was first proposed.
āPersonally I canāt accept you standing there telling us that Parks Canada is going to listen to input, when really I feel quite cynical that thatās not going to happen.ā
Schaefer was referring to the interpretive walkway that is now jutting out over Tangle Ridge. That project was first proposed by Brewster Travel Canada in 2011 and was approved, after intense public criticism, Feb. 9, 2012.
In response to Schaeferās concerns, Greg Fenton, superintendent of JNP, assured the crowd that public input will be taken into account on this strategy and projects in the future.
āThe question youāre asking is whether or not there will be an opportunity for information to be shared and to influence decisions as the result of comment, and the simple answer is yes. We have and will into the future listen to comments that come from public dialogue.ā
The development of an implementation strategy for the valley comes out of the 2010 management plan, which outlines broad priorities for the area. In developing the strategy, Parks is taking those priorities and honing in on them to develop detailed actions that will improve the valley. Those improvements could include anything from, new infrastructure to improved interpretive signage and new conservation efforts.
āOnce weāve identified those detailed actions weāll be able to move forward with implementation, hopefully that will carry us through to at least the next management plan, which is due in 2019,ā said Amber Stewart, a land use planner for JNP.
Implementation wonāt happen, though, until another round of public consultation takes place in the new year. At that point, Parks will have proposed actions to discuss with the public and it will also have a draft implementation strategy.
A final strategy is expected by February or March 2014.
During the forumās table discussions, outdoor enthusiast Loni Klettl said she is enthusiastic to provide input, as she has many things on her wish list for the valley. One of those is to build continuity from one end of the valley to the next, creating a seamless experience from the front country all the way into the backcountry.
āI think every single node on Maligne Road needs thought,ā she said, noting that a solid plan for all of the trails and activities in the valley would help in creating that continuity.
Although enthusiastic about the strategy, one of Klettlās concerns, which was shared by many during the forum, is the possible loss of the area for winter recreation.
Last spring, the Maligne Valley was among the locations proposed for delayed winter access in order to protect the parkās dwindling woodland caribou, which are listed as threatened under the Species at Risk Act. But Parks announced in July that the valley would remain open all season long, pending the results of the implementation strategy.
āIf thereās caribou closures, thereās nowhere for us to go,ā said Klettl. ā[Maligne is] the heart of winter in this park.
āYou canāt compare Malgine to Decoigne and Pyramid,ā she said referring to the two areas Parks is developing for winter recreation, in exchange for the areas with delayed winter access. āAnyone who skis knows that 100 per cent.ā
Dave MacDowell, owner of Wild Mountain and an avid recreatonalist, agreed.
āThere isnāt a replacement for these experiences,ā he said. āIf there was an area that was a suitable replacement, weād already be there.ā
MacDowell also noted that Jasperās winter offer is continuously decreasing in size and quality.
āIf Parks is looking to increase visitation in the off season, with a smaller and decreasing offer, I donāt see that happening.ā
Delayed openings in other areas of the parkāwith closures from Nov. 1 to March 1āwere implemented in an attempt to protect the parkās caribou from predators, specifically wolves, who use ski tracks to get into higher areas where the caribou reside. The Maligne herd is the smallest in the park, with only five animals.
āWe reported six in the situation analysis, but monitoring done this fallāsurveys just recently flownāonly count five,ā said Stewart. āHistorically the population was a lot larger than it is right now. In 1998, Parks Canada staff counted 68 caribou and then there was an abrupt decline in the early 2000s.ā
Stewart said itās not known what caused the rapid decline, but Parks has identified five risks to caribou that all exist in the valley. Those include, changes in predator/prey dynamics, increased human disturbance, habitat loss, the small population effectāthe tendency for small caribou populations to continue decliningāand predator access.
During the forum, recreationalists suggested Parks needs to find new ways to protect caribou in the valley. One suggestion was working to better manage the predators, and another was to join the Maligne herdās five remaining caribou with a herd that is more viable.
Others at the forum argued that a greater focus needs to be placed on the Maligne herd.
At the resource conservation table, it was suggested that Parks follow through with delayed winter access in the valley, in order to give caribou a fighting chance. It was even suggested that the road be closed for the winter months.
On a flip chart outlining what would be a successful future for the valley, it was written, āresource conservation needs to take priority in this plan and in plans moving forward.ā
This argument was used for caribou, as well as grizzly bears, which are listed as threatened by the Alberta Wilderness Association.
The Maligne Valley has been in the news in recent months, as Maligne Tours has been working on a controversial proposal for a major redevelopment on Maligne Lake, including a 66-room heritage-style hotel and 15 tent cabins.
If Parks approves the conceptual proposal, Maligne Tours will begin its own public consultation process this winter.
āLike Parks Canada, Maligne Tours is looking at ways to refresh its visitor offer and it has approached Parks Canada with some ideas of how to do that,ā said Stewart. āParks Canada has agreed to consider a redevelopment proposal from Maligne Tours based on the potential contribution to enhancing visitor experiences and environmental and cultural stewardship at Maligne Lake.ā
Maligne Toursā proposal should be released to the public by the end of November, said Stewart, noting that it will then be ready for public input.
āWe will take into account what we hear from the public and aboriginal groups in reaching a decision about whether the proposal or parts of the proposal can advance into the development review process.
āIf that happened there would be a detailed impact analysis at that point in time and there would be another opportunity for public engagement.ā
Maligne Tours will be providing information about its proposal in the coming weeks. To find that information, visit malignelake.com and click āRenewal at Maligne Lakeā on the left hand side.
For more information on Parks Canadaās implementation strategy, including a copy of the draft Situation Analysis for the valley, visit http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/pn-np/ab/jasper/plan/maligne.aspx. To provide Parks with input, write to [email protected].
Nicole Veerman
[email protected]
