Master Plan Review - Our Response to the Terms of Reference

Introduction | Terms of Reference | Our Response to the Terms of Reference | Your Thoughts and Comments

September 15, 2006

Mr. Robin Reilly
Superintendent
Quetico Provincial Park
108 Saturn Avenue
Atikokan, Ontario P0T 1C0

Dear Mr. Reilly:

I am writing on behalf of the Quetico Foundation concerning the draft Terms of Reference for the Quetico Provincial Park Management Plan Review. As you are aware the Quetico Foundation is a registered charity which is dedicated to the protection of Wilderness parks and particularly Quetico Provincial Park. We are very pleased to have the opportunity to provide our comments and we look forward to providing constructive input throughout the review process.

From our perspective, the current draft Terms of Reference seems to be heavily weighted towards economic and recreational development, including new access roads, new aircraft access, increased spring fall and winter use, new and expanded recreational activities, "economic development", and marketing.  We appreciate the important role the Park does and can play in providing economic benefits to local communities and the region. However, we feel strongly, that as Quetico is a Wilderness park, it is imperative that the emphasis in the Management Plan Review be placed on issues concerning ecological integrity (the first principle of the new Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act), and the protection of the wilderness character of the Park. This must be the point of departure for all other considerations.

In this regard we note that there is little or no reference in the Terms of Reference to consideration of the greater park ecosystem. As you are aware there is a wide range of activities in the vicinity of the Park (e.g. forest management, potential hydro electric development, trails etc.) which can have a profound impact on park values. For this reason we feel that it is essential that the review process focus on an area larger than the Park boundary so that these uses and their anticipated impacts can be taken into consideration.

We also note that there is no specific reference to an evaluation of the current state of our scientific knowledge of the Park. Consistent with the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, it is essential that the review provide direction for a long term research program to establish baseline data to monitor the Park's ecological integrity and wilderness character.

Generally we feel that the process elements of the Review are workable and consistent with the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act. However it is probably premature to finalize all the details of the public consultation process. This should be subject to input from the Advisory Committee and tailor made to address the issues identified in the preparation and review of background information. What is currently contemplated should be viewed as a minimum. As we understand the Terms of Reference, there are two public open houses planned in Lac la Croix First Nation, Atikokan, Thunder Bay, Fort Frances and Ely, Minnesota. There are a significant number of Park users in southern Ontario and we think that it would be appropriate to hold open houses in Toronto as well. We are very pleased to see that the process includes the establishment of a public Advisory Group to provide advice to the planning team and to contribute local, regional and provincial knowledge. We look forward to participating in that process.

It is not our intention here to provide a detailed discussion of all of the issues that could or should be addressed in the review process; however we feel that it is essential that the following issues are considered:

• Quetico's greater park ecosystem;
• ecological connectivity between the various parks in the Quetico Superior region;
• maintaining the integrity of the canoe route network centered on Quetico;
• proposed hydro electric development on the Namakan River;
• forest management activities in the vicinity of the Park;
• Park buffer zone or zone of cooperation issues;
• Park boundaries;
• motorized guiding;
• long term research;
• carrying capacity issues;
• aircraft activity in the vicinity of the Park;
• new and expanded recreational activities; and
• local and regional economic considerations.

From our perspective it is essential that these and presumably other issues be identified as part of the background planning process, through open houses, meeting presentations and issue work shops, and through the deliberations of the Advisory Committee.

We look forward to our involvement in the process and to meeting with you to discuss these issues in greater detail.

Yours sincerely,

Chris Dobson, Chair

cc.

The Honourable David Ramsay, Minister of Natural Resources

Mr. Bill Mauro, MPP Thunder Bay-Atikokan

Ms. Gail Beggs, Deputy Minister, Ministry of Natural Resources

Mr. Kevin Wilson, Assistant Deputy Minister, Natural Resource Management Division, Ministry of Natural Resources

Ms. Adair Ireland Smith, Managing Director, Ontario Parks, Ministry of Natural Resources

Mr. Tim Sullivan, Ontario Parks Zone Manager, Thunder Bay

Please send us your thoughts and comments on this response.