Current Issues
Four key issues are being addressed by the ABR over the 2009-2010 fall-winter period. They're described below,so the public to become aware of the ABR's associated activities and to share in discussions concerning these issues.
1. Skills Development
Improving individual campers' skills is paramount in both achieving campers' safety and sustaining park values. Amongst ABR objectives are "Minimize backcountry recreationalists' impact on Algonquin Park's campsites, portages and hiking trails." and "Minimize backcountry recreationalists' impact on Algonquin Park's environment .. its forest and lakes." ... Discussion Forum
September 22, 2009 - The ideal location for the proposed Skills Centre is in the area between the West Gate and Heron Lake. Structures in the centre would ideally include a 3500-4000 square foot main facility suitable for 4-season use, in proximity to the existing parking lot, pumphouse and washroom facilities. A smaller lake-side 'water-skills' facility would be located at nearby Heron Lake. Part of an existing cross-country ski trail would be improved to provide linkage between the two facilities. Photos of the possible West Gate / Heron Lake site of the proposed Skills Centre are available here.
September 10, 2009 - Improving individual campers' skills is paramount in both achieving campers' safety and sustaining park values. Amongst ABR objectives are "Minimize backcountry recreationalists' impact on Algonquin Park's campsites, portages and hiking trails." and "Minimize backcountry recreationalists' impact on Algonquin Park's environment .. its forest and lakes."
The ABR's hope, for campers to have educational opportunities toward these objectives, is greatly encouraged by Park Superintendent John Winters' efforts to establish a Skills Centre .. a facility for the teaching of outdoor recreational skills and the promotion of the importance of the park's ecological integrity. John Winters indicated in the 2009 Algonquin Information Guide, that he is "very interested in your thoughts on such a project". The ABR is fully supportive and intends to provide advisory input to this project.
June 5, 2009 - News Item: ABR Supports 'Skills Centre' ... "The park is exploring options for a 'Skills Centre'. John Winters describes the concept as being two-pronged. As well as teaching outdoor recreational skills, it would also promote the importance of the park's ecological integrity and 'walking softly on the environment' of the park ... ... read more!
2. Reduce Our Impact - Leave No Trace
The ABR's original programs included "Educate backcountry recreationalists about low-impact practices" and "Educate backcountry recreationalists about reducing their impact on the environment." Accordingly, the ABR developed specific website content, distributed two informative "Otter" newsletters at the park gate pamphlet racks and posted them at access points .. under its "Reduce Our Impact" initiative. ... Discussion Forum
Feb. 24, 2010 The ABR has become partners with "Leave No Trace - Canada". Our original program "Reduce Our Impact" is now expanding by partnering with LNT. We have now joined with Algonquin Park and The Friends of Algonquin Park in a broader base of support for Leave No Trace Outdoor Ethics.
Sept. 10, 2009 The ABR's "Reduce Our Impact" program may well be mirrored by the park's possible adoption of the "Leave No Trace" program. Originally limited to wilderness camping practices, the LNT program has recently been modified to apply to "frontcountry" and "backcountry" situations, which both occur in Algonquin Park. The ABR will be pursuing its own Leave No Trace membership, actively promoting that organization's ethics and practices, and supporting any LNT program that Algonquin Park might adopt.
3. Routes and Campsites
The ABR's goals are "To preserve, protect and enhance wilderness-like experiences in the backcountry of Algonquin Park". It is important that a balance be kept between the preservation of the system of canoe routes, portages and campsites .. and the wilderness-like experiences they provide. For that purpose, the ABR is establishing a visual Camping Values Inventory in order to track variations over time. ... Discussion Forum
Feb. 24, 2010 The ABR's Camping Value Inventory is now operational. Individual Executive Committee and ABR member volunteers are in the process of running direct comparisons between the 1995 Canoe Route Map, the 2009 Canoe Route Map and the OPB/AFA Joint Proposals High Definition Map. Since some of the incorporated map components are derived from materials copyrighted by the Friends of Algonquin and the Ministry of Natural Resources, the Camping Values Inventory isn't accessible from the ABR website. However, CVI project volunteers are utilizing it online. This process will allow us to identify historical portage/canoe route closings and changes in the distribution of campsites. The CVI will also help us in recognizing any systemic threats to these camping values.
4. Logging Awareness
The ABR's Objective 3 is "Convince society at large to protect and improve wilderness-like recreational opportunities ...". In 2008, we promoted the "Recommendations of the Ontario Parks Board - Lightening the Ecological Footprint of Logging". Through 2009, the ABR made submissions to the AP 2010-2020 FMP Planning Team, relating to proposed Primary Road Corridors, Roads of Concern and the The Planning Process. We continue to remark on the low turnout at logging-related open-houses and workshops. This indicates that recreationalists are either poorly informed about both planning and management aspects of logging in the park or possibly don't care much. Our position is currently that our limited resources cannot both track forestry activities and motivate/educate the public to participate more in the same FMP process. ... Forum
Feb. 24, 2010 The Executive Committee has concluded that there's need for a year-by-year monitoring of the actual locations of roadbed construction. Unfortunately, the AFA considers they have discretion to construct new logging roads anywhere across a 1 kilometer-wide "corridor" surrounding their plans' centrally plotted roadway designations. The construction of logging roads impacting both protective setback zones and recreational areas of concern remains a distinct possibility. In order to keep track of the overly-flexible process, a new "Roads of Concern Sub-committee" has been established under the "Forestry Committee".
Issues.htm ... updated February 24, 2010