My dad and I cycling through Riding Mountain
85 km later...
We arrived in Clear lake, without seeing one moose, bear or even a deer! Now, don't get me wrong, the ride was gorgeous. The entire road was surrounded by trees and little bodies of crystal clear water, but where were the animals? According to Riding Mountain National Parks Management Plan, they hope to maintain intact habitats and natural processes while raising awareness and understanding amongst young Canadians. (11, Riding Mountain Management Plan) How can this all be done while a long, wide road goes all the way through the park enabling cars and semis to ride right through it? My hypothesis is that all this traffic must scare the animals away and disrupting them from there natural habitat which the park strives to preserve. How can we preserve the land and their habitat if it is on public display? In order to maintain these "intact habitats" they must remain undisturbed. But how will Canadians learn and understand about intact habitats and natural processes if they are never subjected to them? This poses the question; is it possible for parks to meet its dual mandate of access and protection? I would say yes, but with limitations. I don't believe national parks can remain a tourist attraction but they should be viewed as an opportunity for research and observation. I believe the amount of visitors should be limited and they should travel in groups, opposed to having a small number of people coming in many different ways of transportation. As you can see in the picture of my dad and I, there is a wide road that goes through the entire park, and because the park is so hilly, asphalt must be relayed every year. With all this construction and maintenance to the road it seems very unbelievable that this land is being preserved and a comfortable environment for wildlife. If less vehicles travelled through the park, road maintenance would not be as necessary and frequent.
Wapsuk, another national park in Canada, is one of the largest polar bear protecting areas in the world. Will visitors to Wapsuk cause a similar situation that I observed in Riding Mountain? I do believe if we follow the same idea as to limited visitors and smart transportation to the park, the polar bears and other wildlife will remain safe and comfortable. Since Wapsuk is located in the North of Manitoba, right along Hudson Bay, I believe the amount of tourists compared to Riding Mountain would be significantly less, therefore it is much easier for Wapsuk to protect and enable access to the park. Regardless of location, both parks remain a very important piece to Canadians past and future, and they must be treated with respect and care.
Wapusk Riding Mountain
Works Cited
Canada, Government . "Parks Canada - Riding Mountain National Park - Riding Mountain National Park of Canada." Parcs Canada | Parks Canada. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2010. http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/mb/riding/index.aspx.
Canada, Government . "Parks Canada - Wapusk National Park." Parcs Canada | Parks Canada. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2010. http://www.pc.gc.ca/pn-np/mb/wapusk/index.aspx.
Clesias. "The Most Destructive Project on Earth: Alberta's Tar Sands | Use Celsias.com - reduce global °Celsius." Use Celsias.com - reduce global °Celsius. N.p., n.d. Web. 10 Oct. 2010. http://www.celsias.com/article/the-most-destructive-project-on-earth-albertas-tar/.
Easton, Thomas A. Classic Edition Sources: Environmental Studies (Classic Edition Sources). 3 ed. Dubuque, Iowa: Mcgraw-hill/dushkin, 2008. Print.
