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PARKS MANAGEMENT PLANNING
For many years,
CPAWS-OV has worked to ensure that protected areas are
managed in such a way that their ecological integrity is
maintained and, where necessary, restored. To that end, the
Chapter regularly makes submissions to management planning
processes for parks, as well as submissions on proposed
legislation related to protected areas. Currently the
Chapter is involved in management issues in the Temagami
area (and Lady Evelyn-Smoothwater Provincial Park), Quetico
Provincial Park, and St Lawrence Islands National Park.
MNR Proposes a Major Increase in Hunting and ATV Use in Kawartha
Highlands Provincial Park
Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park lies within a semi-wild
area that is representative of the transitional zone between the Canadian Shield
and the St. Lawrence Lowlands. It protects a diverse wildlife population and habitat.
Kawartha Highlands is of particular importance because of its place in the Algonquin
to Adirondacks region, the most significant landscape-scale connection for wildlife
across the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence River waterway of eastern North America.
The
Kawartha Highlands Signature Site Park Act that created the park mandates that ecological
integrity be the "overriding priority" in the park's management. Specifically, it
states that "the protection of the ecological integrity of the Kawartha Highlands
Signature Site Park is recognized as the overriding priority in the management and
administration of the Park, so as to preserve, protect and enhance the natural composition
and abundance of native species, biological communities and ecological processes
in the Park".
However, Kawartha Highlands' ecological integrity is threatened by
a proposal to dramatically increase hunting within the park. Increasing hunting
is not compatible with the preservation and protection of native species in the
park.
Already, Kawartha Highlands is open for hunting of bear, deer, moose and several
other species. All-terrain vehicles (ATVs) are permitted on park trails during the
hunting season. However, the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources is now proposing
to permit hunting of numerous other species, including snapping turtles, wild turkeys,
raccoons, skunks, red fox, weasel, ground hogs, porcupines, crows, brown-headed
cowbirds and the common grackle, as well as to extend the current hunting season
for bear. Increased hunting and and a lengthened hunting season will also result
in increased ATV use.
This is supposed to be a park! CPAWS-Ottawa Valley strongly
opposes any increase in hunting pressure within Kawartha Highlands Park and any
expansion of ATV use.
Please make your concerns known by responding on line before
December 8 to the Environmental Registry proposal (010-4911) at the following website:
EBR Registry
Or mail, fax, or e-mail your comments to:
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Barton Feilders |
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Manager, MNR Natural Resource
Management Division |
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Ontario Parks |
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Planning and Research Section |
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300 Water Street,
Floor 6 |
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Robinson Place |
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Peterborough, ON K9J 8M5 |
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Phone: 705-755-1730 |
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Fax: 705-755-1701 |
barton.feilders@ontario.ca
For more information on Parks Management Planning or to
get involved, please contact Ian Whyte - Committee Chair at
ianrwhyte@jgwhyte.com
or by phone at (613) 729-7643.
Documents:
Image credit (banner):
Marc Gravel |
