Banff National Park holds a very special place in my heart.
Not only does it represent the birthplace of the National Parks as we know them
in Canada, it is has been home since 2000.
My dad works for Parks Canada and growing up we were exposed
to some of the most wild and amazing eco systems across the country. Parks Canada strives to preserve the
environmental integrity of all their protected areas. Historically this hasn’t
always been their goal. The inception of Banff National Park, and the other
mountain parks that followed suit became a destination for recreation as
declared by Parks Commissioner J.B. Harkin.
After reading Rachel Carson’s Silent Spring, I realized that
Banff National Park is a perfect example of how the involvement of humans can
drastically fragment a landscape.
The construction of the Banff Springs Hotel in 1887 by CP
Railways was the true testament to William Cornelius Van Horne’s infamous
saying “ If you build it, they will come”. Visitors from all over the world
ventured to the wild reaches of the Rocky Mountains to discover opportunities
to express their art, to hike, to soak in the hot springs, and to discover
first nations culture.
A town was born; museums, a zoo and curio exhibits erected,
Indian Days commenced, and roads were paved linking visitors to destinations
like Lake Louise, Moraine Lake and Jasper. Banff became a world-renowned
tourist destination.
How did this affect the landscape? The roads segmented
wildlife corridors, tourists began feeding wildlife and habituating them to
cars and humans, lakes were doused in DEET to kill the mosquito population and
an airstrip was built to increase accessibility.
Banff now is home to around 7000 permanent residents, with a
seasonal population influx of around 3000 additional residents. The
Trans-Canada highway, the 93 North, and the Bow Valley Parkway intersect the
park. Visitors drive massive RVs, gas guzzling SUVs and pack the highways.
Not all change that comes to the Park is negative. With
time, Parks Canada has adapted their mandate and is dedicated to the protection
and the preservation of the collection of eco systems that make up the National
Parks. In Banff, the highways include a series of wildlife under and over
passes that allow safe crossings with proven success rates. Education is delivered
to decrease the habituation of the animals that call the park home. Expansion
of the Banff townsite has reached capacity and there is a limit to how high
buildings can be. Certain trails in the park are closed at certain times of the
year to allow the bears a chance to maximize their fitness.
A Wild Year-Wildlife Camera Magic!
Learning from mistakes has allowed Parks Canada to best
represent the areas they strive to protect. In the future I hope that the
evolution of Parks Canada continues to reflect positive change.
View from Deception Pass enroute to Skoki Lodge
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