A treasure to protect
Gatineau Park is one of the defining features of the National Capital region - a priceless natural jewel.
- 363 square kilometres of wilderness
- 118 rare or endangered species
- 50 lakes
Unfortunately, Gatineau Park is a park in name only. It has no legal protection and its ecosystems are being threatened by widespread development.
Did you know...?- Gatineau Park has the greatest diversity of habitats of any park in Quebec, with the largest number of endangered species. It is a park of national importance that includes forests, lakes, streams, peat bogs, swamps, and the fragile Eardley escarpment.
- The eastern wolf, black bear, beaver, lynx,
fisher, northern flying squirrel, white-tailed
deer, and otter can all be found within its
boundaries, along with 230 species of birds and
over 1000 species of plants.
Marc Gravel - Gatineau Park provides unsurpassed recreational opportunities on over 200 kilometres of hiking and ski trails and 125 kilometres of bike trails, only minutes from Parliament Hill.
Gatineau Park is a major wilderness area subject to the challenges of urban pressures, with a population of over one million people on its doorstep.
Although Gatineau Park belongs to the federal government, it does not have the permanent legal protection provided to "real" national parks. Instead, it is managed by the National Capital Commission whose primary interest is in developing urban federal properties such as Sparks Street and the Lebreton Flats.
The most serious threat to the park is fragmentation by roads, hydro corridors and other incremental development. Yet more roads are being planned and built, with little consideration to the long-term impacts of these developments. The misplaced priority on development will result in a loss of species and will ultimately spoil the park's recreational value.
CPAWS-OV has called on the Government of Canada to:
- define Gatineau Park's boundaries in legislation.
- establish Gatineau Park as a national park under the Canada National Parks Act.
For more information on the Gatineau Park campaign or to get involved, please contact Muriel How - Committee Chair at mahow@magma.ca or by phone at (819) 827-1274.
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Press Conference Photo:
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Reports:
Gatineau Park: A Threatened Treasure
Gatineau Park is a national treasure — a
beautiful wilderness with extraordinary
biodiversity. Sadly, the park’s ecological
integrity is seriously threatened by human
activities both inside and outside the park.
This booklet highlights some of the qualities
that make Gatineau Park so special. It explains
how the park is seriously threatened, and what
must be done to protect it for future
generations of Canadians.
Report - PDF
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Documents:
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Introduction - The Honourable Tommy Banks, OC - PDF (Coming Soon)
Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society
Ottawa Valley Chapter
May 15, 2008 -
Speech from the Honourable Tommy Banks, OC - PDF
Annual General Meeting of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society
Ottawa Valley Chapter
May 15, 2008