Parks and Protected Areas in Canada: Planning and Management. 2nd ed.

Dr. Patrick W. Colgan is Director of Research and Natural Lands at the
Royal Botanical Gardens.

This second edition follows the first of 1993, with most contributors
from Alberta, British Columbia, and Ontario. The first of six sections
provides an overview, beginning with the financial pressures, political
vicissitudes, and ecological stresses on national parks. The history of
such parks is well reviewed, from the founding of Banff in 1885 through
the National Parks Act of 1930 to some of them being loved to death
today. The section on conservation theory and practice emphasizes
ecological concepts, such as those of scale, connectedness, and life
history, and examines adaptive management in terms of such issues as
fire, hyperabundant species, and lack of top predators.

The section on the theory and application of social science
investigates human misuse, visitor conflict, and community impact.
Visitors are scrutinized in terms of their motivations, attitudes,
activities, and ecological stresses. The discussion is made very real by
attention to, for example, cross-country skiers versus snow-mobilers.
The planning and management of visitors is analyzed in terms of carrying
capacity of the park, quotas, and differing interests. The forms and
functions of interpretation in parks as outdoor museums are grounded in
principles of communication and learning.

In the section on putting it altogether, the overall management of
parks is discussed in terms of legislation, strategies, and policies,
and the principles and tactics of ecosystem-based management are
rigorously examined. The section on thematic issues describes the
crucial role of Aboriginal peoples in the context of treaties, legal
decisions, and milestones such as the Nunavut Agreement; dissects
difficulties with marine parks in terms of jurisdictions, stakeholders,
and adequate protection; and considers the general issue of stewardship
of private lands in terms of players (private owners, provinces, ENGOs)
and tools available (education, assistance, incentives). The sixth and
concluding section highlights issues such as sponsorship and ecotourism.


The book is rich in both fully referenced detail and discussion of
important issues. Figures, tables, and boxes are effectively used while
study questions and keywords/concepts will aid classroom use by
conservation students. This is a valuable volume for anyone involved in
the interface of natural spaces and their human visitors.