algonquin provincial park

Algonquin Provincial ParkManagement plan

NOTE: This document has been scanned and formatted, and therefore is slightly different from the originalversion.-March 2002

© 1998, Queen’s Printer for Ontario Printed in Ontario, Canada

For further information contact:

Superintendent, Algonquin Provincial ParkP.O. Box 219Whitney, OntarioKOJ 2M0

Phone: (613) 637-2780 Fax: (613) 637-2864

Drawings by Chris KerriganPhotos from the Algonquin Park collectionDesign and layout by The HLR Publishing Group, Arnprior, Ont.Printed by Harpell Printing Ottawa Inc., Ottawa, Ont.

Printed on recycled paper

TITLE: Algonquin Provincial Park Management Plan

MNR 5016ISBN 0-7778-5273-x

7000 P.R., 1998/September

APPROVAL STATEMENT

It has been 24 years since the first Master Plan was completed for Algonquin Park in 1974. Many things have changedover the years and the various plan Reviews have responded to those changes. The first Park Master Plan Review wascompleted in 1979; in 1986 a special Review was completed on private cottage leasehold policy; and the most recentReview, in 1989, dealt with an array of more current issues.

In addition, eight separate amendments have been approved to the 1974 Master Plan, dealing with issues from andbetween reviews. All this activity has resulted in substantive adjustments to a number of policies in the original 1974 plan.Obviously it is time for a new up-to-date plan for the Park to guide day-to-day management and development.

This Plan accomplishes that goal. Indeed, the new plan reflects a fine-tuning of the broad thrust of policies in the 1974plan that have withstood the test of time. This Plan incorporates a major expansion of the nature reserve and wildernesszone systems and endorses ecosystem sustainability as the first priority of all park and forest management activities. Itconfirms the commitment to maintain the vast interior of the Park as a backcountry that provides quality ‘wilderness’opportunities while peripheral areas look after vehicle-accessible recreation users and their needs. The Plan alsorecognizes that the needs of society will continue to change and that the Park must evolve and respond to those changingneeds within the context of a unique landscape of outstanding natural heritage value to Ontario and the world.

I am pleased to approve the Algonquin Provincial Park Management Plan as the official policy for the management anddevelopment of this Park. The Plan reflects this Ministry’s intent to protect the natural and cultural features of AlgonquinPark, and to maintain and develop high-quality opportunities for backcountry and road-accessible outdoor recreation andheritage appreciation for both residents of Ontario and visitors to the province.

The Management Plan for Algonquin Park will be reviewed regularly throughout its 20-year lifespan to address issues orchanging conditions. Significant issues may be dealt with sooner through an amendment process as the need arises.Nevertheless, a mandatory review of the Plan will be held after 10 years.

Norm RichardsManaging DirectorOntario Parks

TABLE OF CONTENTS

1.0 INTRODUCTION................................................................................................................................................... 1

2.0 CLASSIFICATION................................................................................................................................................. 5

3.0 GOAL .................................................................................................................................................................... 6

4.0 OBJECTIVES ........................................................................................................................................................ 74.1 Protection Objective..................................................................................................................... 74.2 Recreation Objective ................................................................................................................... 7

4.3 Heritage Appreciation Objective .................................................................................................. 84.4 Tourism Objective........................................................................................................................ 84.5 Resource Management Objective ...............................................................................................94.6 Guiding Principles........................................................................................................................ 9

5.0 PARKLAND ......................................................................................................................................................... 115.1 Additions ....................................................................................................................................115.2 Land Occupation/Tenure ...........................................................................................................11

5.3 The Park Perimeter.................................................................................................................... 12

6.0 ZONING ....................................................................................................................................................... 136.1 Nature Reserve Zones ..............................................................................................................136.2 Wilderness Zones......................................................................................................................186.3 Natural Environment Zones.......................................................................................................206.4 Historical Zones .........................................................................................................................206.5 Development Zones...................................................................................................................206.6 Access Zones ............................................................................................................................226.7 Recreation/Utilization Zones...................................................................................................... 23

7.0 ADMINISTRATION .............................................................................................................................................24

8.0 STEWARDSHIP POLICIES ................................................................................................................................25 8.1 Land...........................................................................................................................................25 8.2 Water .........................................................................................................................................26 8.3 Vegetation..................................................................................................................................27 8.4 Wildlife .......................................................................................................................................30 8.5 Fisheries ....................................................................................................................................33 8.6 Cultural Resources Management ..............................................................................................34

9.0 OPERATIONS POLICIES ................................................................................................................................... 36 9.1 Recreation Management ...........................................................................................................37 9.2 Forest Management Operations................................................................................................42 9.3 Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement .................................................................................44 9.4 Natural Heritage Education .......................................................................................................44 9.5 Marketing and Tourism..............................................................................................................46 9.6 Research ................................................................................................................................... 47

10.0 DEVELOPMENT POLICIES ............................................................................................................................... 4910.1 Recreational Facilities ...............................................................................................................4910.2 Access and Circulation Facilities ...............................................................................................5410.3 Commercial Facilities ................................................................................................................5510.4 Natural Heritage Education Program Facilities .........................................................................5510.5 Research Facilities ....................................................................................................................5610.6 Administrative and Operational Facilities ..................................................................................5610.7 Utilities ....................................................................................................................................... 57

11.0 IMPLEMENTATION ............................................................................................................................................58

12.0 PUBLIC CONSULTATION ..................................................................................................................................60 12.1 Algonquin Park Master Plan - 1974...........................................................................................6012.2 Master Plan Review - 1979 .......................................................................................................6012.3 Review of Cottage Leaseholds - 1986.......................................................................................6012.4 Pre-1989 Review Amendments.................................................................................................6112.5 Master Plan Review - 1989 .......................................................................................................6112.6 Post-1989 Review Amendments ...............................................................................................6112.7 Algonquin Park Management Plan ............................................................................................ 62

LIST OF FIGURESFigure 1 Provincial Context.....................................................................................................................................3Figure 2 Site Regions and Districts ........................................................................................................................4Figure 3 Zoning Summary ....................................................................................................................................14Figure 4 Development...........................................................................................................................................52

APPENDICESAppendix A. Construction and Development Standards: Algonquin Park Cottage Leaseholds.................................63Appendix B. Construction and Development Standards: Algonquin Park Commercial Leaseholds .......................... 65Appendix C. Guidelines for Resource Management and Land Use Activities along the

Perimeter of Algonquin Park................................................................................................................... 66Appendix D. Significant Earth and Life Sciences Sites in Algonquin Park..................................................................68Appendix E. Historical Zones in Algonquin Park.........................................................................................................72Appendix F. Forest Management Strategies for Each Park Zone ..............................................................................73Appendix G. Operational Guidelines for Class I: Special Management Areas ........................................................... 77

Glossary .........................................................................................................................................................................78References.....................................................................................................................................................................80Index............................................................................................................................................................................... 82

Algonquin Provincial Park • Management Plan vii

Preface

The Algonquin Provincial Park Management Plan

The Algonquin Provincial Park Management Plan replacesthe 1974 Algonquin Provincial Park Master Plan as theofficial plan to guide the development and management ofAlgonquin Park. The Management Plan includes policiesfrom the 1974 Master Plan, as well as changes introducedas a result of the 1979 and 1989 Plan Reviews, the 1986Provincial Parks Council Review of Algonquin’s CottageLeaseholder Policy, and previous administrativeamendments to the Master Plan (see Section 12.0 fordetails). The new plan also includes more up-to-dateinformation from reports (earth and life science reports, forexample) and other resource documents (such as theFisheries Management Plan).

The Park Management Plan sets the direction for all otherplans developed for the Park (wildlife, forest, and culturalresources management plans, for example). Recognizingthe interrelationship of these resources and the Ministry’scommitment to sustainability, an ecosystem-based ap-proach, utilizing current scientific knowledge, will be takenin all planning and management activities.

MNR’S Strategic Directions and Statement ofEnvironmental Values

The Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR) is responsiblefor managing Ontario’s natural resources in accordancewith the statutes it administers. As the province’s leadconservation agency, the Ministry is the steward of pro-vincial parks, natural heritage areas, forests, fisheries,wildlife, aggregates, fuel minerals, and Crown lands andwaters that make up 87% of Ontario.

In 1994, the Ministry of Natural Resources finalized itsStatement of Environmental Values (SEV) under the En-vironmental Bill of Rights (EBR). The SEV is a documentthat describes how the purposes of the EBR are toconsidered whenever decisions that might significantlyaffect the environment are made in the Ministry. Duringthe development of this updated Management Plan, theMinistry has considered its 5EV. This Management Plan isintended to reflect the direction sert out in that documentand to further the objective of managing our resources ona sustainable basis.

Lands for Life Planning Process and the Role of thePark

In the summer of 1997, the Ministry of Natural Resourcescommenced the ‘Lands for Life’ planning process forCrown lands in Ontario. One component of this pros gram— ‘Nature’s Best Ontario’s Parks and ProtectedAreas:The Framework and Action Plan’ — includes theidentification of lands and waters for natural heritageprotection. Provincial parks currently play and will continueto play a major role in this system.

The role of Algonquin Park within the provincial parks andprotected areas system is significant because the Parkencompasses two site districts within the Great Lakes-St.Lawrence ecological forest region. An array of provinciallysignificant, representative geological and biological naturalheritage values are located within Algonquin Park.Wilderness, Nature Reserve and to a lesser extent NaturalEnvironment zones (approximately 19% of the Park area)ensure the security of these values within the Park so theycan contribute to the provincial natural heritage system.The careful management of the intervening park land-scape within Recreation/Utilization, Historical, Access andDevelopment zones is critical to the ecological integrityand survival of these landscape values.

In addition, the compatible management of the greaterpark ecosystem on the public and private land base be-yond the Park boundaries is also important to the long-term survival of the representative park ecosystem. The‘Lands for Life’ planning program is meant to ensure thatthis does occur.

Algonquin Provincial Park • Management Plan 1Introduction

1.0 IntroductionAlgonquin, the first provincial park inOntario, protects a variety ofnatural, cultural, and recreationalfeatures and values. As one of thelargest provincial parks, Algonquinis biologically diverse with morethan 1,000 vascular plant speciesand more than 200 vertebratesthat breed within its boundaries.The Park contains numeroushistorical and archaeologicalresources and has inspired morethan 40 books, 1,800 scientific papers, adozen films, a symphony, and the art of Tom Thomsonand the Group of Seven. It also provides manyopportunities for visitors to appreciate the Park’s naturalsetting while enjoying numerous recreational activities.Accessible from large urban centres and convenient tomost tourism travel routes across Ontario, Algonquin Parkattracts over half a million visitors yearly who participate inday use activities, camping, or back-country travel. Itoccupies 7,630 square kilometres of land and water, withwater making up approximately 12% of the area andcontributing an extensive network of canoe routes.

Algonquin Park was established in 1893 when the On-tario government of the day acted upon a recommenda-tion of the Royal Commission on Forest Reservation andNational Parks in “reserving a portion of the ungrantedCrown domain to be set apart as a Forest Reservationand National Park.” The commissioners envisioned thePark to serve a variety of roles including:

maintenance of water supply in a half dozen majorwater systems, preservation of a primeval forest,protection of birds and animals, a field for experimentsin forestry, a place of health resort, and beneficialeffects on climate.

Algonquin Park continues to perform these original func-tions, and since then has expanded to twice its initial size.The original Park area, consisting of 18 townships (ap-proximately 3797 square kilometres), was designated in1893 as Algonquin National Park under the AlgonquinNational Park Act. The Park’s name was subsequentlychanged in 1913 to Algonquin Provincial Park, and since1893 the Park has had its boundaries amended eighttimes to include 15 additional parcels of land.

Algonquin Park is located between Georgian Bay and theOttawa River in south-central Ontario (Figure 1). The Parklies within the area bounded by Highway 11, Highway 62,and the Trans Canada Highway (Highway 17). Highway60 crosses the southern part of Algonquin over a distanceof 63 kilometres. Most Park facilities are concentratedalong this corridor.

The Park is surrounded by the com-munities of Pembroke, North Bay,Huntsville, and Bancroft and a variety ofprovincial parks, including Samuel deChamplain, Restoule, Mikisew,Arrowhead, Bonnechere, andDriftwood. Four Waterway Provincial

Parks border Algonquin with their head-waters protected within the Park: Bon-

nechere, Upper Madawaska, Opeongo,and Ox-tongue Rivers.

Algonquin Provincial Park is situated on the flanks andsummit of a dome of Precambrian Canadian Shield bed-rock with elevations reaching 587 metres above sea levelon the west side to 150 metres on the east side of thePark. Five major rivers drain the Park: the Oxtongue,Petawawa, Barron, Madawaska, and Bonnechere.

The Park’s topography and geography create variations inthe climate and ecosystems. Since it is situated on adome, the Park has a colder and wetter climate comparedto surrounding areas. Within the Park, higher elevationson the west side in combination with westerly winds createa wetter, cooler environment on the west side and a dryer,warmer climate on the east side. The Park is also locatedin a transition zone between the northern boreal forestsand southern deciduous hardwood forests, which resultsin a rich diversity of northern and southern life forms.

Overall, the Park’s geographic position and its changes inelevation create variations in climate, soils and aquaticconditions, which consequently affect the plant and animallife.

According to the Ministry’s ecological land classificationsystem, where areas are classified on the basis of theirclimate and Iandform relationships, the Park is situated inthe Georgian Bay Site Region (SE) (Figure 2). This regionis an area of rolling uplands and bedrock outcrops withareas of sand and gravel of glacial origin. The regionsustains primarily Sugar Maple (Acer saccharum), YellowBirch (Betula alleghaniensis), Hemlock (Tsuga canaden-sis), and White Pine (Pinus strobus) on the upland siteswhile Black Spruce (Picea mariana) dominates the low-land sites.

Within the Georgian Bay Site Region, the Park is part oftwo site districts, each with distinctive physiographic andbiotic conditions. The west side of the Park is part of theAlgonquin Park Site District (5E-9) while the east sidecomprises about half of the Brent Site District (SE-ic).Differences in soils combine with the differences in

2 Algonquin Provincial Park • Management Plan Introduction

topography and climate to create different forests on thewest and east sides. On the west side in Site District 5E-9,the soils are primarily glacial tills and the land is relativelyhigh and rugged, creating a wetter and cooler climate. Asa result, mature climax forests of tolerant hardwoods suchas Sugar Maple, Yellow Birch, and American Beech(Fagus grandifolla) exist interspersed with softwoods spe-cies such as Hemlock and White Pine.

On the east side of the Park, in Site District SE-i 0, the soilis post-glacial outwash and the climate is drier andwarmer since the landscape is lower and the hills moregently rolling. Here, the forest has been influenced by driersoil and a higher incidence of fire. Forest growth is amixture of Trembling Aspen (Populus tremuloides), WhiteBirch (Betula papyrifera), White Pine, Red Pine (Pinusresinosa), and Red Maple (Acer rubrum). Black Spruce,Tamarack (Larix laricina), Eastern White Cedar (Thujaoccidentalis), and Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea) dominatethe lowland areas throughout the Park.

Algonquin Park’s earth science features include glacio-fluvial Iandforms formed by meltwater channels duringpast glacial drainage. The Park is a provincially significantexample of a landscape typifying an ice stagnation envi-ronment and displays such surficial features as eskers,kettles, kame moraines, terraces, drumlins, deltas, out-wash plains, sand dunes, beach ridges, meltwater chan-nels, and boulder deposits. The Park also contains thelargest kame-moraine complex in the region and signifi-cant geological features such as a fault canyon (BarronCanyon) and a meteorite crater (Brent Crater). In addition,the existence of such features as striations, crescenticscars, drumlins and former meltwater channels reveals thehistory of glacial Lake Wisconsin ice flow and the UpperGreat Lakes drainage in the region. Significantrepresentation of the region’s bedrock, part of the Precam-brian Grenville Province, is also evident.

Algonquin Park contains adiverse and rich assemblageof life science features.There are variations of

lowland/upland,tolerant/intolerant, andconiferous or deciduous for-est types, as well as wetlandcomplexes and entire water-shed units. The Park alsocontains areas of natural dis-turbance such as formerburns or blowdowns. In addi-tion, many uncommon spe-cies have been identified in

the Park, including the nationally rare Purple Cliffbrake

(Pellaea atropurpurea) and Southern Twayblade (Listeraaustralis), as well as provincially rare species such asWhite-fringed Orchid (Platanthera blephariglottis), TriangleGrapefern (Botrychium lanceolatum), and Flat PovertyGrass (Danthonia compressa).

Wildlife communities are diverse. Moose (Alces alces),White-tailed Deer (Odocoileus virginianus), Timber Wolf(Canis lupus), River Otter (Lutra canadensis), and Ameri-can Black Bear (Ursus americanus) are some of the largermammals. The Park supports more than 100 species ofbreeding birds, including such northern species as theBoreal Chickadee (Parus hudsonicus) and the Gray Jay(Perisoreus canadensis), not often encountered at thelower elevations surrounding the Park.

Provincially significant wildlife species include the Red-shouldered Hawk (Buteo lineatus) and the provinciallyvulnerable Wood Turtle (Clemmys insculpta). AlgonquinPark also contains the only major complex of relativelyintact native trout fisheries remaining in southern Ontario.These fisheries provide an exceptionally high quality an-gling experience.

Extensive field research has identified an impressive arrayof historic and archaeological sites, including formerranger cabins, camboose camps, old railway lines, andpictograph sites. Algonquin Park’s waterways are alsohistorically important as they served as early travel routes.

The Park’s resources have played an important role inthe establishment and continued viability of surroundingcommunities. At the time of the Park’s creation in 1893,parts of it had already been logged for nearly 60 years tomeet the demands of the Ottawa Valley timber trade.Today, most of Algonquin Park consists of forest thataverages 80 to 100 years of age and continues to supportthe forest industry through sustainable forest managementpractices. Primary forest products manufacturing andtourism provide employment for residents of the region.Consequently, the continued productivity of the resourcebase in the Park is important to this region’s economy andto the livelihood of communities surrounding the Park.

Over the years, policies have been developed for Algon-quin Park’s long-term protection, development, and man-agement (see Section 12.0). The policies contained in thisconsolidated management plan will continue to guide parkmanagers in integrating resource and recreational uses inAlgonquin while protecting the Park’s natural qualities.

The matters set out in this document are without prejudiceto, and may be superseded by, any settlements of claimsmade between the Ontario Government and First Nationsin Ontario.

Algonquin Provincial Park • Management Plan 3Introduction

4 Algonquin Provincial Park • Management Plan Introduction

Algonquin Provincial Park • Management PlanClassification

5

2.0 Classification

Algonquin Provincial Park is a Natural Envi-ronment Park and has been planned,zoned, and managed in accordance withthe policies for this class of park:

Natural Environment Parksincorporate outstanding recreationallandscapes with representativenatural features and historicalresources to provide high-qualityrecreational and educational experi-ences.

Algonquin Provincial Park has beenclassified as a Natural Environment Parkin recognition of its outstandingrecreational environment and abundance ofnatural and cultural resources. Algonquin’srecreational opportunities are numerous,ranging from semi-wilderness experiences

such as backpacking, snow-shoeing, canoeing, andcamping in the Interior of the Park to picnicking

swimming, hiking, cross-country skiing, andcamping in the more developed areas. Inaddition, Algonquin’s scenery and wildlife attractmany visitors. Algonquin also has tremendousscientific value, containing significant earth andlife science features as well as historical andarchaeological site

6 Algonquin Provincial Park • Management Plan Goal

3.0 GoalAlgonquin Park contributes to the provincialparks system by protecting such values asplant communities, wildlife, and culturalresources while providing a variety ofrecreational opportunities. Algonquin alsoserves to maintain the economic base ofmany local communities and will continue tocontribute to resource production in theregion.

In accordance with its classification, the goalof Algonquin Provincial Park is:

To provide protection of natural and culturalfeatures, continuing opportunities fora diversityof low-intensity recreational, wilderness, and naturalenvironmental experiences; and within this provisioncontinue and enhance the Park’s contribution

to the economic, social, and cultural life of theregion.

Algonquin Park contributes to the goal of theprovincial parks system, which is:

To provide a variety of outdoor recreationopportunities and to protect provincially sig-nificant natural, cultural, and recreationalenvironments in a system of pro vincial parks.

The Park also advances the Ministry of NaturalResources’ goal:

To contribute to the environmental, social, and economicwell-being of Ontario through the sustainable development

of natural resource

Algonquin Provincial Park • Management Plan 7Objectives

4.0 ObjectivesTo fulfil its goal, Algonquin Park has fiveobjectives. The Park contributes to thefour provincial parks system objec-tives of protection, recreation, heri-tage appreciation, and tourism. Al-gonquin’s role in resource utilizationalso generates a fifth objective —resource management.

4.1 Protection Objective

To protect provincially significant elements of thenatural and cultural landscape of Algonquin Park.

The Park’s location in the transition zone between thenorthern boreal and the southern deciduous hardwoodforests, as well as its topographic variations, provides arich diversity of flora and fauna, including some regionallyand provincially significant communities and species. Al-gonquin Park also contains a variety of earth sciencefeatures representing post-glacial features. Nature Re-serve Zones (see Section 6.1) have been designatedwithin the Park to provide protection for these significantor representative earth and life science features. Wilder-ness Zones have been designated to protect significantnatural and cultural features and to protect areas providingwilderness recreational experiences. The Park also pro-tects a variety of historic and archaeological sites withinHistorical Zones (see Sections 6.2 and 8.6) foreducational and research purposes.

Additional inventories and further research will be encour-aged to improve our knowledge of the Park’s environ-ments and to establish scientific benchmark areas pre-serving Algonquin’s representative and significant fea-tures.

Provincial parks are key contributors to Ontario’sprotected areas. Along with national parks, conservationreserves, conservation authority lands, and other areas,they help to protect our natural and cultural heritage.

Algonquin contributes to the protection of theecological integrity and diversity of the

province in two ways. It protects significantenvironments and features within the Parkboundary. It is also a core area in theregional natural heritage system, as manyof the values or ecological processes forwhich the Park was set aside extendbeyond its borders.

The protection of Park values is thereforepartly dependent on appropriate environmental

management outside the Park. In turn, the Park provides ascientific and management benchmark that can be usedfor comparison purposes to help measure ecologicalintegrity in the greater Park ecosystem.

4.2 Recreation Objective

To provide outdoor recreation opportunities rangingfrom high-intensity day use to low-intensity wildernessexperiences.

Algonquin Provincial Park offers a wide range of all-sea-son activities, from back-country travel and camping in theInterior of the Park to car camping and day use in themore developed areas. All programs and publicationsassociated with recreational activities emphasize thePark’s protection objective and encourage heritageappreciation.

The recreation capacity of the Park is established forvarious activities to ensure ecosystem sustainability, mini-mize environmental damage, reduce conflicts betweenusers, and for safety purposes. Current levels of tradi-tional, water-oriented summer uses, such as car campingalong the Highway 60 Parkway Corridor and canoe trip-ping in the Interior, are close to the Park’s capacity.Expansion of recreational use will be directed to otherseasons and to other areas of the Park for activities suchas horseback riding, mountain biking, snowshoeing, anddogsledding.

Interior management is aimed at preserving and main-taining the Algonquin Interior “wilderness” experience.Current uses include canoe tripping, backpacking, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and dogsledding. Canoecamping is close to capacity, and the total number of siteswill be maintained at or close to current levels. The back-packing trails are meeting current demand, butopportunitiesmay increase with the development of newbackpacking trails, if required. There is additional potentialfor cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, dogsledding, andassociated winter camping.

8 Algonquin Provincial Park • Management PlanObjectives

On the direction of the 1989 Review, the Park has lookedinto modest roofed accommodation alternatives. Existinghistorical ranger cabins are being made available to Inte-rior users through the reservation system. The potentialalso exists for roofed accommodation at Lake Travers andCedar Lake. Only existing buildings will be considered foruse in the Interior. Any new cabins or roofed accommoda-tion would be near areas of existing public access.

Interior visitors also participate in other seasonal activitiessuch as swimming, sunbathing, scenic/wildlife viewing,and fishing. Hunting and seasonal hunt camps are per-mitted in Clyde, Bruton, and Eyre (McRae Addition)Townships.

Car campgrounds, including a groupcampground, are located along theParkway Corridor and in some periph-eral areas of the Park. Car campsitesin the corridor will be maintained at orclose to current levels, and future de-velopment and upgrading of camp-grounds will occur primarily in the pe-ripheral areas.

Commercial lodges and youthcamps, which are privately operated,provide accommodation and enableguests to enjoy day use activities inthe Park.

Day use facilities and services havebeen developed that provideopportunities for swimming,picnicking, biking, cross-countryskiing, and heritage appreciation oninterpretive trails. Additional day useopportunities for mountain biking,

hiking, cross-country skiing, and new opportunities forhorseback riding and dogsledding may be provided.

Visitors also participate in such day use activities aswalking, scenic/wildlife viewing, snowshoeing, fishing,snowmobiling, and day hunting in Clyde, Bruton, and EyreTownships.

No new interior access points will be developed exceptfor the consideration of a southern entry in the GalipoLakes area.

4.3 Heritage Appreciation Objective

To provide opportunities for exploration and apprecia-tion of the outdoor natural and cultural heritage ofAlgonquin Park.

Algonquin Park’s natural beauty and rich history providemany opportunities for visitors to appreciate the heritageof the Park. The Park’s interpretive program (a componentof the Natural Heritage Education Program) uses facilitiessuch as the Visitor Centre, the Logging Museum, interpre-tive trails, illustrated talks, staff-led activities and publica-tions to encourage an appreciation for the Park’s naturaland historic values. Almost one million contacts are madeannually through the Natural Heritage Education Programin an effort to orient visitors to Algonquin’s special qualitiesand provide them with an opportunity to gain a deeperunderstanding of the natural, educational, scientific, andhistorical aspects of the Park.

4.4 Tourism Objective

To provide Ontario’s residents and out-of-province visitors with opportunities todiscover and experience the distinctiveregions of Algonquin Park.

Algonquin Park’s natural beauty, abun-dant wildlife, and recreational opportu-nities continue to attract tourists fromacross Ontario and the world. The mar-keting and tourism strategy for Algon-quin Park will continue to target specificvisitor and user groups and providethem with opportunities to experiencethe attractions of Algonquin. This willinvolve communicating and working withtourist organizations.

Algonquin Provincial Park • Management Plan 9Objectives

4.5 Resource Management Objective

To practise sustainable resource management inAlgonquin Park for the long-term health of the Park’secosystems and to provide recreational, cultural andeconomic benefits.

The protection of the Park’s significant natural, cultural,and recreational values is paramount. Within this parame-ter the renewable resources of Algonquin Park are and willcontinue to be managed on a sustainable basis. Manage-ment plans have been or will be prepared for all resourceuses in the Park to ensure that the Park’s resources aremanaged in this manner.

Forest management activities are permitted in the Recrea-tion/Utilization Zone. Algonquin Park is an anomaly in theparks system as this is the only provincial park wherethese activities occur.

The Algonquin Park Forest Management Plan describessilvicultural practices (including harvesting and renewalactivities) that are designed to protect Park values such aswildlife, fisheries, tourism, and outdoor recreation.

All forest management activities must be in accordancewith the Park Management Plan.

For the purposes of forest management operations andminor Park maintenance projects, aggregate resourceextraction is permitted in the Recreation/Utilization Zone ofthe Park in accordance with provincial guidelines andpolicies.

Trapping has been permitted on registered traplines in theRecreation/Utilization Zone of Clyde and Bruton Town-ships since those townships were added to the Park in1961. Since 1958, the Algonquins of Ontario have heldtrapping Iicences on 19 registered traplines in the easternand central parts of the Park.

Public hunting and hunt camps have been permitted in theRecreation/Utilization Zone in Clyde and Bruton Town-ships since they were added to the Park in 1961. Publichunting also occurs in part of Eyre Township (the McRaeAddition), which was added to the Park in 1993.

Hunting is carried out by the Algonquins of Ontario in theeast half of the Park under the provisions of the“Algonquin Hunting Agreement.” The provisions coversuch matters as hunting areas, species, harvest numbers,sex/age ratios, monitoring, enforcement, and reporting ofharvest. An agreement has been negotiated each yearsince 1991, pending the outcome of negotiations of theAlgonquins’ of Ontario land claim.

Fishing is also permitted in most areas. Hunting, trapping,and fishing are managed to maintain a sustainable resource base while providing recreational or economicopportunities.

4.6 Guiding Principles

In addition to a goal and objectives, there is also a set ofnine principles that is used to guide the management ofthe provincial parks system. The principles areincluded below with a description of how they relate toAlgonquin.

PermanenceThe provincial parks system is dedicated for all time tothe present and future generations of the people ofOntario for their healthful enjoyment and appreciation.

Algonquin was Ontario’s first provincial park. Since 1893 ithas protected significant earth and life science, historicalarchaeological, and recreational resources — and willcontinue to do so for future generations.

DistinctivenessProvincial parks provide a distinctive range of qualityoutdoor recreation experiences, many of which cannotbe provided in other types of parks, for example,wilderness travel and appreciation.

Algonquin is renowned for its high-quality outdoor dayuse, car camping, and back-country travel opportunitiesunique in southern Ontario. Algonquin is among a selectgroup of parks that is capable of providing a wide range ofrecreation experiences.

RepresentationProvincial parks are established to secure for posterityrepresentative features of Ontario’s natural and cul-tural heritage. Wherever possible, the best repre-sentations of our heritage will be included in the parkssystem.

Algonquin Park, at the southern end of the CanadianShield, contains earth science, life science, and culturalfeatures and environments that provide excellent exam-ples of the diverse heritage of this part of Ontario.

VarietyThe provincial parks system provides a wide variety ofoutdoor recreation opportunities, and protected naturaland cultural landscapes and features.

By virtue of its size and diversity, Algonquin Park has oneof the widest variety of recreation opportunities and pro-tected areas located in any single park in the system.

10 Algonquin Provincial Park • Management PlanObjectives

AccessibilityThe benefits of the system will be distributed as widelyas possible geographically and as equitably aspossible socially so that they are accessible to allOntario residents.

Algonquin’s many features and facilities are located closeto the main population centres of Ontario. Provincial parksstrive to provide a range of facilities and services that areaffordable and that will serve visitors of varying physicalabilities.

CoordinationThe provincial parks system will be managed tocomplement, rather than compete with, the privatesector and other public agencies.

Algonquin’s protected environments contribute to private,provincial, and federal efforts to safeguard samples of thenatural and cultural heritage of Ontario and of Canada.Algonquin encourages and relies on the contribution of theprivate sector to provide support for its visitors and itsoperations. The Park is a world-renowned attraction andplays a significant role in regional tourism.

SystemIndividual provincial parks contribute to the overallobjectives of the provincial parks system; all objectivesmay not be met )n each park The parks system, ratherthan the individual parks, provides the diversity ofexperiences and landscapes that are sought.

As with all other provincial parks, Algonquin contributes tothe diversity of experiences and landscapes in the prov-ince-wide system. While its contributions to resource pro-tection and the provision of recreation opportunities arevery significant, the Park is also part of a larger network ofprotected areas in the province.

ClassificationNo individual park can be all things to all people. Parkclassification organizes Ontario’s provincial parks intobroad categories, each of which has particularpurposes and characteristics as well as distinctiveplanning, management, and visitor services (NaturalHeritage Education) policies.

Algonquin is classified as a Natural Environment Park.The other classifications are Wilderness, Nature Reserve,Historical, Waterway and Recreation Parks. Natural Envi-ronment Parks provide a balance of resource protectionand outdoor recreation.

ZoningOntario’s provincial parks are zoned on the basis ofresource significance and recreation potential; varioustypes of zones ensure that users get the most out ofindividual parks. Planning and management policiesappropriate to each zone type are applied consistentlythroughout the parks system.

Each of the six park classes may contain a variety ofzones, although only two classes — natural environmentand waterway — may include all six zone types (i.e.nature reserve, wilderness, natural environment, historical,development and access). Algonquin contains all six, aswell as a seventh that is unique to it — aRecreation/Utilization Zone, where forest managementactivities occur.

Algonquin Provincial Park • Management PlanPark Land

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5.0 Park LandAlgonquin Provincial Park covers an area of7630 square kilometres, most of it being in theDistrict of Nipissing and part in the northeastcorner of Haliburton County. The officialboundaries of the Park are described in O.Reg.386/93 made under the Provincial Parks Act. Thepurpose of O.Reg. 386/93 was to amend theboundary description of Algonquin Provincial Park(as previously defined in Reg. 951, R.R.O. 1990,designation of parks).

5.1AdditionsTwo areas of Crown land will be considered forinclusion in Algonquin Park. Once added, both areaswill bezoned Recreation/Utilization and will be subject to thepolicies of that zone type.

• Tim River: An area of approximately 80 hectares onthe west side may be added to the Park. It encloses thesection of the Tim River located between the existingboundary of the Park and the Tim River access point.The purpose of extending the boundary is to includethe access point and more of the river’s headwaters inthe Park.

• Brain Lake: On the north side of the Park, a 400-hec-tare parcel of Crown land just west of Brain Lake maybe included since it is already bounded by the Park onthree sides.

5.2Land Occupation/Tenure

The boundary of Algonquin Park encloses public lands butalso includes private land, rights-of-way, land use permits,licences of occupation, federally administered lands, andprivate and commercial leases.• The Park will be retained in public ownership, and land

uses that may adversely affect its qualities and charac-ter will be prohibited.

• All alienated lands within the Park will be acquired by2017 and made available for public purposes.

• Removal of structures and site restoration should occuras quickly as possible after expiration of the coveringlease, special use permit or upon acquisition of privateland.

• The policy of removal will not apply to buildings thatshould be retained for Park use because of their histori-cal significance.

There are a total of 511 hectares of alienated land in thePark.• Approximately 8 hectares of private land, in small par-

cels, contain privately owned cottage lots situated onMadawaska, Whitefish, Cauliflower, Kingscote and

Kioshkokwi Lakes. These properties are to beacquired by the year 2017.

• The remaining 503 hectares areCanadian National Railway (CNR) landsused for its

railway right-of-way and station grounds.CNR is going through the abandonment

process for this line. When the Crownacquires this right-of-way, it will be added to

Algonquin Park.

The Algonquin Radio Observatory is feder-ally administered. Located on 54 hectares of

landnear Lake Travers, the research facilities are ad-

ministered by Natural Resources Canada under theNational Radio Observatory Act 1 962-3. Under thislegislation, the control and management of the land areretained by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources.

• Upon cessation of operations by the Algonquin RadioObservatory, all existing facilities will be removed andthe site will be rehabilitated.

There are 305 cottage properties held under lease,licence, or land use permit in the Park (as of January1998).• All cottage leases will be terminated on or before De-

cember31, 2017.• There is no provision for renewal.• The Park Superintendent is required to ensure that all

lessees comply with the terms of their leases, particu-larly in obtaining authorization from theSuperintendent for any construction, clearing orshoreline work.

• All cottage lot development is controlled by the Con-struction and Development Standards: AlgonquinPark Cottage Leaseholds (Appendix A).

• The standards may be revised to address new environ-mental concerns or development restrictions.

There are 65 temporary hunting camp sites, authorizedby special permits (under Regulation 501, Game and FishAct, RSO 1990), that are used during the fall huntingseason in Clyde and Bruton Townships. And, in theMcRae Addition (Eyre Township), there are two perman-ent recreational camps under land use permits and 14temporary hunt camps.• These uses will be permitted to continue as long as

hunting is permitted within these areas of the Park.

Land use permits and Iicences of occupation are usedfor utilities in the Park. The Ontario Hydro transmissionlines and Bell Canada telephone facilities exist under landuse permits and a licence of occupation, respectively.Ontario Hydro occupies 1335 hectares of land under a

12 Algonquin Provincial Park • Management Plan Park Land

land use permit for its transmission line and distributionlines. Bell Canada uses the existing right-of-way for itsutility lines and has a licence of occupation for itsswitching station along Highway 60.• The Park Superintendent will approve the location and

development of all new structures associated withthese land authorizations and of all new telephone andhydro distribution lines. These will be undergroundwhenever possible.

• No new hydro transmission lines such as the Minden-Des Joachims transmission line will be built in orthrough the Park.

• The Minden-Des Joachims line right-of-way will not bewidened.

• Following the cessation of operations, all facilities as-sociated with the land authorizations will be removedby the respective organization.

There are nine commercial leases in the Park. Theseprivate-sector enterprises include three lodges and sixyouth camps.

The lodges provide accommodation and services to asegment of society that does not choose to camp yetwishes to experience the natural environment of the Park.Indeed, the lodges encourage their patrons to partake ofthe various Park programs as they are available. Existingcommercial lodges have leases that expired on December31,1996, with a further right of renewal for a 21-year-period, plus a further right of renewal for a period of timethat has yet to be determined.

The youth camps make a substantial contribution by mak-ing young people aware of natural areas like AlgonquinPark. Youth camps will be encouraged to pursue pro-grams that foster an understanding and appreciation ofthe natural environment. The development of new or therenovation of existing facilities to accommodate youngpeople and provide educational programs may also beconsidered in the Park. Existing youth camp leases also

expired in 1996 and they provided for a renewal term of21 years plus a further right of renewal dependent onprevailing government policy at that time.• Ontario Parks recognizes the contributions that both

youth camps and lodges make to Algonquin and com-menced to negotiate lease renewals in 1997.

• All commercial leaseholders will follow the Constructionand Development Standards: Algonquin Park Com-mercial Leaseholds (Appendix B), which are similar tothe non-commercial leases in the Park.

5.3 The Park Perimeter

The use of lands surrounding Algonquin is of concern tothe Park. Therefore, management and development pro-posals outside the Park boundary that may affect thePark’s natural, cultural, and recreational values will be

reviewed by the Park Superintendent. Land use activitieswill not be unduly restricted. Rather, resource manage-ment activities will be encouraged to take place in amanner that does not have a negative impact on Parkvalues. Proposals will be reviewed through the Ministry’sland use planning process to identify areas of concern(see Guidelines for Resource Management and Land UseActivities along the Perimeter of Algonquin Park, AppendixC).

Existing land uses around Algonquin are also monitoredby Ministry staff. For example, the Bracebridge Area Of-fice reviews the plans and monitors the operation of thegraphite mine adjacent to the Park in Butt Township andadvises Park management stall on issues of relevance tothe Park.

Algonquin Provincial Park • Management PlanZoning

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6.0 ZoningZoning is essential to the orderlydevelopment and effectivemanagement of a park. Areaswithin Algonquin Park are zonedto allocate their resource valuesto their most appropriate use ina natural environment park.Zoning is based on an area’ssignificance for protection andpotential for recreational andresource uses. Naturalenvironment parks always includeNatural Environment and Development Zones and mayalso include Nature Reserve, Wilderness, Historical andAccess Zones.

Algonquin Provincial Park zoning includes all six zonesand an additional zone unique to Algonquin — the Rec-reation/Utilization Zone (Figure 3) — that permits forestmanagement activities. The list below illustrates theamount of Park area (land and water) in each zone type.

6.1 Nature Reserve Zones

Nature Reserve Zones include any significant earth andlife science features that require management distinctfrom that in adjacent zones.

Algonquin Park’s Nature Reserve Zone system delineatesand protects representative and significant earth and lifescience features. These may include relatively undis-turbed examples of typical habitat types, landform fea-tures, complexes or phenomena, as well as rare bio-geographically important and/or exceptional populations offloral and faunal species. In total, 88 Nature ReserveZones have been designated in the Park ranging in size

from a few hectares to more than 5,200hectares and covering a total area of

39,250 hectares or 5.1% of the Parkarea. (See Appendix D)

Provincial Park Planning and Man-agement Policies (1993) do not per-mit campsite development withinNature Reserve Zones. However, in-terior camping is an existing use insome Nature Reserve Zones. Since

overnight trails and canoe routes havebeen permitted within these zones, campsites arerequired. Therefore, interior campsites willcontinue to be permitted in Nature Reserve Zones pro-vided they will not impair the natural values within thesezones. These facilities (campsites, portages, trails andsigns for route identification) will be provided where re-quired and will be recognized as non-conforming useswithin these zones. Temporary facilities for managementor approved research may also be permitted where appro-priate.

6.1.1 Natural Heritage Value Identification andProtection

Two science concepts are used to describe natural diver-sity and identify a system of natural heritage areas forprotection in Ontario — representation and special values.Representation is the primary concept and identifies areasthat are the best examples of natural diversity throughfeatures, species and ecosystems. The second conceptidentifies special values, like endangered species’ habitat,which may or may not be representative but are stillsignificant.

Representative natural diversity is defined through threecomplementary processes — geological, terrestrial andaquatic. Geological (earth science) diversity is defined bydistinct and enduring features on the landscape createdby processes that can be distinguished by their age,stratigraphy and topography. Representative features areorganized into 44 themes, rock types, fossil assemblages,Iandforms and related geological processes. These fea-tures are the foundation upon which biodiversity (terres-trial and aquatic) flourishes.

Terrestrial (life science) diversity is defined on the basis of14 site regions and their component 69 site districts. Siteregions are broad geoclimatic zones distinguished bytemperature and precipitation gradients. A site district is adistinctive physiographic area found within a site region,containing landform patterns and biological productivitytraits that distinguish it from other site districts. Within asite district, smaller landscape units are defined based on

14 Algonquin Provincial Park • Management PlanZoning


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re-occurring landform patterns. These patterns and thevegetation communities and species they support consti-tute the values to be represented.

At present, aquatic (life science) diversity is only partiallydefined through wetland classification and lake/streamdescriptions (e.g., warm and cold water), and is generallyrepresented through the two previous approaches.

Special values are defined on the basis of species,features and ecosystems: uniqueness, rarity, sensitivity orthe specific value placed on them by society. Specificcriteria exist to determine significance (e.g., wetlands, oldgrowth and endangered species). Provincially significantspecial values are included within the natural heritageareas system.

Once all of these provincially significant values have beenidentified, the next step is to determine the most effectivemeans of protecting them into the future. Provincial parksare one of the principal (highest order) designations forthe protection of natural heritage values, be theyrepresentative or special. Indeed, one of the primary rolesof provincial parks is to protect the best natural valueswithin their boundaries before considering the accommo-dation of other park objectives. Nature Reserve Zones areone of the primary means of protecting the best repre-sentative and/or special natural heritage values within apark landscape.

Algonquin Park contains both earth and life science valueswithin its system of Nature Reserve Zones. The system ofearth science Nature Reserve Zones includes individualstructural and surficial features or landscape formationsdesignated provincially significant because of their rela-tionship to glacial Lake Algonquin. Because the Park issituated in two site districts (SE-9/1 0) within site regionSE, it contains an array of provincially significant lifescience values and features (Figure 2). Twenty-seven ofthe 88 Nature Reserve Zones in the Park includesignificant earth science values and 76 zones containsignificant life science values, with a number of zonescontaining both values. Some of these values aredescribed below.

6.1.2 Earth ScienceAlgonquin Park protects both significant and repre-sentative earth science features in Nature Reserve Zones.These zones protect both bedrock and surficial features ofearth science value.

Algonquin Park is located on part of the Canadian Pre-cambrian Shield known as the Grenville Province. It isfurther differentiated into distinct areas of bedrock called“terranes” and “domains.” Each of these divisions is char-acterized by a distinctive assemblage of rock types, struc-tural features (e.g., type or degree of folding), and grades

of metamorphism (alteration due to the effect of pressureand/or heat). The Park provides excellent representationof the Kiosk, McCraney, McClintock, Powassan, andOpeongo domains within the Algonquin terrane. There isalso good representation of the Central MetasedimentaryBelt, a zone of extreme shearing in the southern part ofthe Park.

The bedrock geology of Algonquin Park is of Middle toLate Precambrian age (1800 to 1400 million years old).The predominant rock formations are pink to grey-bandedquartz-feldspar-biotite orthogneiss and metasediments,which have been intruded by a variety of granitic andmafic rocks. These rocks were subjected tometamorphism during a mountain-building period (theGrenville Orogeny), which culminated approximately 1000million years ago. As a result, the rocks wererecrystallized and deformed into folded gneiss. Graniticpegmatite and mafic dikes were intruded later. Thistectonic activity produced the domains in the Park and theseries of faults (part of the Ottawa Valley-BonnechereGraben System) on the east side of the Park. By about600 million years ago, the rocks were reduced by erosionto their present level. On this surface, sediments were laiddown in warm seas during Ordovician and Silurian time.Limestones and clastic sedimentary rocks were almostcompletely removed in the Park area by the subsequent400 million years of erosion, including the glacial erosionof the last two million years.

The Nature Reserve Zone system identifies some signifi-cant geological features such as sections of the OttawaBonnechere Graben along the Barron Canyon and Pet-awawa River. The Brent Crater has also been protected ina Nature Reserve Zone. The Brent Crater is a circulardepression located on the northern boundary of AlgonquinPark in Deacon and Cameron Townships. The Crater wasformed between 1000 and 450 million years ago (prior tothe Ordovician) and has been described as a crater ofcryptovolcanic origin or, more likely, a meteorite impact


crater. The Brent Crater depression has preserved a bedof Ordovician limestone, a vestige of the blanket of lime-stone that once covered Algonquin Park. The bedrockgeology of the Park requires detailed study to identifysignificant interpretive localities. These may be protectedin future Nature Reserve Zones, most of very small extent.

Within the Park, significant surficial earth science featuresprovide important information about the glacial history ofthe Park, including the drainage of glacial Lake Algonquin.The Park landscape represents an ancient erosionalsurface 2.5 to 1.0 million years old (Early to MiddleProterozoic age). The Park’s rugged Precambrian bedrockwas eroded by ice and meltwater during several periods ofglaciation. However, there is only evidence of the lastglaciation, which took place during the Late Wisconsinanperiod. Much of the Park remained covered in ice fromabout 80,000 years ago up until about 12,000 years ago.

The highland topography resulted in stagnation of themelting ice, which produced widespread ice-contact sedi-mentation and stratified drift over much of the Park. Sinceice stagnation was a relatively uncommon phenomenon inareas of the province affected by large glacial lakes, thePark provides a provincially significant example of thistype of landscape. As a result, glacial deposits includingglacial tills, ice-contact stratified drift, and glaciofluvialdeposits are well represented in Algonquin Park.

Glacial till deposits are widespread and occur as a varietyof features, including ground moraine, drumlins, drumli-noid and crag and tail features, morainic ridges and endmoraines. Moraines are of particular interest as they pro-vide location data for former positions of the ice front. The provincially significant DeGeer-type moraines found on thesoutheast side of Lake Travers were formed while themelting ice was in contact with a proglacial lake. Thesesmall parallel ridges formed at the base of the ice and mayrepresent annual fluctuations in the ice front. Other signifi-cant ice positions are marked by a large moraine inFitzgerald Township and morainic ridges near HailstormCreek.

Ice-contact stratified drift deposits form a suite of distinc-tive landforms, including kames, eskers and kame ter-races. These deposits, which are formed on or adjacent tomelting ice, develop faults, slumps, and other internaldeformation features as the supporting glacial ice meltsaway. The kame terraces found along the LittleMadawaska River west of Radiant Lake are consideredprovincially significant as their form characterizes alpineglaciation rather than continental glaciation, which typicallyaffected the Park. Major esker complexes have beenidentified along the Crow River east of White PartridgeLake.

Deposits from glacial meltwater had a significant impacton Algonquin Park’s east side. The Petawawa, Barron,Indian and Bonnechere Rivers, and Forbes Creek allserved as meltwater channels during the drainage ofglacial Lake Algonquin to the Champlain Sea east of thePark. It is believed that the first outlet for this drainageoccurred through White Partridge Lake, Robitaille Creekand the Bonnechere River valley. A proglacial lake asso-ciated with the White Partridge Lake outlet may have beena major arm of Lake Algonquin. Large volumes of waterlikely cut the provincially significant terraces found southof White Partridge Lake. Other depositional features relat-ing to these flows include the large boulder lags found atGrand Lake and Lake Travers. Glaciofluvial sediments, or“outwash,” were also deposited beyond the ice margin,creating relatively level plains such as those found at LakeTravers, Lake of Two Rivers and Basin Lake. The LakeTravers area is considered a provincially significant as-semblage of ice-contact, glaciofluvial, fluviai and eolianfeatures unequalled anywhere in the Park. Notably, it hasan inland dune field that was formed by strong prevailingwinds acting on the outwash sands. The dune field in-cludes transverse as well as longitudinal dunes now sta-bilized by vegetation. “Kettle” lakes, such as McKaskillLake, were also formed when stranded blocks of icemelted after becoming buried or partially buried in sedi-ment. Algonquin Park also has recent deposits such asbeach ridges, offshore deposits, modern fluvial deltas,tombolos, talus cones and river flood plains.

The protection of these sites contributes to representationof earth science features and processes by preservingsome of the history of glacial Lake Algonquin. Provinciallyand regionally significant earth science sites have beendesignated Nature Reserve Zones to provide them withthe highest form of protection. Larger assemblages, someregionally significant features, and small features of localsignificance are protected in Special Management Areas,Classes I (14,925 hectares) and 11(41,985 hectares),within other Park zones (for further information see Sec-tions 6.6, 8.1, 9.2) (Spek, 1993).

6.1.3 Life ScienceThe life science Nature Reserve Zones protect repre-sentative examples of different vegetation-Iandform com-plexes, forest types, wetland complexes, natural distur-bance sites, watersheds, and exceptional flora and fauna.

Some examples of Nature Reserve Zones that protectsignificant vegetation-Iandform complexes include thePetawawa Rapids, Barron River Canyon, Brent Crater andLake Travers Nature Reserve Zones.

The Petawawa Rapids Nature Reserve Zone (1927 hec-tares) is a provincially significant upland forest, lowland,and shoreline complex with more than 400 identifiedspecies of flora. It has the highest diversity of native flora,


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including 10 species found nowhereelse in Algonquin and another 18considered rare in the Park. Thenationally rare Waterweed(Podostemum ceratophyllum), One-sided Rush (Juncus secundus), andClinton’s Bulrush (Scirpus clintoni,)are among the few existing recordsof these species in the province.There are also relict northern taxaon cliff sites and relict southern taxain sheltered valleys along the river.Significant fauna in this zone includea breeding population of theprovincially vulnerable Wood Turtle.

The Barron River Canyon NatureReserve Zone (1076 hectares) is aprovincially significant upland forestand outcrop complex. The BarronRiver canyon consists of a series ofspectacular gorges with granitewalls towering more than 100metres above talus slopes. Theconcentration of calcareous materialalong crevices and seepage areas has encouraged thegrowth of locally rare calcicolous plant species, such asMaidenhair Spleenwort Fern (Asplenium trichomanes).

A number of post-glacial relicts, such as the EncrustedSaxifrage (Saxifraga paniculata), have also persisted inthis area since the canyon acted as a major postglacialdrainage system. The nationally rare Purple Cliff-brake(Pellaea atropurpurea) and Slender Naiad (Najas grad-jima) occur here as does the provincially rare RockyMountain Woodsia ( Woodsia scopulina) and a number oflocally and regionally rare southern taxa. The cliffs of thecanyon offer nesting habitat for a variety of birds, includingthe Barn Swallow, Common Raven, and Eastern Phoebe.

The Brent Crater Nature Reserve Zone (1199 hectares) issituated at the site of an ancient meteor crater. It containsa considerable amount of calcareous substrate, whichsupports locally rare bryophyte and herbaceous species,including one of the few Algonquin Park sites for BulbletBladder Fern (Cystopteris bulbifera). This site has anumber of locally and regionally rare calcicolous plantsand the only record in the Park of the Eastern GroundPine (Lycopodium obscurum).

The Lake Travers Nature Reserve Zone protects a provin-cially significant earth science sand dune complex. Situ-ated on the dune complex is a provincially significantupland forest of Red Pine and Jack Pine. Theundergrowth is sparse and dominated by drought-resistantshrubs and grasses and includes such provincially rarespecies as

Bulbostylis (Bulbostylis capillaris) and thenationally rare Sand Jointweed(Polygonella articulata).

The zone also includes the shallowwarm-water bays of Lake Travers, whichsupport a variety of aquatic vegetation,particularly dune-marginal aquaticsystems not represented elsewhere inthe site district.

Nature Reserve Zones also representspecific forest types, such as the RanaLake Red Oak Nature Reserve Zone, aprovincially significant forest containingthe most extensive, mature stand of RedOak (Quercus rubra) in Algonquin Park.Similarly, the Dickson Lake HemlockNature Reserve Zone has beendesignated to protect a provincially sig-nificant upland forest of mature EasternHemlock estimated to be more than 300years of age mixed with large Red Pineof approximately 340 years of age (theoldest trees known in the Park). The Big

Crow White Pine and Anglin-Dickson White Pine NatureReserve Zones are provincially significant upland forestsdesignated to protect tolerant hardwood forests of SugarMaple, American Beech, and/or Yellow Birch in which 35-to 40-metre-high ancient White Pine of 80 to 120centimetres in diameter are distributed. These zones arethe best examples in Canada of the White Pine-toleranthardwoods association that once dominated vast areas ofthe Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Forest Region prior to thearrival of the first loggers. Other zones, such as the CarlWilson White Pine, Carcajou Jack Pine, and Bruton andClyde Red Spruce Nature Reserve Zones, have been setaside to protect other representative forest types.

The Nature Reserve Zone system includes provinciallysignificant wetland complexes, such as the Grand LakeMarsh, Cameron Creek Bog, Hogan Lake Mog (marsh-bog) and Hailstorm Creek Nature Reserve Zones, andprovincially significant peatland complexes, such as theDavid Creek Bog and the Keegos Lake Bog. These areasprovide breeding and migration locations for dabblingducks, such as Mallard (Anas platyrhynchos), Blue-wingedTeal (Anas discors), Green-winged Teal (Anascarolinensis), and Wood Duck (Aix sponsa). They alsosupport uncommon reptiles, such as the Northern WaterSnake (Natrix sipedon).

Many significant wildlife species have been observed inthe Park’s Nature Reserve Zones, including such uncom-mon wetland species as Virginia Rail (Rallus limicola) andGreen Heron (Butorides striatus) and such uncommonboreal breeding bird species as the Lincoln’s Sparrow


(Melospiza lincolnii) and Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (Empi-donax flaviventris).

The Nature Reserve Zones also contain some provinciallyand nationally significant plant species. These include thenationally rare Grassy Naiad (Najasgracillima) and South-ern Twayblade (Listera australis), as well as the provin-cially significant White-Fringed Orchid (Platanthera ble-phariglottis), Hayden’s Sedge (Carex haydenit), TriangleGrapefern (Botrychium lanceolatum), Flat Poverty Grass(Danthonia lanceolatum), and Rocky Mountain Woodsia(Woodsia scopulina). There are also a variety of locallysignificant species, including the Dwarf Mistletoe (Ar-ceuthobium pusillum), Beach Heather (Hudsonia tomen-tosa), Lesser Bur-reed (Spa rganium natans), Least BIad-derwort (Utricularia minot), Beech-drops (Epifagus virgini-ana), Alpine Milkvetch (Astragalus alpinus), Yellow BIad-derwort (Utricularia gibba), Smooth Cinquefoil (Potentillapensylvanica) and Slender Cliffbrake (Ctyptogrammastellen).

Algonquin’s Nature Reserve Zone System also protectssites of natural disturbance. The Tim River Burn NatureReserve Zone protects an extensive open meadow andnaturally regenerating forests on a site intensely burnedby forest fires in 1922. The Merchant Lake BlowdownNature Reserve Zone represents a site regenerating froman extreme wind storm in 1962.

Entire watershed units protected in the Nature ReserveZone system include the Coldspring Watershed and theGreenleaf Creek Watershed Nature Reserve Zones. Thelarge areas of these zones (4914 and 4041 hectares,respectively) protect the ecological integrity of the water-sheds and preserve a cross-section of habitats, as well asfloral and faunal elements. The Greenleaf Creek Water-shed Nature Reserve Zone also protects ancient post-glacial fish and invertebrate fauna, some rare calcicolousfloral species, the only southern Ontario record of theprovincially rare Purple Reed-grass (Calamagrostis pur

purascens), and the only certain site for the AlgonquinWood Fern (Dryopteris x algonquinensis), a hybrid be-tween Fragrant Cliff-fern and Marginal Shield-fern.

6.2 Wilderness ZonesWilderness Zones include wilderness landscapes ofappropriate size and integrity that protect significantnatural and cultural features and are suitable for wil-derness experiences.

Wilderness Zones, which encompass 90,475 hectares ofthe Park, are protected and managed to preserve theirnatural state and provide recreational users with a semi-wilderness experience. Wilderness Zones were originallyselected on the basis of their natural values and history oflittle disturbance. These zones contain natural and culturalresources, which are protected in the same way as NatureReserve and Historical Zones. In addition, sinceWilderness Zones protect entire landscapes, they permitthe natural functioning of ecological processes. Theseareas also possess the least evidence of technologicaland industrial impact of man. Logging, railways, hydrolines, and buildings are all absent, and any disturbancesare mainly attributed to such natural factors as wildfire,windthrow, insects, diseases, and wildlife.

Some existing activities in Wilderness Zones use motor-ized vehicles (e.g., ski-trail grooming, moose surveys,Algonquin Fisheries Assessment Unit studies and parkmaintenance). For each of these, the feasibility of elimi-nating the motorized vehicle or the activity itself will beexamined.

Facilities for these activities will include only those primi-tive types of recreational improvements, which are neces-sary for sanitation, fire and site protection, and for theprotection and safety of users. Signs will be kept to theminimum required for safety and direction.


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Algonquin Park currently has four Wilderness Zones:Burnt Island, Harness, Galeairy, and Lavieille-DicksonLakes.

The largest Wilderness Zone, the Burnt Island Wilder-ness Zone, is a 48,870-hectare area located on the westside of the Park. Lying north of the Highway 60 corridor,almost on the summit of the Algonquin Dome (approxi-mately 1700 metres), this rugged landscape containsmany lakes, including several large ones. The zone issituated on a ground moraine landform, which includes anextensive area of kame (approximately 30%) and smallareas of outwash and lacustrine Iandform. Mature tolerantdeciduous and coniferous forests of Sugar Maple, YellowBirch, and Eastern Hemlock exist on the thin-soiled rug-ged areas, whereas intolerant deciduous forests of Trem-bling Aspen and White Birch occur on ridge tops and inopenings. Intolerant deciduous and mixed upland forestshave developed on sites previously disturbed by fires (inthe 1920s) in the western third of the zone.

On a granite lakeside cliff at the northern end of the zone,Peregrine Falcons had formerly nested, and with revivingpopulations of this species, this nesting site may becomeactive once again. Existing development in the BurntIsland Wilderness Zone consists of historic ranger cabins,as well as portages and campsites along canoe routes.

The Harness Lake Wilderness Zone, a provincially sig-nificant landscape complex of 10,960 hectares lies southof the Parkway Corridor on the west side of the Park.Situated on the western flank of the summit of the Algon-quin Dome, this area also receives more precipitation andhas a slightly cooler microclimate than the east side of thePark. The zone consists of small lakes predominantly,disrupted creeks and non-forested wetlands scatteredacross a rugged ridge and valley terrain.

Located on a ground moraine landform, the zone’sshallow soils of sandy-loam support primarily tolerantdeciduous forests of Sugar Maple, American Beech, andYellow Birch. There are also high proportions of tolerantconiferous Hemlock forest and intolerant coniferousforests of White Spruce (Picea glauca) and Balsam Fir.Deciduous swamps are rare in the zone and peatlands arerelatively small and usually associated with boggy streammargins and lakeshores. Development in this zone islimited to portages and back-country campsites for Interiorcanoe routes and backpacking trails.

The Galeairy Wilderness Zone, the smallest WildernessZone at 5280 hectares, is located south of the ParkwayCorridor on the east side. The zone consists of a groundmoraine Iandform with thin, sandy soil and severely disrupted drainage at low elevations. As a result of earlyforest fires, dating from the 1920s, the major elements ofthe vegetation consist of intolerant coniferous and decidu

ous forests (White Pine, Red Pine, Trembling Aspen,White Birch) while the lower, mesic sites with deeper,loamy soils support tolerant deciduous forests of SugarMaple, Yellow Birch, and American Beech. Occasionalpeatlands and deciduous swamp thickets occur alongpond margins and in creek valleys. Development in thiszone is limited to scattered back-country campsites alongseveral small lakes and a cross-country ski trail.

The Lavieille-Dickson Wilderness Zone was establishedin 1993, following a recommendation from the 1989Master Plan review, to study the provision of east-siderepresentation of wilderness values in Algonquin Park.Within its 25,365 hectares, it contains the most outstand-ing remote backcountry on the east side of the Park.

This zone encompasses Lavieille and Dickson Lakes, aswell as Little Dickson Lake, and provides back-countrytravellers with superb recreational values. This lake sys-tem is accessible from six different canoe routes and hasspectacular scenery and an excellent trout fishery.Lavieille and Dickson are large, expansive lakes andprovide a feeling of remoteness and solitude.

The Lavieille-Dickson Wilderness Zone contains the larg-est area (22,000 hectares) of landscape that has goneundisturbed for more than 50 years. This Wilderness Zoneincludes 21% (520 hectares) of the remaining old-growthRed and White Pine forests in the Park, and it ranks veryhigh for the presence of other interesting and rare plants,and features of historical value.

All protective zones together (wilderness, nature reserveand natural environment) include 38% (955 hectares) ofthe old growth in the Park, thereby ensuring the repre-sentation of old-growth pine on the Park landscape. Theremaining old-growth pine forest is located in scatteredand small pockets in the Recreation/Utilization Zone. Inthis zone, a portion (7%) of the old growth is protectedfrom harvesting through various forest management planreserves. The remaining old growth, within the Recrea-tion/Utilization Zone, is potentially eligible for harvest,provided it can be shown that overall old-growth diversityvalues are not adversely affected. This data will continueto be updated through the normal Forest ManagementPlanning process.


6.3 Natural Environment ZonesNatural Environment Zones include aesthetic land-scapes in which there is minimum development re-quired to support low-i ntensity recre ational activities.

The Natural Environment Zones in Algonquin Park total13,765 hectares. Natural Environment Zones permit low-intensity recreational activities such as hiking, cross-coun-try skiing, bicycling, horseback riding, fishing, backpack-ing, canoeing, and back-country camping. The five NaturalEnvironment Zones in the Park are: Stratton Lake, LakeTravers, Oxtongue River, Fork Lake, and Sunday Lake.

On the east side of the Park, the Stratton Lake NaturalEnvironment Zone (2215 hectares) consists of back-country campsites along the shores of Stratton Lake andthe Barron River (Figure 3). This zone will continue toaccommodate this type of recreational activity and inter-pretive trails.

The Lake Travers Natural Environment Zones (100hectares), which are located between Lake Travers andAchray, are currently undeveloped (Figure 3). The futuredevelopment of these zones will be restricted to interpre-tive trails.

The Oxtongue River, Fork and Sunday Lakes NaturalEnvironment Zones (11,445 hectares) are all locatedalong the Parkway Corridor. Currently, they all containinterpretive trails, cross-country ski trails and back-countrycampsites along canoe routes (Figure 3). Future devel-opment in this zone may include facilities for low-intensityrecreational activities.

6.4 Historical Zones

Historical Zones include any significant historicalresources that require management distinct from that inadjacent zones.

Algonquin has a rich and varied human history, withtraditional dependence upon the resources of the Parkbeing a dominant theme. Extensive field research hasidentified more than 300 areas of historical human activityand a comparable number of archaeological sites. Thosesites that provided the best representation of the Park’s -history were selected as Historical Zones.

The Historical Zone System, encompassing 1680 hectares, includes 48 historical sites and 38 archaeologicalsites. However, only the 48 Historical Zones (Appendix E)have been indicated on the zoning map (Figure 3) therest, primarily archaeological sites, have not been identi-fied to ensure their protection.

Sites range in size from a few hectares to nearly 400hectares, as in the case of the Mowat Complex, a formertown site. Historical features include depots and farms,relics of the timber trade such as carnboose camps,segments of the former Ottawa, Arnprior and Parry SoundRailway and ranger cabins.

Archaeological sites represent primarily pre-contact periodhabitation or use such as shoreline campsites. Thesewere used by successive Indian cultures in much thesame way as they are by the Interior canoe-campers oftoday.

Future field work, study, and analysis will be conducted tocomplete a system of archaeological and historical sites.Until that time, all sites will be protected from disturbance.

The Park’s Historical Zones are managed to protect themfor future study and to provide an opportunity to enhancepublic understanding, awareness, and appreciation ofAlgonquin Park’s heritage. Historical Zones protect thesesites by excluding high-intensity uses, such as logging andcampground development, and limiting low-intensity uses,such as trails, back-country campsites, or other interpre-tive developments. Some of the historical features (e.g.,cabins) have been restored, and many artifacts and periodpieces from some of the archaeological sites have beenrecovered, studied, and placed in the Park collections.Public information about site location is kept to a reason-able minimum, but in some cases the accessibility andquality of certain sites permit interpretation (see Section8.6, Cultural Resource Management).

6.5 Development Zones

Development Zones provide the main access to thePark and facilities and services fora wide range of dayuse and camping activities.

There are five Development Zones in the Park, totallingapproximately 22,545 hectares, which contain operational,research, recreational, and/or interpretive facilities.


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Operational facilities include access point offices, camp-ground offices, concessions, outfitters, and administrativeoffices. Recreational facilities in Development Zones pro-vide overnight and day use opportunities suitable for aNatural Environment Park. These may include camp-grounds, cabins and lodges, as well as day use facilitiesfor picnicking, hiking, fishing, canoeing, boating, bicycling,cross-country skiing and horseback riding. Interpretivefacilities can also be included in Development Zones toprovide opportunities for visitors to learn more about thenatural and historic values of the Park. These may includeoutdoor theatres, exhibit centres, museums or trails. Formore information on the development of facilities (seeSection 10.0 and Figure 3).

The Development Zones in the Park include the ParkwayCorridor, Basin Lake, Achray, Brent, and Kiosk. The Park-way Corridor, located at the south end of the Park, is thelargest and most developed zone. The four remainingDevelopment Zones, located just inside the perimeter ofthe Park, are much smaller and provide access to theInterior recreational facilities (e.g., trails) and limited carcamping opportunities. On the south-east side is the BasinLake Development Zone, on the east side of the Park isthe Achray Development Zone, and to the north are theBrent and Kiosk Development Zones. A DevelopmentZone may also be considered near Kingscote Lake on thesouth side of the Park.

Future recreational developments and improvements willbe designed to provide a greater variety of activities,improve the quality of services and facilities, and realignthese facilities and services to ensure their support of Parkgoals and objectives.

There will be minimal provision of facilities to accommo-date additional campers and trippers in the Parkway Cor-ridor. Instead, development will be focused on the perime-ter areas. The possibility of offering additional NaturalHeritage Education programs at the development zonesoutside of the Parkway Corridor will also be examined.

The Parkway Corridor Development Zone follows thepath of Highway 60 for 63 kilometres through the lowerthird of the Park. The total area of the Parkway Corridor is21,145 hectares, excluding several Nature Reserve Zonesthat protect significant species or communities situatedwithin the area. The Parkway Corridor Development Zoneprovides visitors with a “threshold” Algonquin experience.It contains an excellent cross-section of cultural,physiographic and biotic resources found throughoutAlgonquin Park, which can be appreciated through recrea-tional as well as interpretive facilities and services. In theParkway Corridor are campgrounds, picnic areas, trails(interpretive, bicycling, cross-country skiing, horsebackriding), Visitor Centre, Education Centre, Theatre, Log-

ging Museum, administrative buildings, information cen-tres and offices for campgrounds and access points (seeSection 10.0). The Park’s Natural Heritage EducationProgram is almost entirely concentrated in this area of thePark (see Section 9.0).

The Basin Lake Development Zone, composed of 756hectares of land and water, includes Basin Lake and itssurrounding shore. Recreational development consists ofpaddle-in and walk-in sites distributed along the lake-shore.

The Achray Development Zone, approximately 578 hec-fares, is situated on the north-east side of Grand Lake andincludes two Interior lakes, Berm and Johnston Lakes.The abandoned CN railway right-of-way extends throughthis zone, paralleling the shores of Grand Lake. A camp-ground is located along the shore of the lake borderingtwo fine natural beaches. There is also an administrativeoffice, campground maintenance buildings and twohistorical sites (the Tom Thomson cabin and Tom


Thomson Jack Pine site) in this zone. An interpretive trailextends around Berm Lake, and the adjoining EasternPines Backpacking Trail visits Johnston Lake and HighFalls Lake, and provides several back-country campingopportunities.

The Brent Development Zone consists of two areas ofshoreland, 14 hectares and 9 hectares respectively, lo-cated south of the abandoned railway right-of-way andseparated by the Brent townsite. An Historical and aNature Reserve Zone are also located in the vicinity.Campground facilities that currently exist on each parcelof land will be upgraded and expanded.

The most northern development zone, the Kiosk Devel-opment Zone, is located on the north shore of KioshkokwiLake and encompasses the entrance to the Amable duFond River. The abandoned CNR right-of-way cutsthrough this 43 hectares of land, separating three points ofshoreline from the open fields of the former Kiosktownsite. An access point office, historic ranger cabin,boat dock and launch, and campground occupy one of theshoreline areas. Upgrading of the existing campgroundfacilities and further campground and cabin developmentmay occur in this zone.

6.6 Access Zones

Access Zones serve as staging areas where minimumfacilities support use of Nature Reserve and WildernessZones and less-developed Recreation/Utilization,Natural Environment, and Historical Zones.

Access Zones, which make up approximately 735 hec-fares of the Park area, provide a valuable means ofcontrolling and dispersing use in a manner most compat-ible with the purpose and values of the Park. Access

Zones have been established along all public roads andaround all access points in the Park that are not alreadycontained within a Development Zone.

Access to Algonquin Park is gained by 29 access pointslocated along Highway 60 (the Frank MacDougall Park-way) and around the perimeter of the Park Interior. Theseaccess and departure points consist of nine Interior ac-cess points located along Highway 60, 20 access pointsaround the perimeter of the Park and eight departurepoints along rivers located both inside and outside thePark. However, only those access facilities located withinthe Park boundaries have been designated as AccessZones.

There are 10 Access Zones in the Park that incorporateone or more access points. The 10 zones are Rain Lake,Magnetawan, Kiosk, Brain, Brent, Achray/Lake Travers,Basin, Shall, Kingscote, and the Parkway Corridor (Figure3). These Access Zones encompass access roads andmay also contain parking and washroom facilities, accesspoint offices, boat launches, outfitter/concessions andresearch facilities.

The most westerly Access Zones (Rain Lake and Mag-netawan) leading to Rain Lake, Magnetawan Lake, andthe Tim River incorporate parking and sanitary facilities.Two northern Access Zones (Kiosk and Brent) includeonly the access roads that lead to their respective Devel-opment Zones. The other northern access zone (Achray/Lake Travers) and the south-east access zone (Basin)have parking facilities in addition to the access road. TheKingscote Access Zone is similar to the Brain and BasinAccess Zones but also includes a boat launch.

The Achray/Lake Travers Access Zone encompasses theaccess road leading to Achray and Lake Travers, as wellas the roads and associated parking facilities forMcManus Lake, Sec Lake, and the departure point on theBarron River. In addition, an access point office at thePark boundary is included within this zone.

The greatest number of facilities is provided in the Park-way Corridor Access Zone. This zone incorporates theaccess roads leading to Sunday Lake and Opeongo Lakethrough a Parkway Corridor Natural Environment Zone, aswell as an access road leading to Rock Lake in theParkway Corridor Development Zone (Figure 3). Accesspoint facilities include parking, boat launch, access pointoffice, outfitter and research facilities located on theshores of Opeongo Lake. The future development orupgrading of existing Park access points is described inSection 10.2.


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6.7 Recreation/Utilization Zone

The Recreation/Utilization Zone includes aestheticlandscapes in which there is minimum developmentrequired to support low-intensity recreational acti vi-tiesand which also provide for commercial forestmanagement. To the greatest extent possible, they willbe planned, developed and managed in accordancewith the policies set out for Natural Environment Zones.

The Recreation/Utilization Zone in Algonquin Park encom-passes 594,860 hectares, which is split into a northernand southern section, divided by the Parkway Corridor.Recreational and forest management activities occur inthis zone.

The Recreation/Utilization Zone provides back-countrylow-intensity recreational activities, such as backpacking,canoeing, camping, hiking, horseback riding, dogsledding,and mountain biking through the development andmaintenance of recreational facilities. Resource utilizationtakes place in this zone in a discreet manner so that thereis minimal impact on the natural and cultural values of theAlgonquin landscape shared with recreational users.

Resource activities such as forest management, huntingand trapping are managed on a sustainable basis. Theyare also integrated with low-intensity recreational uses byseparating these activities in both time and place. Huntingand trapping are permitted within designated areas in theRecreation/Utilization Zone and only during specified timeperiods (see Sections 8.4 and 9.1).

Forest Management occurs in 73% of the Recreation/Utili-zation Zone (or 57% of the whole Park area). Areasexcluded from operations include reserves for shorelines,earth/life science and cultural values, water, “non-produc-tive” forest land, non-forested areas and islands. Withinthe forest management areas, activities are also modified

to protect any additional identified resource values. Spe-cial management practices are followed in designated“modified cut” areas (7.5% of the total harvest area in the1990—95 Forest Management Plan) and in Class ISpecial Management Areas (2% of theRecreation/Utilization Zone). Overall, forest managementis strictly controlled and confined each year to a number ofsmall areas located throughout the Recreation/UtilizationZone. During the period 1990 to 1996, an average of7,500 hectares were harvested annually, equal to 1 % ofthe Park area.

24 Algonquin Provincial Park • Management Plan Administration

7.0 AdministrationAdministration of the Park requires theorganization of staff, assets andprograms to carry out the Park’smanagement, development andoperation. The administration of re-source and recreational programs iscarried out from the complex of officeslocated at the East Gate in associationwith permanent work centres located atthe Pembroke District Office and Samuel DeChamplain Provincial Park, as well as acomplement of seasonal administrative facilities(see Section 10.6).

Algonquin Park is administered by a Park Superintendentwith the support of a management team responsible forNatural Heritage Education, compliance/enforcement,capital development, support services, resource

management and the operations of Highway 60and the Interior. A variety of technical,

professional and clerical personnel, as wellas seasonal staff, service contractors, andthe Algonquin Forestry Authority (AFA), carryout program delivery. In addition, the Friendsof Algonquin Park, a charitable co-operatingassociation, assists in operating someprograms. Volunteers and special programs

(e.g., Environmental Youth Corp and OntarioRanger Program) also provide program support.

Algonquin Provincial Park • Management PlanStewardship Policies

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8.0 Stewardship PoliciesSince the Park’s establishment in 1893, manage-ment policies have aimed at supporting recrea-tional, educational, resource and research usewhile still protecting the natural environmentof the Park. The stewardship of AlgonquinPark includes the management of land,water, vegetation, wildlife, fish and culturalfeatures.

8.1 Land

Policies for the management of lands inAlgonquin Park range from broad managementdirectives for land use to specific restrictions onthe use of soils, minerals and aggregates.

All management or development proposals outside thePark boundary that may affect Park lands or values will bereviewed and approved prior to implementation (see ThePark Perimeter, Section 5.3).

Within the Park, land resources are generally protectedand managed through zoning (see Zoning, Section 6.0).For example, many significant earth and life science fea-tures, landforms or landscapes are protected within Na-ture Reserve and Wilderness Zones and logging may onlyoccur in the Recreation/Utilization Zone.

The work permit process regulates specific land useactivities inside the Park.• A work permit is required under the Forest Fires Pre-

vention Act, the Public Lands Act or the Lakes andRivers Improvement Act for work carried out in Algon-quin Park. This includes the construction of buildings,timber harvesting, roads, bridges and water-relatedfacilities but excludes minor maintenance and repairs toexisting facilities.

• All projects or activities are reviewed through the workpermit process to ensure that there are no adverseeffects on the Park’s natural or cultural values.

• Park development projects are exempt from this proc-ess but the Ministry of Environment is given prior noti-fication under the Environmental Assessment Act.

• Cottages and commercial Ieaseholders must also com-ply with standards for construction and development(see Appendices A and B).

8.1.1 Soils

Algonquin Park soils are derived mostly from glacial de-posits, which have been influenced by the underlyingbedrock of granitic gneiss found throughout the Park.Therefore, the Park’s soils are sandy with a shallow tomoderately deep covering of stony, silty sand on the west

side and a deep mantle of sand and silty sandmaterials on the east side, where greater

post-glacial soil deposition occurred.

Recreation site planning considers soildata for proper selection, maintenanceand rehabilitation of campsites. Thebest site selection not only minimizessoil erosion and damage to stream andwildlife habitat but also ensuresincreased durability and reduced mainte-

nance in the long term. Soil compactionand erosion is also considered in

determining the most appropriate location forwalking and backpacking trails.

• In areas that are susceptible to disturbance, techniquessuch as boardwalks and stairs are used to minimize theimpact from visitor traffic.

• For timber harvesting activities, logging roads will belocated and constructed to minimize erosion in accord-ance with the Ministry’s Environmental Guidelines forAccess Roads and Water Crossings. Mitigative tech-niques, such as reducing slope, installing culverts andsediment traps, using only coarse material in construc-tion, and encouraging regeneration of vegetative cover,are used to minimize soil deterioration and to maintainnatural water flows.

8.1.2 Minerals

Prospecting, staking out claims and the working of minesare prohibited.

8.1.3 Aggregates

The Park contains a variety of aggregate deposits. Aggre-gates include gravel, sand, clay, earth, stone and rockother than metallic ore. Aggregate extraction in AlgonquinPark conforms to the draft policy Aggregate ResourceManagement in Provincial Parks.• A long-range Aggregate Resource Management Plan

will ensure the protection of significant Park valuesfrom extraction, It will address existing pits, location ofaggregate materials, ecological impacts of pits, andcontrols and guidelines for pit operations andrehabilitation.

• Extraction of aggregates is permitted in the Recrea-tion/Utilization Zone for the construction and mainte-nance of logging roads.

• Aggregates from inside the Park may not be usedoutside the Park.

• Aggregates for the construction and maintenance ofprovincial highways and Park maintenance and devel-opment projects will be supplied from outside the Park.

26 Algonquin Provincial Park • Management Plan Stewardship Policies

• Permits will be issued for aggregate extraction in thePark undertaken by the Algonquin Forestry Authority(AFA), the Ministry of Natural Resources and theircontractors.

• Pits must be authorized and site plans approved by thePark Superintendent, and must be situated where theywill not conflict with existing or potential recreationaluse or Park values.

• Pits are not permitted within 120 metres of a body ofwater, wetland, public road, railway right-of-way, port-age or backpacking trail; or within 60 metres of anMNR-maintained ski trail, unless approved in an Aggre-gate Resource Management Plan.

• Prior to the completion of an Aggregate ResourceManagement Plan, aggregate pits within 120 metres ofa body of water or wetland may be approved contingentupon the review of earth and life science studies of thearea as well as hydrological and other environmentalimpact studies of the site.

• Aggregate pits must be developed in a manner thatminimizes the disturbance of the site, makes it mostaccessible for other future operations, does not sterilizethe resource and can be rehabilitated at the terminationof its use.

• Maximum pit size will not exceed 1 hectare.• Gravel pits used for the purpose of commercial forest

management must be located in the Recreation/Utiliza-tion Zone in areas where they will not conflict withexisting or potential recreational uses or Park values.

• In the construction of roads, fill may be taken within theroad right-of-way but not below the water table.

• Borrow pits are permitted in accordance with the guide-lines specified in Appendix F.

• The AFA will be responsible for the rehabilitation ofpits, landings and other recent manmade openingswhere future use cannot be adequately demonstrated.

• Pit operation and rehabilitation will be carried out ac-cording to the Aggregate Resources Act, Health andSafety Act, as well as to any conditions established bythe Park Superintendent (e.g., setbacks from roads).Operating conditions will reflect changes in Park policy,zone boundary changes and any environmental con-cerns.

• Special Management Areas (SMA), Classes I and II,have been designated to protect significant earth sci-ence features. Class I SMAs (14,925 hectares) includesites that require special management strategies tomaintain their earth science values (see Appendix G).Class II SMAs (41,985 hectares) include sites that willrequire no additional protection measures because theearth science values are resistant to forest manage-ment activities (see Spek, 1993).

Within both classes of SMAs, the provincially significantor sensitive features have been designated NatureReserve Zones. Regionally significant and less sensi-tive sites have been identified as “core” areas thatwould be protected from aggregate removal, road build-ing, site preparation and clear cutting (see Sections 8.1and 9.2).

8.2 Water

Algonquin Park has 2,456 lakes in 19 principal water-sheds. The pattern and abundance of these water bodiesare important for recreation. Since Algonquin is situatedon some of the highest land in the region, it serves as theheadwaters for all of the watersheds except one, the TimRiver, which flows from the west into the Park.

On the west side of the Park are many uniformly distrib-uted small lakes that link streams while the central area isdominated by larger lakes. On the eastern side, the wa-terways are largely associated with long, linear scarppatterns forming rivers and streams, which connect withthe lakes in the central area. Water quality is excellent butvisitors are cautioned about drinking untreated surfacewater.

Provincial legislation such as the Environmental Assess-mentAct, the Environmental Protection Act, the Lakes andRiver Improvement Act and the work permit process areimportant management tools. Through their use, Parkwaters are protected from any practices that may alterestablished water levels, reduce the supply of water, alterfisheries habitat or cause deterioration in the quality ofwater in the Park.• A Water Management Plan will take direction from this

plan for the monitoring and control of water quality andquantity. Managing water resources requires preserva-tion of the high-quality waters and maintenance of the


27

quantity and timing of flows that affect not only water-shed storage but also the recreational, biotic and cul-tural resources both in the Park and downstream.

Water quality is protected through management andeducational activities. In the Interior it is protected throughthe education of users; in the developed areas by ade-quate sanitation facilities and programs.• Public and private facilities are monitored and unsatis-

factory conditions rectified.• All new installations must be approved by the Ministry

of Environment.• Soil erosion may also affect water quality, so shoreline

protection measures such as bank stabilization areused to prevent siltation.

• The design and construction of any lakeshore andstream bank projects must also be compatible with thenatural character of an area and use natural materials.

• Forest management restrictions such as shoreline re-serves and procedures for stream crossings have beenestablished to protect the quality of the water resourcesin the Park.

• Both the Ministry of Environment and the Ministry ofNatural Resources carry out testing and monitoring forthe effects of acid rain on the Park’s waters.

Water quantity in the Park is managed through the op-eration, maintenance and construction of 10 weirs and 13gated control dams.

Weir dams have a stepped overflow design to allow a highdischarge at high river or lake stages and to maintain alow flow during all but the most severe drought.

For control dams, a pattern of drawdown and storage isfollowed to make water available for downstream use, asa measure of flood control to prevent shoreline or propertydamage and to sustain summer recreational uses andfisheries habitat. The water level created by gated damswill normally not be greater than the highest former highwater mark.• The operation of the Muskoka River Waterway System

(which includes Joe, Ragged, Burnt Island, Tea,Smoke, and Canoe Lakes in Algonquin) is guided by aformal agreement with Ontario Hydro. If water manage-ment activities conflict with other resource manage-ment objectives, such as fisheries production, discus-sions are undertaken with Ontario Hydro and otherinterested groups to try to modify the water level ma-nipulations and eliminate or reduce the adverse effects.

• Algonquin also forms the headwaters of theMadawaska River, and contributes water to an impor-tant hydro-electric and recreational waterway systemdownstream. The management of the MadawaskaRiver (which includes such lakes as Source, Cache,Opeongo, Rock and Booth in Algonquin) is beingreviewed by Ontario Hydro and Ministry of Natural

Resources staff. The outcome of this review, whichcould include information sharing and communications,will be considered in the development of the Park’sWater Management Plan.

• Where there is no agreement with Ontario Hydro andno significant impacts on recreational, biotic or culturalresources, dams will be allowed to disintegrate natu-rally and lakes will be permitted to return to their naturallevels.

8.3 Vegetation

Algonquin Park, which lies within the Algonquin-Pontiacsection of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence forest region,consists of a mosaic of coniferous and deciduous stands.There is no significant north-south differentiation. Instead,the Park’s topography creates an east-west climatic dif-ference, which has the greatest influence on speciesrepresentation in the Park.

The flora may be grouped into several broad types ofvegetation, distributed according to underlying physicalfeatures and modified locally by climate. Today, the for-ests growing on the high and rugged land of the westernside of Algonquin Park are primarily Sugar Maple mixedwith Yellow Birch, Beech, and Hemlock. On the east sideof the Park, which is sandier, drier and more gently rolling,the forest is a mixture of poplars, White Birch, White andRed Pine, with the pines dominating. Disturbance historyis also a contributing factorto species occurrence, as earlyfires and past logging practices may have changed therelative proportions of species in the Park. With improvedfire prevention, detection and control, as well as sustain-able forest management practices, these types of massdisturbances have been reduced and the forests of Algon-quin have typically attained ages ranging from 80 to 140years.


Vegetation management is carried out in the Park tosustain natural vegetation, encourage species diversity,remove non-native species, maintain species composition,provide a variety of successional stages and (in theRecreation/Utilization Zone) generate forest products.

Managing for these purposes involves non-commercialand commercial vegetation management, fire manage-ment and the management of particular forest conditions(e.g., insects and disease).

General management policies are provided in this sectionof the plan, but a Vegetation Management Plan will beproduced to describe specific objectives and strategies forevery type of zone in the Park.

8.3.1 Non-commercial Vegetation Management

Vegetation management policies have been developed forthe cutting, planting, burning, or spraying of vegetation inall zones of the Park. In general, these activities mustcomplement the purpose and permitted resource andrecreational uses of all zones.

• The cutting of vegetation for general maintenance orsafety reasons is permitted in all zones.

• Vegetation may be cut for the development or mainte-nance of portages, trails and campsites in Develop-ment, Wilderness, Nature Reserve, Historical, NaturalEnvironment and Recreation/Utilization Zones.

• Any other cutting of vegetation in a Development Zonemust be carried out according to an approved plan.

• In the Recreation/Utilization Zone, Park staff may notcut trees for use in maintenance activities or improve-ment projects closer than 180 metres from campsites,portages and the shores of canoeable bodies of water.

• The cutting of live vegetation by Park users is prohib-ited.

• The use of portable stoves for cooking will be encour-aged to decrease the amount of site degradation fromvegetation removal and to reduce the incidence ofwildfires caused by campfires.

• Chainsaws are prohibited in the Park, except for main-tenance and management purposes by Ieaseholders,contractors, the AFA, the MNR, researchers, OntarioHydro, and the Ministry of Transportation as authorizedby the Park Superintendent.

• Hand planting or seeding and cover manipulation us-ing native species may be carried out on campgroundand Interior sites that require rehabilitation after heavyuse or damage from insects, disease or fire.

• The introduction of non-native species is prohibited inthe Park, with the exception of landscaping grassesand shrubs in the Development Zone. The replacementof non-native species with native species isencouraged.

• Herbicides may be used by Ontario Hydro and theMinistry of Transportation to control vegetation alongtheir respective rights-of-way only in the Recrea-tion/Utilization and Development Zones. The use ofherbicides will be discontinued once an economicallyviable alternative for treating their rights-of-way hasbeen found (e.g., planting native shrubs).

The intentional use of fire for the purposes of non-com-mercial vegetation management is described in Section8.3.3 (Fire Management).

8.3.2 Commercial Vegetation (Forest) Management

The Algonquin Forestry Authority (AFA) was estab-lished in 1975 as a Crown Agency responsible for harvest-ing timber in the Park and supplying it to manufacturingfacilities outside the Park. The AFA is directed by ageneral manager who reports to a Board of Directors,which approves all work plans and provides advice on avariety of issues.

A 20-year Algonquin Park Forestry Agreement betweenthe MNR and the AFA (which is reviewed every five years)defines the AFA’s obligations for such activities as planpreparation, silvicultural operations, harvesting and roadmaintenance. The AFA prepares a Forest ManagementPlan (FMP) describing in detail how it will undertake theseforest management activities. The FMP is subsidiary toand must comply with the policies of the Algonquin ParkManagement Plan. The Ministry audits the AFA’s opera-tions to ensure that they are carried out in accordancewith the management direction in both the approved FMPand the Park Management Plan. A summary version ofthe FMP is available to the public from the AFA.

Vegetation management for commercial purposes is per-mitted only within the Recreation/Utilization Zone and issubject to specific controls and standards outlined in forestmanagement planning documents. The FMP, which ispublicly reviewed, and its Annual Work Schedules de-scribe how the AFA will manage the forests (in the Rec-reation/Utilization Zone) in terms of access, harvest, re-newal and maintenance. The FMP also stipulates how avariety of successional stages, a diversity of vegetationcommunities and the natural character of the area will beperpetuated while contributing forest products to localeconomies.

Sustainable resource management is the objective forAlgonquin Park; therefore, harvest levels prescribed in theFMP will reflect good forest management practices andnot a specific volume. Approximately 1% of the Park isactively cut each year, primarily through silviculturalsystems that maintain a continuous forest cover. TheMinistry has also prescribed certain procedures for forestmanagement


29

operations that are designed tomaintain aesthetic qualities forrecreational users and to protectthe significant features in thePark. This may include the use ofno-cut reserves and/or modifiedoperations and controls onlocation, standard and degree ofdevelopment of roads andassociated structures.

Forest management practicesin the Park are carried outaccording to specific silviculturaland operating guidelinesdesigned to encourageproductive stand growth andregeneration while minimizing theimpact of forest managementoperations. For example, thenumber of skid trails is minimizedand they are aligned to minimizedamage to remaining trees.Forest management guidelinesalso encourage the retention ofnaturally unhealthy trees, which are beneficial to the forestecosystem, such as cavity-nesting birds.

Silvicultural systems vary with the nature and conditionof the forest to achieve vegetation management objec-tives. These silvicultural systems also evolve over time asnew techniques are developed. Currently, the silviculturalsystems used in Algonquin Park include the selectionsystem, uniform shelterwood system, and patch clear-cut-ting. The selection and uniform shelterwood systems arethe principal silvicultural systems. The selection system isused primarily on tolerant hardwoods such as Sugar Ma-ple or American Beech and the uniform shelterwood sys-tem is usually used on upland tolerant conifers such asWhite Pine. In these systems individual trees are selectedfor harvesting, thus maintaining a continuous forest coverwhich encourages optimum regeneration. The thirdsilvicultural system, clear cutting, is applied in patches tocreate openings for the establishment of (shade) intolerantspecies, such as White Birch and Trembling Aspen, whichrequire an abundance of space and sunlight toregenerate.

The application of these systems also involves the use oftree-marking guidelines. These guidelines are used toidentify which trees should be harvested and which treesshould be retained to maintain an ecologically diverseforest. Marking guidelines are also used to preserve treesthat serve as food for bears, nesting areas for birds andlate winter shelter for deer and moose (see Section 8.4Wildlife).

Forest management operations aredescribed in Section9.2.

8.3.3Fire Management

Much of Algonquin Park has burned at leastonce in the last century and a half. In recentyears, fire prevention measures have beensuccessful in reducing fire occurrence,while increased detection and aggressivefire suppression techniques have kept burnareas low. Now, in a normal year, about 25hectares burn in approximately 50 forestfires. The majority of these fires are causedby people while the rest are started bylightning. Although fire is a potential threatto the Park’s resources and visitors, it alsoinfluences vegetation renewal and hasbeen a major factor in the development ofthe present forest mosaic. Therefore, firemanagement is an important component ofvegetation management in Algonquin Park.

The current goals and objectives of the fireprogram are contained in the Interim Fire ManagementStrategy for the Algonquin Fire Region and in the EastFireRegion Fire Operations Plan. The basic policies on fireprevention, detection, suppression and management areas follows:

The fire prevention program in the Park is composed ofeducation, engineering and enforcement. Education is thelargest component and the most important of the three.• Visitors are educated on safe campfire building and

maintenance, the potential for fire and the hazards offire.

• Visitors are encouraged to use portable stoves in theInterior as a means of reducing the incidence of recrea-tional fires. The use of portable stoves also reducessite degradation caused by the removal of vegetationfor campfires.

• Site design and maintenance involves the protection ofvalues by the removal or reduction of hazards. Forexample, the construction of fire pits prevents the out-break of fire.

• Enforcement is an integral part of forest fire prevention.Enforcement is based on the Forest Fires PreventionAct and the Provincial Parks Act. These acts deal withsuch matters as the responsibilities of persons usingfires and measures restricting fire use and travel whenfire danger and risk are extreme.

Fire detection is achieved by co-ordinating organized airdetection patrols with routine flying by Ministry aircraft andby receiving reports of fires from the public and commer-


cial aircraft. Fire weather stations located in and aroundthe Park, as well as daily forecasts and fire weather indexratings supplied by the Regional Fire Centre, are used forpredicting fire occurrence and behaviour. This informationis utilized for daily fire prevention, detection and suppres-sion planning purposes.

Fire suppression procedures are similar to those usedelsewhere in the province and are described in a detailedRegional Fire Operations Plan. All fire suppression activi-ties in the Park are carried out according to provincial firepolicy.• Fire suppression activities will be carried out in a man-

ner that minimizes negative impacts on the Park’senvironment.

• Disturbances associated with fires and fire suppressionin recreational areas may be rehabilitated by supple-menting natural plant succession through seeding orplanting native species. Visitor activity is also re-routedand the site left to regenerate naturally.

Fire management in the Park involves the use of fire,both natural and induced, as a means of attainingresource management goals.• All fires in Algonquin Park will receive a suppression

response.• In Wilderness and Nature Reserve Zones, that re-

sponse may be reduced to monitoring so that fires ofnatural origin may be permitted to burn as naturaldisturbances, provided they do not threaten visitorsafety, recreational values or values in adjacent Parkzones or areas outside the Park.

Prescribed burning is defined as the deliberate andskillful application of fire to forest fuels under pre-deter-mined site and weather conditions to attain a specificresource management objective.• Prescribed burns may be used in Nature Reserve,

Wilderness, Development, Natural Environment, andRecreational/Utilization Zones in accordance with theOntario Prescribed Burn Planning Manual, as well asother pertinent Ministry and Park policies, procedures,and plans.

• In Nature Reserve and Wilderness Zones, prescribedburning can be used to perpetuate fire-associated val-ues and conditions represented in the zone.

• In Development, Natural Environment and Recreation/Utilization Zones, fire can be used to obtain both forestand wildlife management objectives, such as sitepreparation for planting, hazard reduction, maintainingor establishing areas for picking berries or enhancingspecies diversity and wildlife habitat.

8.3.4 Insects and DiseasesInsects and diseases are monitored on a continuousbasis.

• The control of insects and diseases of plants is onlypermitted in the Park where there is evidence that lackof control will result in unacceptable losses of recrea-tional or forest resources in Development, Natural En-vironment, or Recreation/Utilization Zones or causeunacceptable damage to resources in adjacent zones -or outside the Park.

• The objective of insect and disease management is toprevent conditions that result in a need for biocidal -control. Therefore, control action may involve prevent-ing, retarding, suppressing, or eradicating incipient,potential, or emergency outbreaks.

• Biological control will be used wherever feasible.• If the use of biocides such as insecticides or fungicides

is required, only biocides and methods approved by theMinistry of Natural Resources and the Ministry of theEnvironment and that are not harmful to other forms oflife will be used.

• Site restoration following a disease or an insect out-break may be carried out for forest management, fireprevention or aesthetic reasons.

8.3.5 Acid Rain

Acidic precipitation may also affect the forest if cornbined with other stresses or if the area has limitedbuffering capacity. Acid rain is being monitored on acontinuous basis in the Park by the Ministry of NaturalResources the Ministry of the Environment and ForestryCanada To date, there has been no serious impactdetected on ter restrial or aquatic ecosystems that can beclearly attributed to acid rain.• The acid rain monitoring program will continue to be

encouraged in the Park.

8.3.6 Forest Research

The goal of the Ontario Long-Term Ecological Research(LTER) Program is to conduct long-term ecological re-search that is necessary for sustainable ecosystem man-agement and to apply this information to MNR policydevelopment.• The existing forest research area at Swan Lake, and

other areas in the Park, will continue to be set aside forresearch purposes to support this goal.

8.4 Wildlife

Algonquin Park is one of the best known “wilderness”areas in North America and is considered southern On-tario’s principal wildlife area. The Park’s geographicalposition in south-central Ontario, as well as its variationsin elevation, climate, soils, vegetation and aquatic condi-tions, produce a diversity of biotic communities. These


31

biological communities contain a variety of faunal species,which include approximately 134 breeding species ofbirds, 45 species of mammals, 14 species of reptiles and16 species of amphibians.

A Wildlife Management Plan will contain managementguidelines for the Park’s wildlife and wildlife habitat. Theobjective of wildlife management in the Park is to fosterthe continued existence of the full array of native wildlifeand their natural habitats, and to ensure that no vulner-able, threatened or endangered (VTE) species are extir-pated by other than natural processes. At present, wildlifemanagement includes a combination of population sur-veys and habitat provision, controls for hunting and trap-ping, animal control and research. Protection measuresinclude zoning and the application of Ministry standardsand guidelines in forest management operations.

• The plan will include general wildlife management poli-cies, policies directed toward the protection of VTEspecies and their habitats, and policies for the protec-tion of entire biotic communities.

• The plan will address ways in which fire and forestrycan help to sustain the balance of wildlife diversity inthe Park by maintaining a mix of early-, mid-, and late-succession forests.

• Wildlife management will focus on maintaining wildlifepopulations through habitat management and popula-tion surveys. In particular, species such as Moose,White-tailed Deer and Wolf, and those species recog-nized as provincially VTE are of special importance.

• Wildlife management objectives will be co-ordinatedwith the Vegetation Management Plan Objectives

8.4.1 Wildlife Populations and Habitat

In general, the forest and recreation management carriedout in the Park provides habitat for a wide variety ofspecies. Also, species and habitat are protected throughzoning in the Park Management Plan and through the useof wildlife guidelines in the preparation of the Forest Man-agement Plan.

There have been 258 bird species recorded in the Park,of which 134 have been known to breed. These includesuch northern birds as the Gray Jay (Perisoreus canaden-sis), Boreal Chickadee (Parus hudsonicus), and SpruceGrouse (Dendragapus canadensis) and such southernspecies as the Indigo Bunting (Passerina cyanea), BrownThrasher (Toxostoma rufum), and Wood Thrush (Hylo-cichla mustelina).

Thirty species of reptiles and amphibians have beenidentified in Algonquin Park, including the nationally rareSpotted Turtle (Clemmys guttata), the provincially signifi-cant Wood Turtle (Clemmys insculpta) and the Two-linedsalamander (Eutycea bislineata).

There are 45 species of mammals in the Park. Althoughthere are such locally significant species as the NorthernLong-eared Bat (Myotis septentrionalis) and the Rock Vole(Microtus chrotorrhinus), larger species such as RiverOtter, Wolf, American Black Bear, Moose and White-tailedDeer are more popular subjects for recreational viewingand research.

Algonquin Park has one of the most southerly wolf popu-lations in North America, with wolves being one of themajor scavengers and predators in Algonquin. Wolf re-search was initiated as early as 1958 in the Park, ceasedin the mid - 1960s and resumed in 1985.

Although little information has been collected in AlgonquinPark, it is believed that a healthy bear population exists inthe Park, judging by the extensive area of favourablehabitats and by population studies undertaken in similarhabitats elsewhere.

The existence of both moose and deer in the Park illus-trates the influence of the meeting of the northern borealand southern deciduous hardwood forests in the Park.White-tailed Deer, an ungulate indigenous to areas southof central Ontario, extended its range into Algonquin aslogging, farming, and natural forces such as fire alteredthe landscape, thereby creating more browse. During thepast 30 years, the deer population has declined. Althoughthe reasons are not entirely known, it is believed that thecombination of habitat loss, severe winters and wolf pre-dation led to this decline. The decrease in the deer popu-lation was subsequently followed by an increase in themoose population in the 1 970s and ‘80s. This increase inmoose may be attributed to the decrease in deer andtherefore a decrease in the occurrence of the parasitic“brainworm” (Parelaphostrongylus tenuis). Brainworm,while harmless when carried by deer, can be lethal whentransferred to moose.


Provincially vulnerable, threatened and endangered(VTE) species will be given priority in management deci-sions and activities. There are several vulnerable or en-dangered species that have occurred or still occur in thePark. Considerable management effort has been em-ployed on some of these. An attempt was made to rein-troduce the Peregrine Falcon, a study of the Wood Turtlewas initiated in 1987 and surveys have been conductedon the Red-shouldered and Cooper’s Hawks. Currently,the following Park species are designated as: vulnerable(Wood Turtle, Eastern Hognose Snake and Red-shoul-dered Hawk), threatened (Short-jaw Cisco and DeepwaterSculpin) and endangered (none) by provincial and nationalranking agencies (e.g., COSSARIO and COSEWIC). Fur-ther studies of VTE species will be encouraged and theexisting provincial standards and guidelines for their pro-tection and rehabilitation will continue to be applied duringforest and park management activities.

8.4.2 Hunting and Trapping

In 1961, the Algonquin Park Extension Act added Clydeand Bruton Townships to the Park specifically on thecondition that hunting and trapping be permitted to con-tinue. Therefore, any changes to these uses require therepeal oramendmentof this Act. Because of the similarityof historical use in the McRae Addition (in Eyre Township),it has been managed the same as Clyde and BrutonTownships, with regard to these uses, since it was addedto the Park in 1993.

Hunting is permitted in the Recreation/Utilization Zone inClyde, Bruton and Eyre (McRae Addition) Townships.Hunting is also permitted in the east half of the Park by theAlgonquins of Ontario (see Section 9.1 for details).

Trapping is permitted on registered traplines in the Rec-reation/Utilization Zone of Clyde and Bruton Townshipsand in the McRae Addition (Eyre Township).

• Trapping includes all species of Park furbearers exceptWolf, Lynx and Bobcat, and management quotas havebeen set for each registered trapline.

• Licensed registered traplines in Clyde and BrutonTownships will be phased out once the Algonquin ParkExtension Act is amended or as opportunities permit.

• Licensed registered traplines in the McRae Addition willbe phased out as opportunities permit.

Since 1958, the Algonquins of Ontario have held trappinglicenses on 19 registered traplines in the eastern andcentral parts of the Park.• Trapping by the Algonquins of Ontario will continue in

this area.

8.4.3 Animal Control

Animal control is carried out for the safety of visitors andto protect facilities or other Park values. The control ofwildlife primarily involves bear, beaver or an animal be-having abnormally, such as one afflicted with rabies.• Policies for the management of nuisance wildlife in the

Park will be contained in the Wildlife Management Plan.

In general, management efforts are designed to minimizethe problem through educating the public, modifying thefactors that are affecting the behaviour of the animal, ordisposing of the animal. For example, beaver controlinvolves the removal of dams, installation of beaver “baf-fler” devices or trapping if necessary.• Bear control requires that garbage along the corridor

and perimeter access points be deposited in bear-proofgarbage facilities.

• If a bear shows behaviour that conflicts with Parkusers, it is relocated or may be disposed of if relocationis not feasible or if the bear has a previous history ofsuch behaviour.

• Visitors are informed and educated on how to effec-tively avoid creating conflicts with bears (e.g., securingfood supplies).


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8.4.4 Wildlife Research

The Wildlife Research Station at Lake Sasajewun hasmade major contributions to wildlife research since 1944,including studies on mammals, birds, and invertebrates.As an important wildlife area as well as gene pool, thePark can also assist research projects that are attemptingto re-establish viable populations of a locally extirpatedspecies. In the past, the Park has provided moose andriver otter in wildlife transfers to the states of Michigan andMissouri, respectively.

Vegetation studies in the Park also contribute to thedevelopment of new wildlife management strategies. Forexample, a study on the status and conditions necessaryfor hemlock regeneration and recruitment has importantimplications for wildlife because this tree species provideswinter cover for moose and deer and is the single mostvaluable tree species for forest birds.• Research on all species of wildlife in the Park will be

encouraged so it may contribute further managementinformation on Algonquin’s wildlife populations (seealso Section 9.6, Research).

8.5Fisheries

Algonquin Park is one of the great natural fisheries inOntario and the only major complex of intact native troutfisheries remaining in southern Ontario. Fishing has longbeen one of the primary recreational attractions of thePark, providing approximately 128,000 opportunities offishing annually (an opportunity is defined as four hours offishing). In the Interior, it is second only to canoeing as aprincipal recreational activity, and it is the number oneactivity in the spring.

The provincial significance of Algonquin’s fisheries and itsrecreational value require that protection and sound

management are equally important elements of fisheriesmanagement.

The Park’s harsh climate and the low productivity of itslakes limit the species composition and productivity of fishcommunities. Following the retreat of the glaciers 10,000years ago, the five major watersheds of Algonquin wereinhabited by such coldwater species as Lake Trout(Salvelinus namaycush) and Whitefish (Coregonus clupeaformis). The native trout communities that developed arestill largely intact while the distribution of warm-water sportfish has expanded but remains limited.

Today, the Park has a total of SO species of fish with themajority of the lakes containing cold-water species, ofwhich Lake Trout and Brook Trout are the two principalspecies. Lake Trout occur in approximately 149 lakes,which are generally greater than 40 hectares. Brook Troutoccur in 240 lakes but generally exist in smaller-sizedlakes as well as streams and rivers. Warm-water species,such as Walleye (Stizostedion vitrium) and Muskellunge(Esox maskinonge), are primarily confined to the lowerportions of the Petawawa watershed but are absent fromthe various headwaters in the Park. Historically, Small-mouth Bass (Micropterus dolomieui) were introduced into85 lakes in the Park, primarily along or near the ParkwayCorridor, and they have displaced the native Brook Troutfrom these waters. Northern Pike (Esox lucius) havegained entry into the Opeongo River watershed from ShallLake to Booth Lake, and it appears that these fish havebecome established in this area.

Fisheries management, as described in the 1986 Algon-quin Park Fisheries Management Plan, is concerned withmanaging the Park’s fisheries to maintain species diversityand the high quality of fishing in the Park Interior, enhancefishing in the Parkway Corridor, and generally keep theharvest of fish within sustainable levels. In general,angling is permitted in all zones of the Park except inidentified sanctuaries. However, the fisheries resourcesand angling pressures vary between the Interior of thePark and the Parkway Corridor. Therefore, two manage-ment strategies have been established for the Park’sfisheries (also see Section 9.1.2, Fish- and Wildlife-Ori-ented Recreation).

8.5.1 Parkway Corridor Fisheries Management

In the high demand areas of the Parkway Corridor Devel-opment and Natural Environment Zones, fisheries man-agement consists of regulations controlling seasons andpossession limits and a limited stocking program. Experi-mental size limits, to protect breeding stock, have alsobeen introduced to examine the potential of maintaining


naturally reproducing populations of Lake Trout withoutlosing angling opportunities.

Similarly, size limits for Brook Trout were introduced tolakes along the corridor and in the Interior to develop avery high-quality fishery and to promote the conservationof native trout stocks.• In lakes with natural-reproducing Lake Trout and Brook

Trout, replenishment will be by natural reproduction,thus eliminating a need to supplement populations withplanted stock.

• For lakes without natural-reproducing populations, astocking program relying heavily on Splake (a hybridbetween Brook Trout and Lake Trout, which rarelyreproduces itself in the wild) will continue on smalllakes in the Corridor.

• Stocking programs will continue in lakes within theParkway Corridor Development Zone where native fishpopulations will not be affected, or within one portageof this zone.

8.5.2 Interior Fisheries Management

In the Interior (the Recreation/Utilization, Wilderness, His-torical, Nature Reserve, and Natural Environment Zones),the strategy is to maintain a very high-quality, low-intensityfishing experience. This is achieved through the control ofangling activity (Section 9.1.2) and certain policies regard-ing stocking, fish introduction and habitat protection.• Population replenishment will be by natural reproduc-

tion, thus reducing the need to supplement populationswith planted stock (fish stocking).

• Hatchery-reared fish will be stocked only in Develop-ment Zones or within one portage of these zones.

• Any trout stocking in the Interior will be essentially forintroduction, research or rehabilitation only and will usenative stocks (fish of direct wild Algonquin stock origin,with the exception of Billy and Ryan Lakes).

• Billy and Ryan Lakes are heavily fished lakes and donot have natural trout populations. Those lakes arestocked with Splake supplied specifically for harvesting.

• The introduction of new species of fish will be prohib-ited.

• Warm-water (e.g., walleye) and non-native species willbe impeded from further range extension wherepossible.

• Rare or unique fish such as the nationally significantShortjaw Cisco (Coregonus zenithicus) and the provin-cially significant Spoonhead Sculpin (Cottus ricet) willbe protected.

• Habitats sensitive to disturbance can be identified andprotected by monitoring the effects of forest manage-ment activities (stream crossings) and control dams onfish habitat and through the identification of spawningsites.

8.5.3 Fisheries Research

The Park’s fisheries management program is highly de-pendent on the research conducted at the Harkness Labo-ratory of Fisheries Research and the Algonquin FisheriesAssessment Unit.

Research programs have been concerned with both nativeand introduced sports fish species. In particular, the LakeTrout and the Brook Trout research programs haveprovided an important understanding of these species inPark waters, valuable management strategies, and rn- -proved fishing opportunities. Studies are currently beingconducted to fully document the distribution of all fish Ispecies in the Park and to identify unique genetic strainsof Brook Trout that may be important to future manage-ment.• Research of Algonquin’s fish resources will continue to

include the surveying of lakes and streams and thecollection of other basic data on fish populations andhabitat for the purpose of enhancing the fisheries man-agement program in Algonquin.

• The effects of acidic precipitation or invasions of foreignaquatic species, such as the Zebra Mussel, on thePark’s fisheries will also continue to be monitored.

• Future research may identify that further measures forthe protection of Algonquin’s fisheries are required. Asa result, additional angler limitations, such as means ofaccess, seasons, size limits or angling methods, mayneed to be implemented to preserve the quality of thefishery.

8.6Cultural Resources Management

Considerable research effort and documentation havebeen undertaken to gain a better understanding of hu-mans and the Algonquin environment. Field research inpast years has identified more than 300 areas of historicalsignificance and a comparable number of archaeologicalsites. The management direction for these sites is topreserve the most representative sites of historical orarchaeological significance in an Historical Zone Systemand to protect the rest as areas of concern. Both designa-tions protect the core features for future study and inter-pretation, but the Historical Zone provides more bufferingand its policies on permitted activities are more restrictive.

The present Historical Zone System, which consists of48 historical sites and 38 archaeological sites, prohibitstimber harvesting activities and restricts certain recrea-tional uses within each zone. All other sites are areas ofconcern.• Historical and archaeological sites in the Recreation!

Utilization Zone will be designated as areas of concernwith various strategies for protection, according to theForest Management Guidelines for the Protection ofCultural Heritage Resources. Depending on


35

the historical value, timber operations may be con-ducted with mitigation measures, modified or excludedfrom the sites.

• Historical and archaeological sites identified within theDevelopment Zone and that have not been accordedan Historical Zone designation will be designated asareas of concern and protected from high-impact de-velopments or activities such as campgrounds.

A Cultural Resources Management Plan will be com-pleted which will provide an assessment of historical andarchaeological sites and outline management guidelinesfor these sites. The development of this plan will beguided by the Algonquin Region Historical Systems Study,completed in 1980. Archaeological sites will be evaluatedto determine which should be designated for preservationand what management practices are required. A revisedsystem of historical sites will also be established based onthe interpretive potential, representativeness, structuralremains and historical significance of candidate sites. Amajor focus for historical resources interpretation is thenew Algonquin Logging Museum near the East Gate,where structures and implements of the period are ondisplay (see Section 10.4).• The Park protects all newly discovered historical re-

sources dating prior to 1940, pending thorough studyand documentation of their significance.

• Complete photographic documentation of structuresthat are to be removed or destroyed is undertakenwhere feasible.

• For the management of archaeological resources, fieldresearch and the reconstruction of archaeological sitesare only permitted by recognized authorities in the fieldof study.

• The location of archaeological sites need not be re-vealed until an examination and evaluation of the site iscompleted. In special cases, the locations of fragilesites may be withheld.

• All collected or donated information, artifacts and othermaterials related to historical and archaeological re-sources will be stored in the new Visitor Centre archivalcollections.

• The Provincial Parks Act prohibits the removal by thepublic of any artifact from the Park or the disturbance ofany site of archaeological or historical interest.

36 Algonquin Provincial Park • Management Plan Operations Policies

9.0 Operations Policies“Operations” refers to the provision ofservices required to operate the Parkon a day-today basis. These serviceswill be carried out according to a ParkOperating Plan. This Plan will beprepared to provide Park staff with thenecessary information required to operatethe Park. In addition to addressing the operations policieswhich follow, the Plan will include such topics as budget,staffing, maintenance schedules, enforcement andemergency services. The Plan will be consistent with: theOntario Provincial Park Operating Standards, OntarioProvincial Parks Policy and Procedures, the ProvincialParks Act and Regulations, and will be reviewed annuallyand updated as required.

In addition, specific restrictions on forest managementoperations are described in Section 9.2 that are designedto protect natural, cultural, and recreational values in theRecreation/Utilization Zone.

The Provincial Parks Act and Regulations permit the useof structures, installations, improvements, aircraft, motorboats, and logging, road building and other motorizedequipment for Park management or operational purposes.However, all activities are scheduled and conducted in amanner that least conflicts with other recreational usersand conforms as closely as possible to restrictions placedon the public. Overall, a comprehensive system of opera-tional personnel and facilities is required to operate a parkthe size and complexity of Algonquin. These operationswill be detailed in the Park Operating Plan for both thedeveloped areas and the Interior, described as follows.

In the Development Zones, operations consist of facilityadministration, Natural Heritage Education, facility main-tenance and recreation management. These operations

are carried out by either Park staff,contracted services, co-operating

associations or volunteers (e.g., hostand hostess program).• Facility administration includes

reservations, registration, entry controland information delivery.

• Natural Heritage Education describes allvisitor-oriented services and may include informationdelivery, marketing and programmed visitor activities.

• Facility maintenance may consist of waste manage-ment, sanitation, building cleaning, and ground, road,parking lot and general building/facility maintenance,utility operation (e.g., water distribution) and the audit-ing of concessions/contracts (e.g., firewood, laundry,stores and outfitters).

• Recreation management deals with the provision ofmanagement information (e.g., motor horsepower re-strictions), security and enforcement.

The Interior of the Park has five types of park operations:access points, Natural Heritage Education, Interior man-agement, recreation management and stewardship. Theseoperations may be carried out by the Ministry, the privatesector through contracts/agreements or volunteers (e.g.,youth camps).• The maintenance and operation of Interior access

points include: selling permits, providing information,maintaining offices and parking areas, as well as oper-ating the office, fee stations and campgrounds (whereapplicable).

• Natural Heritage Education involves: providing infor-mation and counseling for Interior travelers.

• Interior management includes: maintaining and devel-oping portages, backpacking trails and campsites.

• Recreation management involves: providing informa-tion and counseling travelers, enforcing Park regula-tions and rendering assistance in emergency situations.

• Stewardship operations are carried out in fisheries,wildlife and forestry management programs and mayinclude activities such as creel and wildlife surveys orforest harvesting operations.

Many of these Park operations will be described in moredetail in a Park Operating Plan or in other documents suchas a Natural Heritage Education Strategy or a MarketingStrategy. The following sub-sections outline the basicdirection for many of these operations, including:recreation management, forest management, compliancemonitoring and enforcement, Natural Heritage Education,marketing/tourism and research.

Algonquin Provincial Park • Management PlanOperations Policies

37

9.1Recreation Management

Recreation for visitors to Algonquin canmean car camping along the ParkwayCorridor, enjoying day use activities orexperiencing the Interior or “wilderness”of Algonquin. Since the Park’sestablishment in 1893, recreational andresource management policies havebeen aimed at protecting and per-petuating its natural qualities.

In Development Zones, the aim of rec-reation management is to provide over-night and day use recreational opportu-nities without creating visitor congestionor detracting from the area’s naturalqualities.

Interior management is aimed at pro-viding back-country recreational oppor-tunities while preserving and perpetu-ating the characteristics of the Algon-quin Interior “wilderness” experience.Wilderness is described as a charac-teristic of the land, a distinctive atmosphere that can bereadily recognized or felt by a person visiting that land. A“wilderness” experience includes solitude, natural qualitiesand the absence of human, technological or industrialimpact, such as roads, garbage and motors. In the Interiorof Algonquin, Wilderness Zones and Nature ReserveZones offer these types of experiences. TheRecreation/Utilization Zone also attempts to preservethese characteristics through special forest managementstrategies.

Interior management strategies are designed to mitigateconflicts between users (such as canoeists and motorboatusers) and place controls and regulations on other uses(e.g., forest management). In this way, the integrity of thePark environment is maintained to the maximum degreepossible while still providing for visitor uses and needs.For example, to reduce conflicts between users in somelakes, motorboats are prohibited during the peak summerperiod to preserve the “wilderness” feeling for canoeists,but then are permitted during spring and fall when fishingis the more popular activity. More detailed information onbasic recreation management policies for such activitiesas camping and hiking, fish and wildlife-oriented activities,and motorized and mechanical activities is described asfollows.

9.1.1 Camping and Trail Recreation

Camping areas and trail systems provide opportunities toenjoy the natural features or scenic areas of the Park. The

design and monitoring of campingareas and trail systems areimportant to protect the quality of avisitor’s experience and theenvironment. Park values andvisitor safety are also maintainedthrough education, information,procedures, controls andregulations.

Campsites located incampgrounds, along backpackingtrails or canoe routes are planned,developed, maintained,rehabilitated, reserved, closed orotherwise regulated to ensure pro-tection of the resources.• Guidelines for developing,maintaining and rehabilitatingcampsites will be included in anOperating Plan. The guidelines willprescribe the number of campsitesto be distributed in a campgroundarea or on an individual route or

backpacking trail based on the social, ecological andphysical carrying capacity of the area.

• Campsites are rehabilitated where necessary to ensurea quality experience and to prevent resource damage.

• Existing campsites may be closed where continued usewill cause significant degradation of vegetation, soil orwater quality or substantial conflict with other users.

Trail systems may be developed and/or designated forbackpacking, day hiking, bicycling, horseback riding, dog-sledding and cross-country skiing in appropriate zones.• Trails are constructed and maintained to minimize con-

flicts between users, allow reasonably safe travel, andminimize soil erosion and damage to streams andwildlife habitats.

Recreation capacity is established to ensure the protec-tion of the environment and the visitor experience, toreduce conflicts between users, and for safety purposes.

Development Zones provide camping and day use facili-ties for a large concentration of visitors.

The Interior’s carrying capacity is much lower; therefore,the introduction of large numbers of users would erodebasic wilderness qualities even with careful managementof the resources and visitors.

Interior recreation management policies are directed to-ward developing and implementing a program to regulateand distribute Interior users, guard against overuse andminimize conflicts between users.


• Matching the number of Interior canoe trippers andbackpackers with the supply of campsites is achievedthrough the Park reservation system. The operation ofthe system is described on the Park’s canoe route mapand in the Interior tabloid.

Management of recreationists is carried out througheducation and enforcement of the Provincial Parks Act, itsRegulations, and other associated legislation (see alsoSection 9.3, Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement).Information contained in printed material, such as tabloids,signs or maps, is the principal means by which users areeducated on the management controls for specific recrea-tional activities. Personal contacts are also an importantand essential means of delivering this information.• In campgrounds:

Campers are educated on particular management con-cerns such as the cutting of live growth, removingnatural objects, littering or creating a disturbance toother users.

• In the Interior: Camping is permitted only on designated sites. Campers are required to carry out all non-burnablerefuse in litter bags distributed to them.

Interior travellers are prohibited by regulation from pos-sessing non-burnable food and beverage containersother than containers specifically designed and in-tended for repeated use and for which no deposit ischarged.

To minimize conflicts between motor boats and canoe-ists, motorboats are restricted to certain lakes and havehorsepower restrictions (see Section 9.1.3).

Water skiing and all other related activities are prohib-ited in the Park.

From April 1 to Thanksgiving, the possession of agasoline generator, radio, cassette player or other elec-tronic audio device, except a personal listening device,is prohibited in any area other than an organizedcampground or leasehold, except for maintenance andmanagement purposes by leaseholders, AFA, Ministry,researchers, Ontario Hydro and the Ministry ofTransportation as authorized by the ParkSuperintendent.

Chainsaws are prohibited in the Park except for main-tenance and management purposes by leaseholders,contractors, AFA, MNR, Ontario Hydro, researchersand the Ministry of Transportation as authorized by thePark Superintendent.

New measures to reduce garbage in the Interior maybe introduced.

Visitors will also be encouraged to utilize portablestoves in the Interior as a means of reducing theincidence of recreation-caused fires and lessening thedemands on the natural dead wood supply adjacent toheavily used campsites.

Rock climbing areas will not be designated in AlgonquinPark. The Provincial Parks Act provides that no personshall rappel or climb rock faces in a provincial park withthe aid of ropes, anchors or similar equipment except inan area designated for that purpose.

Safety is important in recreation management and isconsidered in the development of all facilities and in theoperation of the Park.• The Park has some standard emergency procedures

for first aid responses and forest fires, which are avail-able 24 hours a day.

• First aid equipment and telephone or radio assistanceare available in all offices and carried by Interior crews.

• Aircraft may be used in emergency situations.• Search and rescue operations are the responsibility of

the Ontario Provincial Police, and Ministry staff assistwhen requested.

• The proximity of wildlife to Highway 60 creates a safetyconcern for motorists travelling the highway. Road ac-cidents most frequently involve moose and deer atnight. This type of collision will be mitigated through theplacement of warning signs and a reduction in road saltpools.

Forest management practices are modified to minimizeadverse effects on visitors, the recreational resources andthe natural values of the Park.

9.1.2 Fish and Wildlife-Oriented Recreation

The strategies for managing fish and wildlife populationsin the Park were discussed in Section 8.0 (Stewardship).However, equally important, recreational activities thatinfluence or are influenced by fisheries or wildlife popula-tions must also be managed in order to maintain thehealth of these populations.


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Wildlife viewing opportunities exist along the ParkwayCorridor where wildlife is quite accustomed to the pres-ence of people and in the Interior where they may beviewed in their natural habitat. Visitors may see suchanimals as moose, deer, beaver, otter and a variety ofbirds.The wolf, an elusive animal in the Park, is appreciatedthrough “wolf howls,” a late summer interpretive event thatenables visitors to hear howls from a nearby wolf pack.• Viewing areas may be developed on the east side of

the Park and along the Highway 60 corridor to facilitatethis recreational and interpretive activity, as well as toensure the safety of visitors pursuing this activity.

Public hunting activities have been permitted in the Rec-reation/Utilization Zone of Clyde and Bruton Townshipssince 1961 and the McRae Addition since 1993. In re-sponse to local public concerns, this use will not change atthis time and will be permitted to continue at this time.• Clyde, Bruton and Eyre Townships are managed to

provide public hunting opportunities for most gamespecies (e.g., small game and deer, moose and bear).

• The hunting of wolves will not be permitted in the Park.• During specified seasons, hunting is permitted in des-

ignated day hunting areas and out of hunt camps underappropriate permits. Designated day hunting areas in-clude the 3.2-kilometre wide strip centred along thehydro line right-of-way in Clyde Township, a 3.2-kilo-metre wide zone bordering Kingscote Lake and theMcRae Addition.

• Possession and use of firearms is allowed in the Town-ships of Clyde, Bruton and Eyre (McRae Addition) or bytrappers during open seasons, as provided by theGame and Fish Act and Park policy.

• The possession of firearms by the public in the rest ofAlgonquin Park is prohibited except when transportedin a vehicle on Highway 60, where they must remainunloaded and encased.

• The balance of the Park will remain closed to huntingand the possession of firearms, except where

authorized under the provisions of special agreementswith the Algonquins of Ontario.

Hunting is carried out by the Algonquins of Ontario in theeast half of the Park under the provisions of the ‘Algon-quin Hunting Agreement’. The Agreement covers suchmatters as hunting areas, species, harvest numbers,sex/age ratios, monitoring, enforcement and reporting ofthe harvest. Agreements have been negotiated each yearsince 1991 pending the outcome of negotiations of theAlgonquin’s land claim.

Fishing is permitted in Algonquin Park only within regu-lated seasons from the last Saturday in April to the end ofNovember. However, in several identified fish sanctuarywaterbodies, fishing is prohibited year-round.

In the Parkway Corridor, heavily fished areas require moreintensive management to provide fishing opportunities ona sustained basis. Fisheries management initiatives tocontrol angling pressure include:• Experimental regulations that restrict the size of fish

caught have been established on selected Lake Troutlakes and two Brook Trout lakes. The effect of theseregulations is being closely monitored.

• The publication and enforcement of all fisheries regu-lations (especially on lakes with special regulations) willencourage compliance.

• Smallmouth Bass fishing is also being promoted torelieve pressure in Lake Trout lakes.

In the Interior, where the Park contains more than 300lakes with native trout populations, the focus of manage-ment is to protect self-sustaining native trout populationswhile providing high-quality, low-intensity fishing.• Management of recreational fishing activity requires

that access to the Interior remain limited and thatfishing limits (including experimental size limits) beenforced.

• Angling pressure is controlled through conventionalcatch limits and experimental regulations restricting thesize of fish caught on selected Brook Trout lakes.Those lakes subject to experimental regulation areunder intense study to monitor any changes in thefisheries.

• Changes in the Interior access quota will require anassessment of the impact of the change on the fisheryof the area.

• Enforcement and education, as key management de-vices, will encourage compliance to all fishing regula-tions.

• The Algonquin fishery is protected from introductions ofundesirable competing species through a ban on theuse and possession of live bait fish (including crayfish)in Park waters, as well as a ban on organic bait (onlylures are permitted) in certain lakes subject to experi-mental regulations (also see Section 8.5, Fisheries).


9.1.3 Transportation of Recreationists

Transportation is restricted to motorized or mechanicaltransport on designated roads, waters, and land routes. Inareas away from public roads, visitors must rely primarilyon muscle power as a means of transportation. In doingthis, the carrying capacity of the Park is increased andthere is a better chance of visitors relating to Algonquin’senvironment and values. In addition, protection is affordedbiotic and physical resources.• Away from public roads, transportation is restricted to

trails, portages, and waterways by means of foot, ca-noe, hand carts, and, where designated, bicycles,horses and dogsleds.

• Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are not limitedto designated travel routes.

• Permission to travel on other than designated roads,waters and land routes by motorized or mechanicaltransport is by permit only, issued by the Park Super-intendent.

• These regulations do not apply to Ministry staff in themanagement of the Park or during emergencies.

To maintain the natural qualities of the Park and to protectits resources, mechanized and motorized travel are re-stricted to certain areas of the Park.

Mechanized travel refers to the use of devices that rely onnon-motorized means of propulsion.

• The use of horses and horsedrawn carts to haul boats,fishermen, camping equipment and fishing gear is cur-rently restricted to the road joining the Lake Traversroad and White Partridge Lake. Use of this travel route

and campsites on White Partridge Lake is managedthrough the reservation system.

• Bicycles, hand carts and dogsleds are permitted onlyon designated routes.

Motorized vehicles are prohibited in Wilderness, NatureReserve and Historical Zones except in emergencies orfor park management purposes.• In the Access, Development, Natural Environment and

Recreation/Utilization Zones, public use of motorized ormechanical transports designed for use on snow, ice,land or water is permitted only on designated trails,roads and water routes. Authorization to travel on otherthan public routes is only by permission of the ParkSuperintendent.

• Motorized means of transport for emergencies or foradministrative, research, forest management and har-vesting activities and for hydro line and right-of-waymaintenance is permitted in the appropriate zones withprior authorization by the Park Superintendent. Motor-ized travel is minimized within practical limits and careis exercised to avoid conflicts with recreational users.

• Hunters in Clyde, Bruton and Eyre (McRae Addition)Townships may use motor vehicles to travel InteriorPark roads as described in the annual Rules and Regu-lations for Hunting: Algonquin Provincial Park.

• Snowmobile use by the public is permitted only alongthe hydro line corridor in Clyde and Eyre Townships, toprovide winter access between Whitney and the Hali-burton area, and along the section of the Haliburtonsnowmobile trail network that runs along the easternside of the south boundary of Bruton Township.

• Leaseholders and landowners or their designate may,upon request, be permitted by letter of authority totravel by snowmobile to conduct essential maintenancefunctions.

• Snowmobiles may be used by trappers and contractorsas authorized by the Park Superintendent.

• Motor boat use is limited to 38 lakes by regulation.Motor boats with unlimited horsepower are permittedonly on Opeongo and Galeairy Lakes. The remaining


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36 lakes and portions of the Crow River have limits of20 hp or less (see Table 1).

• Youth camps, lodges, outfitters, concessionaires andothers doing business are exempted from the horse-power limit for utilitarian purposes (the movement ofsupplies or passengers) as approved annually by thePark Superintendent.

• No person will be permitted to leave a boat unattendedor permit a boat owned by him or her to be left unat-tended in Algonquin Park except on the lakes and atthe locations designated by the Park Superintendent,as described in Table 2.

• All boats must be removed at the completion of eachtrip.

• Boats may be left unattended overnight in organizedcampgrounds and on leased and patented lands.

• The use of watercraft as floating living quarters isprohibited.

• Water skiing and other related activities (e.g., jet skiing)are not permitted on any waters in the Park.

• Private aircraft use in the Park is not permitted.

• Military land exercises are prohibited in the Park. TheMinistry and the Canadian Forces Bases in Petawawaand Trenton also co-operate to minimize the impact oflow-level flights on Park recreational users.


9.2Forest Management

All forest management operations are restricted in Al-gonquin Park to places, times and areas approved by theMinistry within the Recreation/Utilization Zone. All opera-tions must conform to the Environmental Assessment Actand be carried out in accordance with Ministry implemen-tation manuals. They must also subscribe to specificrestrictions that protect Park values.Overall, the Ministry is interested in protecting site quality,carrying out vegetation management, protecting wildlifeand fisheries habitat, maintaining appropriate aestheticand noise standards, and reducing conflicts with recrea-tional use. The Ministry monitors all operations to ensurethat restrictions are being adhered to on such things astiming and location.

9.2.1 Areas of Concern

The area of concern process within the Park ForestManagement Plan is used to modify forest managementoperations and to protect Park values. This process ofidentifying natural, cultural or recreational values forprotection results in the establishment of no-cut reservesand modified cutting areas. The widthof the area of concern and the no-cut or modified cutareas varies depending on theparticular value (e.g., water-body,wildlife) and characteristics of theland base.• In no-cut reserves, no marking or

cutting is done within a minimum(slope dependent) of 30 metres ofany body of water, 30 metres of apublic road and railway rights-of-way, 60 metres of portages,winter portages, and ski trails, or15 metres of the Algonquin Parkboundary, except for recreation oraesthetic purposes.

• Modified cutting areas, whichoccur beyond the no-cutreservations, specify the type ofsilvicultural system used and thedegree of cutting.

• All slash within 120 metres ofpublicly used waters, publicroads, railway rights-of-way,portages and trails must havetops removed from the reserve orlopped to within 1 metre of theground where safety permits.

9.2.2 Special Management Areas

Vegetation management is modified in Special Manage-ment Areas (SMA5). Classes I and II SMAs are desig-nated to protect significant earth science features. Class ISMA5 include sites that require special managementstrategies to maintain their earth science values (seeAppendix G for details). Class II SMAs include sites thatwill require no additional protection measures because theearth science values are resistant to forest managementactivities. Within both classes of SMAs, the most signifi-cant (provincially significant) or sensitive features aredesignated Nature Reserve Zones (Spek, 1993).

9.2.3 Noise Standards

Noise standards are maintained by the Ministry, desig-nating the timing and location of operations.• Forest management operations (including road con-

struction) carried out between the last Saturday in Juneand Labour Day (both dates inclusive) are prohibitedwithin 1.6 kilometres of canoe routes and recreationaltrails.

• During this same period, the movement of haulingtrucks and other heavy equipment to, from, andthrough these areas is restricted to between 7:30 a.m.

and 6:30 p.m. daylight saving time(Monday to Friday inclusive, statutoryholidays exclusive) with the exception ofthe Achray!Lake Travers Road and allroads north of the Petawawa River (seeAppendix F).• In harvest areas adjacent to high off-season recreational use areas or wherethe topography permits sound travel,noise restrictions may be adjusted inboth the timing and distance ofoperations as determined at the ForestManagement Planning Stage.

9.2.4 Location and Standards forWork Camps and OtherStructures

The location and standards for workcamps and other structures are alsoprescribed and authorized by the Minis-try.• Only temporary portable work campsfor forestry purposes are permitted andare located out of sight and more than

0.8 kilometres from the shore of canoeable lakes andstreams or from portages and hiking trails.


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• A permanent work camp, presently located at Oden-back, will be removed when the adjacent concentrationyard is relocated or no longer required. This situationwill be reviewed at least every five years.

• Camp layout, location and sanitary facilities must havethe Park Superintendent’s advance approval.

• All structures will be removed after use and sitescleaned up by the AFA.

• Sawmills, new concentration yards and forest manufacturing facilities are prohibited in the Park.

• Existing concentration yards, which include Daventry,Lake Travers and Odenback, will be phased out oncethey are no longer required or when alternative loca-tions outside the Park are established.

• The AFA will ensure that existing concentration yardswithin the Park will not exceed 5 hectares, that they willnot be used after the long weekend in July and beforeLabour Day, and that all debris will be disposed of asfuelwood, burned, chipped, mulched or removed on acontinuous basis. Portable chipping will be permittedbut will be subject to sound zone restrictions. Siterehabilitation will be completed once the site has beenabandoned.

9.2.5 Roads and Landings

The location of roads and landings is given specialconsideration.• All landings will be restricted in size to a maximum of

0.2 hectares.• All roads must be constructed in accordance with the

Ministry’s Environmental Guidelines for Access Roadsand Water Crossings, as well as any additional roadconstmction techniques prescribed to protect Parkvalues.

• Roads are developed in accordance with the perma-nent forest management road system strategy and arecontained within an approved Forest ManagementPlan.

• A long-term strategy for the development of tertiaryroads will be produced based on wood flow. The spe-cific location of tertiary roads will be pre-approved atthe Annual Work Schedule Stage.

• Maximum road rights-of-way have been established forall types of roads, including primary (13.7 metres),secondary and tertiary (9.1 metres), as well as forroads crossing no-cut timber reserves (6.7 metres).

• All timber must be cut and salvaged from rights-of-way.• No roads may be constructed within 120 metres of

waters, portages, public roads, railway rights-of-wayand the Park boundary, except in accordance with thestrategy for roads crossing canoe routes (Appendix F).

• Existing roads will be used to gain access to previouslycut harvest areas except where Park values will becompromised. Existing roads are roads that were usedin the previous harvest.

• Roads or clearings will not be permitted within NatureReserve, Historical or Wilderness Zones.

• Existing roads located in Nature Reserve or HistoricalZones will be phased out where possible. Most of theseroads were developed prior to the establishment of theNature Reserve or Historical Zones.

• Existing roads in Wilderness Zones will be phased out.• Existing roads in the Recreation/Utilization Zone may

also be phased out if alternative means of access,which would have a lesser impact on Park values, areavailable or possible.

• Existing road crossings of the Park boundary, otherthan public access roads, may be phased out, and nonew road crossings will be permitted.

9.2.6 Recreational Use of Logging Roads

The recreational use of logging roads demonstrateshow recreation and forestry can exist to their mutualbenefit. The primary use of these roads is for forestproduct extraction and Park management. The secondaryuses of some of these roads may be for recreationalactivities, such as dogsledding, horseback riding, moun-tain biking or other similar activities. However, the forestindustry and the Park will recognize, in their planning, therequirements of recreational operators for business plan-ning and trail preparation.• Recreational activities on logging roads will be sepa-

rated in time and space from forest management op-erations. In the event of a conflict, the recreational useswill be directed to other areas.

• The Ministry, the AFA and the recreational operatorswill address ecological, forestry and recreational con-cerns in their advance planning.

• Trail locations may vary from year to year. Throughinformation and proper signage, the location of trailswill be made clear each operating season to ensurevisitor safety.

9.2.7 Road Crossings of Waterways and Portages

Road crossings of waterways and portages are limitedto those essential for timber harvesting activities and aresubject to other resource protection considerations. Wheresuch crossings are necessary, the protection of fisherieshabitat and the maintenance of water quality are providedfor through the application of environmental guidelines,such as the Ministry’s Environmental Guidelines forAccess Roads and Water Crossings, Code of Practice forTimber Management Operations in Riparian Areas, andTimber Management Guidelines for the Protection of FishHabitat. In addition, district approval procedures,mitigative techniques and methods of avoiding criticalhabitats are used.• Road crossings of canoe routes are by bridge, with a

clearance to preclude the need for portaging.


• Roads between 120 and 460 metres of canoe routeshave a right-of-way width of 9.1 metres.

• Waterway and portage crossings by roads will be con-structed in accordance with the strategy for roads thatcross canoe routes (Appendix F).

• Crossings may be temporary or permanent.• No new crossings of portages or canoe routes will be

allowed unless no other options are available. Thetrading of one crossing for another is not allowed.

• An existing crossing may be eliminated if its existenceis no longer justified.

• Sections of roads that cross portages, trails and navi-gable or publicly used streams and rivers will be reha-bilitated after use to hasten the return of vegetation,thereby minimizing the impact on the recreational useof the Interior and ensuring greater site protection.

9.2.8 Transportation of Timber and Other Activities

Transportation of timber harvested in the Park is via thePark’s road network to forest products industries locatedoutside the Park.• The rafting of logs across lakes and the driving of rivers

is prohibited in the Park, and Park waters may not beused as log storage areas.

• The transportation of unmanufactured forest productsfrom areas outside Algonquin Park to manufacturingfacilities outside via Algonquin roads is permitted onlyover public roads in the Park.

• The salvage of old logs from Algonquin Park waters isnot permitted.

• Herbicides may be used in commercial vegetationcontrol in the Recreation/Utilization Zones; however,the AFA will look at viable alternatives to the use ofherbicides for silvicultural purposes. Herbicides will onlybe used as a last resort.

• Aggregate pit use and operation will be carried out asdescribed in Section 8.1.3.

9.3Compliance Monitoring and Enforcement

The enforcement of regulations is part of resource andrecreation management. As an operational program, itconsists of three parts: education, information and en-forcement. The management of Algonquin Park is heavilydependent upon visitor education as well as regulationsand guidelines designed to protect the Park’s naturalresources and the quality of a visitor’s recreational expe-rience. Personal contacts and printed material are used todisseminate information. Public education and the pres-ence of staff can mitigate the need for further restrictionsand reduce the number of charges.

Enforcement is carried out for all resource managementactivities in the Park. The Park’s lands and waters areprotected under legislation and through special manage

ment guidelines outlined in this plan. Leaseholders mustcomply with such regulations as the Lakes and RiversImprovement Act, Public Lands Act and EnvironmentalProtection Act, and with the conditions of their lease.Forest management activities are monitored by both Min-istry staff and the AFA to ensure that work is conducted inaccordance with the Crown Forest Sustainability Act andother applicable acts, regulations and Park guidelines.Fire officers as well as conservation officers and parkwardens enforce the Forest Fire Prevention Act and carryout inspections to see that the conditions of work permitshave been met.

Recreation management also relies on enforcement ac-tivities. The Provincial Parks Act and its regulations areenforced by conservation officers, deputy conservationofficers and park wardens. Algonquin Park officers alsoenforce up to 16 other provincial statutes including theGame and Fish Act, Liquor Licence Act, Fisheries Act andregulations under them.• Regulatory controls are introduced or modified as re-

quired.• Officers also provide some assistance to other opera-

tional or management programs, such as the animalcontrol program.

• Personal contact is an effective means of deliveringenforcement and public education messages, but Parksignage and publications (e.g., tabloids and canoeroute maps) are also essential in relaying importantregulatory messages and to further educate the publicin recreation management problems. In campgrounds,the information covers noise and liquor-related of-fences while Interior information emphasizes regula-tions governing campfire use, can and bottle ban, fish-ing limits and the cutting of live vegetation. Futurechanges in management policies may occur to facilitaterecreation management.

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP), who have a man-date for enforcement within the Provincial Parks System,have eight OPP detachments that have jurisdiction inAlgonquin Park. The OPP are responsible forcriminal, andsearch and rescue procedures and MNR staff assist theOPP as required. The Whitney OPP detachment routinelypatrols the Parkway Corridor Development Zone with aspecial emphasis on criminal investigations, HighwayTraffic Act violations and boating regulations.

9.4 Natural Heritage Education

Natural Heritage Education encompasses all aspects ofthe Park’s operations: fish, wildlife, fire, forestry and rec-reation. It provides Park visitors with information andprograms that foster their appreciation of Park natural andcultural values.


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The Natural Heritage Education Program is designed toprovide information, interpretation and recreational skillsdevelopment to visitors. The Park Natural HeritageEducation Program is the largest program of its kind in theprovincial parks system, making approximately one millioncontacts per year through its facilities, publications andpersonal contacts.

The program is enhanced and product development isfacilitated through an agreement between the Park and itsco-operating association, the Friends of Algonquin Park.This agreement includes an array of Park publicationsand the operation of two bookstores.

The Natural Heritage Education Program is developedand presented in concert with other Park programs. Fish-eries, wildlife and forestry personnel provide technical andprofessional expertise and assist in the development andpresentation of Natural Heritage Education initiatives.

A Natural Heritage Education Plan has been completed. Itoutlines the facilities, programs and services that make upthe Natural Heritage Education Program and indicatesfuture strategies or initiatives. This plan has been devel-oped in accordance with the provincial and regional Natu-ral Heritage Education policies and strategies and will beupdated to reflect new Park strategies. It will also berevised to reflect new facilities and the enhanced role ofthe Friends of Algonquin Park in delivering the program(see Strickland et al., 1981).

The Park’s Natural Heritage Education Program is classi-fied as a “major activity” program. Operating out of theVisitor Centre, it provides all three components of theprogram year-round: information, interpretation and rec-reational skills development. The program will also serveas a resource centre for programs in nearby parks.

9.4.1 Information

Visitors to Algonquin Park require information on thePark’s facilities, activities, services, rules and regulations,management, recreational opportunities, and unique at-tractions. Information is provided outside the Park throughpersonal contacts and the distribution of publications tomedia, interest groups, peripheral provincial parks and theprovincial parks system information service at Queen’sPark, as well as to outside travel and tourism-orientedagencies (see Section 9.5, Marketing and Tourism).Within Algonquin Park, the Natural Heritage EducationProgram supplies information through facilities, programs,and personal contacts, as well as the use of print, audio-visual and display media and signs.

Information is conveyed through 27 different facilities inthe Park including: the East and West Gates on Highway60, a reservation office, 5 campground offices, 13 access

points and 2 store/outfitting concessions, as well as theVisitor Centre and the Logging Museum (see Section10.4).

Visitors also receive information through personal con-tacts with Park staff and private contractors or throughspecial group visits with park wardens, conservation offi-cers, Interior crews, AFA or other Ministry staff in the Park.Park staff include reservations, park operations, resourcemanagement, enforcement and Natural Heritage Educa-tion personnel. Reservations staff provide personal orwritten information to those planning to visit the Park. Staffoperating the East and West Gate Information Centresand permit-issuing stations (campground offices and ac-cess points) provide information verbally as well asthrough the distribution of publications. Natural HeritageEducation staff provide information at interpretive facilities,such as the Visitor Centre and Logging Museum, andthrough interpretive programs, such as conducted hikes,audio-visual shows and campsite visitations. Limited serv-ices in French are available from staff in the Park.

Park publications are an essential means of informationdelivery in the Park and currently consist of more than 50publications, including the Park leaflet, Highway 60 andInterior tabloids, campground brochures, winter trails in-formation, maps, and the Park’s newsletter The Raven.Almost all of these publications are available in French,and some have been translated into other languages.

Signs located in the Park also serve to identify facilities,direct visitors and provide information on the Park’s re-sources or management policies and are part of a com-prehensive Sign Plan.• A short-range radio station has been established to

broadcast Park information and upcoming events.

9.4.2 Interpretation

Algonquin Park contains a very rich cross-section of bothnatural and cultural resources which can be effectivelyinterpreted. Through the Natural Heritage Education inter-pretive program, visitors gain a better understanding,appreciation, and enjoyment of the Park. The interpretiveprogram is available in many areas of the Park but isprimarily focused on those areas that have large concen-trations of visitors. It caters to all user groups and isorganized on the basis of visitor activity preferences andthemes associated with Algonquin Park’s character, his-tory and natural qualities.

The major Algonquin interpretive themes include: geologyand geomorphology, flora and fauna, human history andthe Algonquin wilderness. Interpretation is carried outthrough the use of facilities, self-use or guided activitiesand programs.


The interpretive program uses the Visitor Centre and theLogging Museum to present audio-visual programs, natu-ral and cultural exhibits and interpretive programs orevents. The former Park museum has been redevelopedand is now the Algonquin Gallery.

In summer there are daily interpretive programs andevents conducted in other areas of the Park, includingslide presentations at the Pog Lake Outdoor Theatre andguided walks along trails. Children’s programs, specialevents such as wolf howls and individual group presenta-tions are also carried out in different areas of the Park.These programs are scheduled on a regular basis duringthe peak season but are reduced during the off-season.Personal contact between visitors services staff and Parkvisitors at the Visitor Centre and Logging Museum alsooffer opportunities for interpretation. A great deal of inter-pretive information is also provided through Park publica-tions. Interpretive publications include trail guides, weeklyeditions of the Park newsletter (The Raven), a canoe routemap (containing both practical and interpretive material),technical bulletins and books on the natural and culturalfeatures of the Park.• The interpretive program will continue to expand with

the addition of new events, programs and publicationsas well as facilities.

• Greater emphasis will also be placed on delivering aNatural Heritage Education Program on the north andeast sides of the Park (Achray, Brent and Kiosk),through self-guided trails, guidebooks and signs.

9.4.3 Recreation

Recreation is a component of the Natural Heritage Edu-cation Program that is directed toward developing visitors’outdoor recreational skills so that they may enjoy the Park.Recreational skills development in Algonquin emphasizesthe more popular recreational activities, such as canoeingand camping, but also focuses on other interests, such asfishing and bird watching. These skills are taught through

slide and film presentations, conducted hikes, specialevents (canoe demonstrations) and publications (such asthe canoe route map) that contain practical information oncanoeing and camping.

Park staff, contractors and volunteers have a major role inskills development through personal contacts with visitors.

9.5 Marketing and Tourism

Marketing in Algonquin is a management tool that identi-fies the characteristics of visitors and their needs. It alsocommunicates with these groups how the Park can meettheir needs.

Algonquin Park attracts visitors from all over the world.The majority (85%) of visitors originate from the immediatevicinity of the Park and southern Ontario, and the remain-der from outside the province. Provincial user surveyshave also determined that two-thirds of Park visitors aresmall groups of two to four people, with couples and smallfamilies predominating. Visitors to Algonquin may also beclassified according to whether they are day users, carcampers or Interior users and by their principal activitieswhile in the Park, such as canoeing, camping, fishing,picnicking, sightseeing, cross-country skiing and hiking.These visitor patterns and statistics are useful for monitor-ing user trends to determine marketing strategies.• A marketing plan will be produced to describe how the

Park will be marketed in relation to specific usergroups. It will be produced in concert with theAlgonquin Park Management Plan, the Park MarketingStudy, the Provincial Parks Marketing Plan, the Ministryof Economic Development, Trade and Tourismmarketing plans and the marketing plans of theChambers of Commerce, tourist associations and travelassociations in the area.

Currently, marketing of Algonquin Park is achievedthrough the use of publications, media, travel and tradeshows, and familiarization tours. This involves providingaccurate and timely information through television, radio,newspapers, signs, magazines, maps, travel guides andbooklets.

Distribution or use of this marketing material or expandingexisting markets is also facilitated by communicating withthe private sector, special interest groups, other Ministries(in particular the Ministry of Citizenship, Culture andRecreation and the Ministry of Transportation), tourislassociations, travel associations and local Chambers ofCommerce.

Private enterprises such as resorts, outfitters and clubs!organizations located inside and outside the Park promote


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their services in relation to the Park, and thus indirectlypromote Algonquin.

As part of their tourism-oriented services, the Chambers ofCommerce, tourist associations and travel associationsadjacent to the Park provide information on Algonquin totravellers.

The Ministry of Citizenship, Culture and Recreation assistsin marketing and promoting Algonquin as part of its ownprovincial mandate, through its international travel tradeoffices around the world, travel information centres acrossthe province, regional field offices and telecommunicationcentre in Toronto. Its advertising and promotion sectionalso provides coverage of Algonquin in its maps, guidesand booklets. The Ministry of Transportation assists byincorporating information on Algonquin into the OfficialRoad Map of Ontario and by providing external highwaysigns.

• Future marketing strategies may incorporate new ac-tivities, programs, services and facilities to meet visi-tors’ needs and attract new visitors both nationally andinternationally.

• Activities in the shoulder seasons and in under-utilizedareas will also be examined.

• A specific clientele will be targeted for new and reno-vated facilities and services that were put in place forthe 100th anniversary of Algonquin, including the newVisitor Centre and the Logging Museum.

• More innovative techniques for providing timely andaccurate information to an anticipated increase in thevolume and diversity of visitors will be considered.

• Concessions and outfitting services that provide essen-tial supplies and services to visitors will also continue tobe upgraded.

9.6 Research

Algonquin has a long history of encouraging field-orientedresearch and more than 1,800 scientific papers have beenpublished on research activities in the Park. Typically,more than two dozen research programs are conductedannually in the fields of biology, geology, human historyand user behaviour. Some projects are short-term whileothers span years or even decades. This research hascontributed to the knowledge of the Park’s natural andcultural history, to its resource and recreational manage-ment as well as the Park’s interpretive program.The Park provides numerous opportunities for researchbecause of its unique location, large area, relatively natu-ral conditions, diversity of flora and fauna and researchfacilities. Four research facilities exist in the Park and areused extensively by the Ministry and the academic com-munity.

• Since 1944 the Wildlife Research Station at SasajewunLake has carried out considerable work on mammals,birds and invertebrates.

• The Forest Research Station at Swan Lake conductslong-term ecological research that is essential for sus-tainable ecosystem management.

• The Harkness Laboratory of Fisheries Research onLake Opeongo was established in 1936 to study lakeproductivity and the dynamics of fish populations andcommunities (with an emphasis on Lake Trout, BrookTrout and Smallmouth Bass).

• In 1976 the Algonquin Fisheries Assessment Unit wasestablished as part of a provincial network to collectinformation on a series of ‘type lakes’ to assist staff inmanaging the fishery both in the Park and in similartypelakes across the province. The lakes monitored in thePark are representative of cold, deep waterbodies withfish communities consisting of self-sustaining popula-tions of Lake and Brook Trout and Smallmouth Bass.The long-term monitoring program examines the effectsof stresses such as acid rain and exploitation, andevaluates various management actions in the Park.

• Many other research programs are carried out in thePark without the benefit of research facilities. Thesemay include field studies such as recreational surveysor acid rain monitoring.

The Algonquin Park Visitor Centre, while not a researchfacility, plays an important role in facilitating Park researchby maintaining historical and photographic archives andimportant botanical, zoological, geological and archae-ological collections that are available for use by the re-search community. A list of current Park research projectsis maintained at the Visitor Centre, and copies of allreports, scientific papers, theses and books are housed inthe library.

One additional research facility, the Algonquin Radio Ob-servatory, is operated at Lake Travers by Natural Re-sources Canada. The Observatory and its research activi-ties are dependent on the stable geological conditions atthis location on the Canadian Shield. Recently, the pur-pose and scale of the research program and its supportfacilities have been completely reviewed and the focusnarrowed to the needs of global and planetary navigation.This has identified the future need for only the large radiodish and a small amount of the existing facility infrastruc-ture.

All research programs require the approval of the ParkSuperintendent and must meet all the requirements underapplicable provincial and federal legislation.

• A Research Management Plan will be developed forthe Park by an interdisciplinary Park ResearchCommittee.


• Research activities and facilities must be compatiblewith protection objectives and recreational uses in thePark.

• Research activities are subject to development andmanagement policies for Natural Environment Parksunless otherwise permitted.

• Removal of natural materials or artifacts is strictly pro-hibited unless authorized by the Park Superintendent,and any materials removed remain the property of theMinistry.

• Sites altered by research activities will be rehabilitatedto as close to their original condition as possible.

• Research proposals may originate from within or out-side the Ministry of Natural Resources; however, theMinistry will encourage outside researchers to addressspecific questions of concern to Park resource man-agement.

• Research activities will be consistent with the OntarioParks Research and Information Strategy (1997) andPark Management Policy P.M. 2.45.

• Research proposals are evaluated by the Park Re-search Committee (and outside authorities as required)based on the principle that the potential benefits of theresearch must outweigh the impact of the research onPark users and resources. Only if the positive benefitsof the research outweigh any negative impacts is per-mission granted. Otherwise, modifications may be re-quired or the project proposal is denied. This ensuresthat there will be no unacceptable impact on either theenvironment or the use of the area, and that the collec-tion or destruction of any materials will be strictly con-trolled.

Algonquin Provincial Park • Management PlanDevelopment Policies

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10.0 Development PoliciesStructures and improvements in AlgonquinPark are limited to those needed tosupport the level of services to Parkvisitors described in this plan. Thesefacilities are located primarily inDevelopment and Access Zones and toa lesser degree in Wilderness, NaturalEnvironment and Recreation/ UtilizationZones.• The extent and nature of future

development willbe limited by the carrying capacity of the Park itself.

• New developments or improvements to existing struc-tures are carried out in accordance with the ProvincialParks Development Standards and Development Poli-cies, as well as approved site and development plans.

• All development projects must conform to the Environ-mental Protection Act and be approved under the En-vironmental Assessment Act.

• All new recreational facilities and improvements to ex-isting facilities will provide barrier-free access to thephysically challenged, where possible.

Proposed future development projects or improvementswill be contingent upon available funding (see Section11.0, Implementation). These facilities (Figure 4), bothexisting and future, are described under the followingcategories: recreation, access and circulation, commer-cial, Natural Heritage Education, research, administrativeand operational facilities, and utilities.

10.1 Recreational Facilities

A variety of structures and improvements have beendeveloped to provide recreational facilities and services inAlgonquin Park. The majority of development has oc-curred at the beaches and lakes of the Parkway Corridoror at access points around the perimeter of the Park. Inthe Parkway Corridor Development Zone and some pe-ripheral Development Zones (e.g., Kiosk, Brent andAchray), campgrounds, day use areas and/or interpretivefacilities have been developed to support the greatestconcentrations of visitors. In comparison, minimal devel-opment has been required in the Wilderness, NaturalEnvironment and Recreation/Utilization Zones to sustainInterior use.• Future recreational developments and improvements

will be designed to provide for a greater variety ofactivities, improve the quality of services and facilitiesand realign these facilities and services to ensure theirsupport of the Park goal and objectives.

• There will be minimal provision of facilities to accom-modate additional campers and trippers in the ParkwayCorridor.

• Any development will be focused onthe perimeter areas, and further studywill be undertaken to determine theirneeds.

Existing and future recreationalfacility developments in the Park are

described under the followingheadings: day use, Development Zone

camping and Interior camping.

10.1.1 Day Use Facilities

Day use facilities allow visitors to participate in suchactivities as hiking, bicycling, cross-country skiing, scenic!wildlife viewing, picnicking, fishing, canoeing, horsebackriding, dogsledding, hunting, snowshoeing and visitingPark interpretive facilities while also experiencing thenatural, scientific and historical aspects of the Park.

The majority of day users participate in activities usingfacilities along the Parkway Corridor, while a smallernumber go into the Interior through various access pointsaround the periphery of the Park. The opportunities to gainan initial appreciation of Algonquin through day visits willbe enhanced as a greater variety of day use facilities andservices are provided or existing ones improved.

Day use trails operated in the Park include interpretive,cross-country ski, bicycle, horseback riding, dogsled andsnowshoe.• Some trails may be used for different seasonal uses.• Summer horseback riding opportunities are available

on the Leaf Lake ski trail system, on logging roads inthe McManus Lake area near Achray and in Clyde andBruton Townships, when these roads are not beingused for logging.

• The horseback riding, dogsled and snowshoe trailsmay also be used for camping.

• Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are not limitedto designated travel routes.

• The development, maintenance and operation of rec-reational trails in Algonquin Park by the private sectormay be permitted but must be authorized in advance,by the Park Superintendent (e.g., horseback ridingtrails of youth camps and Algonquin Nordic Ski Trails inBruton Township).

• Trail development and use must have minimal impacton the Park’s environment and other users.

• The continued operation of new types of trail facilitiesdepends on level of use, funding or the establishmentof co-operative management agreements with clubs orassociations interested in maintaining the trails.

50 Algonquin Provincial Park • Management PlanDevelopment Policies

• Concession services will continue to offer equipmentrentals for a variety of seasonal activities.

(See Section 9.2.6, Recreational Use of LoggingRoads.)

Wildlife/scenic viewing opportunities are available alongthe Parkway Corridor.• Wildlife/scenic viewing opportunities may be improved

through the provision of viewing areas in Development,Recreation/Utilization and Natural Environment Zones.

Picnic areas have been established along the ParkwayCorridor (Highway 60). Since bathing opportunities areavailable at only three of these facilities, demand presentlyexceeds supply.• Although further opportunities are limited bythe present

level of development on lakes in the Corridor, day useopportunities for picnicking and swimming can be in-creased by upgrading existing sites and creating a fewnew sites along the Parkway Corridor or on the Parkperiphery.

Most waterways in the Park, with the exception of fishsanctuaries, offer fishing opportunities.• Further opportunities for shore fishing in day use areas,

especially for families and people with disabilities, willbe pursued.

Interpretive facilities include the Visitor Centre and theLogging Museum. The former Park Museum has beenconverted into the Algonquin Gallery (see Section 10.4,Natural Heritage Education Facilities).

10.1.2 Campground Facilities

Campground facilities include car campgrounds as well aswalk-in and paddle-in campsites.

In the Parkway Corridor Development Zone, there arecurrently 1,220 campsites in eight campgrounds, 16 pad-dle-in campsites and a group camping facilitywith 18 sites.• Future development or expansion of facilities along the

Parkway Corridor will be limited to avoid infringing onother users, the Interior and Park values.

• All campgrounds in the Parkway Corridor DevelopmentZone will be maintained at, or close to, their presentlevels. Development will emphasize the upgrading andrehabilitation of existing campgrounds and sites andthe redevelopment of sites to replace site closures.

• Existing campgrounds will also be improved throughthe provision of new or renovated facilities, includingwashrooms, showers, electrical sites and other siteamenities.

• Additional paddle-in, walk-in or boat-in sites may beprovided to meet the demand for more secluded camp-ing opportunities in proximity to campground areas.

• In total, approximately 1,350 campsites may be pro-vided along the Parkway Corridor Development Zone.This limit reflects land capability, quality of visitor expe-rience and public recommendations that further inten-sive development within the Park be limited and thatadditional demands be focused on perimeter areas.

• Limited winter camping opportunities will be provided,including car camping and more remote snowshoe andski-in opportunities using existing facilities. The totalnumber of sites operated and their locations will bebased on need.

The Kiosk, Brent and Achray Development Zones lo-cated on the west, north and east peripheries of the Parkcontain approximately 84 sites within three campgrounds.These sites accommodate about 17,000 camper days ofrecreation per year.• In these areas, future development of organized car

campgrounds will be restricted to smaller, more inti-mate units.

• Roofed accommodation may be made available.• The remaining access points will be upgraded where

required and may be reviewed for campground devel-opment.

• The campground at Kiosk, located on the north side ofthe Park, currently provides 17 campsites. This camp-ground may be redesigned and upgraded to parkstandards to provide additional campsites and toincrease spacing between sites.

• The Brent campground contains 28 sites and may beredesigned to increase site capacity and to meet Parkstandards.


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53

• Additional car camping opportunities may be providedon the east side of the Park. Other recreational oppor-tunities such as a hiking trail or walk-in or paddle-insites may also be provided there.

The Rain Lake access point, on the west side, contains10 campsites and may be upgraded. The access pointcabin is also available under the cabin rental program.

At Basin Lake, current facilities and services appear to beadequate. However, additional development may beconsidered if a need is demonstrated in the future.

The potential for campsite development, at the south endof the Park, at the Kingscote Lake Access Point, will bestudied.

The rest of the car-oriented camping pressure on Algon-quin Park will be met outside the Park in other provincialpark, private park and resort area developments.

10.1.3 Interior Camping Facilities

Algonquin Park is the largest canoe-camping park inOntario, and while it may not represent a true wildernessarea, it does provide a high-quality experience for Interiortravellers. Interior camping facilities include campsites forcanoeists, backpackers, horseback riders, skiers, dog-sledders and snowshoers.

The Interior of the Park currently generates about 300,000camper days per annum through 1,946 Interior campsiteslocated on a network of canoe routes. Access is gainedto the Interior through nine access points along Highway60 and through 20 access points on the perimeter of thePark (see Section 10.2, Access and Circulation).

Interior canoe-campsite development will be maintainedat, or close to, current levels. Further campsite and canoeroute development cannot be provided without a deterio-ration of canoe-camping or environmental quality. How-ever, sites may be developed to replace those closed dueto fire or overuse, and to allow for the redistribution of usepatterns.• User trends indicate that more canoeists are travelling

to a particular destination area to camp. Therefore,additional sites may be developed within the first day’stravel zone to accommodate both the destination camp-ers and Interior trippers.

• Interior campsites will continue to be permitted in Na-ture Reserve Zones where they will not impair thevalues for which the zones were established. Thesecampsites will be recognized as non-conforming useswithin these zones. Portages, trails and signs for routeidentification will be provided where required.

• Additional improvements in facilities, such as upgradingaccess roads and access points, and increased

campsite and canoe route maintenance will be under-

taken as funding permits.Existing ranger cabins, scattered throughout the Park,have been upgraded to preserve their heritage and toprovide overnight accommodation for Interior users in allseasons. There are 14 cabins strategically locatedthroughout the Interior that required only minor upgradingto meet public safety and fire protection standards. Someare accessible by canoe and some by road.• The cabins are available for a fee and may be reserved

through the Park reservation service.• Cabins are equipped with bunks, a wood stove, a table,

benches and other small accessories as required toretain their rustic character.

• Interior access point offices are responsible for sellingpermits, controlling use, upgrading and maintenance.

• No additional cabins will be constructed in the Interior.Any additional cabins will be built only in DevelopmentZones where public access already exists.

Algonquin Park offers overnight camping opportunities onthree long-distance backpacking trails. The 35-kilometreHighland Trail has 21 campsites and the Western UplandsTrail has 68 campsites along its 93-kilometre length. Bothtrails are accessible from the Parkway Corridor. Access tothe top end of the latter trail can also be gained from theRain Lake access point. The Eastern Pines Trail nearAchray has two loops of 6 kilometres and 15 kilometres inlength, with 14 Interior campsites.• The need for and possible locations for the provision of

additional backpacking opportunities on the east side ofAlgonquin Park will be considered.

• Further horseback riding opportunities with overnightcamping facilities may be provided.

• Winter camping must take place no closer than 30metres from lakes, portages and Interior summercampsites.


• Temporary winter tent camps have been operated bycommercial dogsledders for the benefit of their clientson a trial basis under agreement with the Park. Theseagreements will continue to be issued on a yearly basisand are limited to the organizations that have devel-oped and are maintaining the dogsled trail for publicuse and for use by other commercial dogsledders.

10.2 Access and Circulation Facilities

Access routes provide a valuable means of designing,controlling and dispersing use in Algonquin Park. Accessand circulation facilities consist of access points, roadsand structures.

There are 29 access points and six departure pointslocated around the perimeter of Algonquin. Highway 60,managed and operated by the Ministry of Transportation,is the main access road into the Park. This highwayprovides access to day use facilities, campgrounds andcampground offices, interpretive facilities and nine loca-tions for Interior access. The 20 other access points arelocated on the outer boundaries of the Park, and four ofthese access points also provide access to small devel-oped campgrounds. Departure points are available on sixrivers, four of which connect with the four waterway parksthat border the Park.• There will be no additional Interior access points devel-

oped other than a possible southern entry consideredfor the area of the Galipo Lakes.

• The upgrading (e.g., Brent Lake and Rain Lake accessroads) or relocation of existing access roads and ac-cess points (e.g., Lake Travers and Shall Lake) ispermitted.

There are two provincial highways within the Park,Highway 60 and 630. Highway 60 runs east-west throughthe lowerthird of the Park, with information centres locatedat the East and West Gates. At the information centres,Park visitors may purchase permits or receive informationwhile traffic passing through the Park may proceed withoutdelay. Highway 630, which extends 28 kilometres south-ward from Highway 17 into the former Kiosk townsite,provides access to the Kiosk Development Zone.• There will be no additional highways routed in or

through the Park and the widening of existing highwayswill be discouraged. However, minor re-alignments maybe considered to improve traffic and visitor safety,provided Park values are not jeopardized.

• Modifications, such as additional turn-off lanes and pull-off areas, may be constructed on Highway 60 toprovide viewing opportunities and to facilitate trafficflow.

Public park roads are constructed in Development andAccess Zones to provide access to waterways and camp

grounds located on the perimeter of the Park and alongthe Parkway.

Non-public park roads are restricted to authorized vehi-cles and are signed and/or gated accordingly. Theseroads are constructed and maintained by the AFA andMNR for forestry and park management activities in theRecreation/Utilization Zone, and are developed in accord-ance with the Park Management Plan and the AlgonquinPark Forest Management Plan. All roads are designedand located to protect natural values and to minimizeadverse effects on recreational resources.• Roads are not permitted in Wilderness Zones.• Where possible, roads located in Nature Reserve and

Historical Zones will be phased out. Some of thesewere developed prior to the establishment of the zones.

• No new roads will be constructed in Nature Reserve orHistorical Zones.

• Waterway and portage crossings by roads will be con-structed in accordance with the strategy for roads thatcross canoe routes (Appendix F).

• No new crossings of portages or canoe routes will beallowed unless no other options are available. Thislimits waterway and portage crossings by roads to theminimum essential for timber harvesting activities.

• The rationale for any existing crossings will be peri-odically reviewed, and crossings may be removed iftheir use is no longer justified.

• Existing road crossings of the Park boundary, otherthan public access roads, will be phased out wherepossible.

• No new road crossings of the boundary are permitted.• As mentioned in Section 10.1, further trail development

will be carried out to improve the recreational opportu-nities available for backpacking, dogsledding andhorseback riding.

• The existing system of portages will be retained, butadditional portages may be developed to inaccessiblelakes for redistribution of use.

• Footbridges or boardwalks are provided only on trailsand portages where users cannot safely use steppingstones or footlogs.

• Dock construction is limited to areas without suitablenatural landings.

• Several canoe routes rely on the natural or artificialdams to sustain navigable water levels. Existing damsmay be maintained or they may be removed, taking intoconsideration water levels essential for canoe travel aswell as the impact on biota and aesthetics (see Section8.2, Water Management).


55

10.3 Commercial Facilities

A number of commercial facilities are located in the Parkthat are operated by the private sector under commercialleases and agreements. These include lodges and youthcamps, which have been privately developed, and Park-owned facilities that are operated by concessionaires.

The three lodges located along the Parkway Corridorprovide accommodation and services to a segment ofsociety that chooses not to camp but wish to partake ofthe Park environment. Lodge facilities include accommo-dation, dining, boat/canoe rentals, snack bars and recrea-tional facilities.

The six youth camps located in the Corridor make asignificant contribution to the park by increasing an aware-ness of natural areas among young people. Although thecamps provide an array of on-site facilities for their pro-grams, the primary focus of their programs is on environ-mental awareness through their tripping programs.

• All privately owned facilities in the Park are encour-aged to pursue activities/programs that foster anunderstanding and appreciation of the naturalenvironment and have a minimal impact on Parkresources.

• They must receive prior authorization to develop newfacilities or structures, or modify existing structures(with the exception of basic maintenance).

• Ontario Parks commenced to negotiate lease renewalsin 1997 with all lodges and youth camps.

• The provision of additional moderately priced lodgeservices or hostels in the Park will be studied.

Commercial concessions operate in Park facilities undercontract agreements to provide essential goods andservices for visitors. These are provided to meet visitorneeds rather than attempting to capitalize upon a businessopportunity. Although in many instances visitor needs canbe accommodated by facilities located outside of the Park,the distances involved in the Corridor make this impracti-cal. Generally, the concession services and the locationswhere they are provided have an important impact ontravel patterns and the quality of experience provided forall user groups. This principle and the definition of anacceptable, yet essential concession service are appliedin drafting the concession proposals.

Currently there are concessions for firewood, laundry andoutfitting services, stores and restaurants in the Park. Thefirewood and laundry concessions operate to service thecampgrounds in the Parkway Corridor. Outfitting servicesat Canoe Lake, Opeongo Lake and Brent provide orienta-tion and educational information to trippers as well asessential goods and services for visitors. Basic food and

camping needs are also provided to the Interior campersat stores on Canoe and Opeongo Lakes, and a similarservice is available to campground visitors at the Lake ofTwo Rivers Store. The Lake of Two Rivers Store, thePortage Store on Canoe Lake and the Visitor Centre alsohave restaurant facilities.• Additional services may be provided where a need is

identified, and with the approval of the Park Superin-tendent.

• The development of commercial facilities is not permit-ted on patent land located in the Park unless author-ized by the Park Superintendent.

10.4 Natural Heritage Education Program Facilities

Natural Heritage Education facilities are located primarilyalong the Parkway Corridor in close proximity to the largeconcentrations of visitors. Information is made available atthe East and West Gates, five campground offices, 9access point offices, the Logging Museum and the VisitorCentre. Interpretive facilities include self-guided interpre-tive trails, the Tom Thomson Cabin, the Pog Lake OutdoorTheatre, the Visitor Centre and the Logging Museum.

There are 16 self-guided interpretive trails, 13 of whichare located along the Parkway Corridor and three on thenorth and east sides of the Park. These trails, which areused by approximately 200,000 visitors per year, takeadvantage of scenic lookouts, vistas, historic sites andother special features. They provide outstanding hikingand viewing opportunities and interpret the natural andhuman history of the Park.• Periodic reviews of user trends are conducted to deter-

mine the need for further interpretive opportunities.

Historic cabins in the Park include the Tom ThomsonCabin, which was used by the renowned artist who in-spired the Group of Seven. Located at the Achray camp-ground, the cabin has been restored to commemorate hislife and work in Algonquin Park and to serve as an inter-pretive centre for the east side of the Park.• Historic cabins located throughout the Park Interior

(e.g., Cedar Lake) or at access points (e.g., Kiosk) willbe upgraded to preserve their heritage value and maybe used to provide overnight accommodation and inter-pretive opportunities.

The Pog Lake Outdoor Theatre, located midway alongthe Parkway Corridor, supports interpretive events thatincorporate slide and film presentations.

The Visitor Centre, which replaced the Algonquin ParkMuseum in 1993, is an interpretive, library/archival andadministrative facility for the Natural Heritage EducationProgram and the Friends of Algonquin Park. The 2,415-square metre Centre contains a large exhibit hall, theatre,


bookstore, restaurant, meeting/classroom, library,archives and associated offices and work areas. As aninterpretive facility, it provides the visitor with the sightsand sounds of Algonquin through displays that describeAlgonquin’s geology, climate, soils, forests, wildlife andhistory.• Upgrading of the Visitor Centre building and exhibits

will continue through support from the Ministry ofNatural Resources, the Friends of Algonquin Park andprivate donations/sponsors.

The former Park Museum has been converted into theAlgonquin Gallery.

The Algonquin Logging Museum, replacing the formerPioneer Logging Exhibit, was developed through the co-operative efforts of the Friends of Algonquin, the OntarioMinistry of Natural Resources and the Algonquin ForestryAuthority. The Museum contains historical photos andcarvings, a history-oriented bookstore and a theatre. Themajor exhibit is a sequence of exhibits laid out along awalking trail to describe the historic evolution of logging inthe Park.• Exhibits will continue to be added and enhanced.

10.5 Research FacilitiesResearch policies, programs and facilities are describedin Section 9.6.• No new research facilities are planned.• Temporary facilities for approved research may be

permitted where appropriate.• The Algonquin Radio Observatory research program

has been scaled down by Natural Resources Canada.The new focus on global navigation will continue intothe foreseeable future. The future of any surplus facili-ties will be reviewed with respect to their usefulness forresearch and other Park needs.

10.6 Administrative and Operational Facilities

Administrative and operational facilities are required fordaily operations in the Park and include the East and WestGate Complexes, the Visitor Centre, Summer Headquar-ters, the Achray and Kiosk work centres, 10 access pointoffices, five campground offices and the Clarke Lake andSmoke Lake Airbase.

The East Gate Complex consists of the Outdoor Recrea-tion and Information Office, administrative offices, garage,cenf rat warehouse, Fisheries Assessment Unit office andseasonal staff accommodation. The complex provideswork space, storage, distribution of materials and admin-istrative support for all programs under the direction of thePark Superintendent.

• Future development projects for the East Gate Com-plex may include additional space for the OutdoorRecreation and Information Office, renovations to thecentral warehouse and the elimination of staff accom-modations once alternative accommodations are avail-able for seasonal staff near the Summer Headquarters.

Summer Headquarters is the main summer operationaland maintenance facility for the Parkway Corridor. Build-ings include a maintenance building, administrative officebuilding, 40-person accommodations building and a drystorage building.• Staff accommodation at Summer Headquarters will be

enlarged and upgraded.

The Visitor Centre is the administrative and operationalcentre for the Natural Heritage Education Program andprovides storage of historic and research documents. Thefacility contains the Natural Heritage Education staff andFriends of Algonquin staff, storage spaces, archives, dis-plays, theatre and bookstore.• The status of the seasonal staff residence adjacent to

the Education Centre will be reviewed pending the finaldecision on development of staff accommodations inthe Park.

Information centres, campground offices and accesspoints located around the Park are specifically designedfor information delivery and access control. East and WestGate Information Centres provide information to visitorsentering the Park along the Parkway Corridor. Camp-ground offices are located at Pog Lake, Mew Lake, Can-isbay, Lake of Two Rivers and Rock Lake campgroundswithin the Parkway Corridor Development Zone. There are10 access point offices located in the Park, which, inconjunction with other private concessionaires locatedoutside the Park, administer Interior use. Kiosk, Brent,Achray and Rain Lake also have small campgrounds.• The Smoke Lake Airbase may be phased out once

satisfactory alternative facilities are available else-where or the demand for air transport diminishes.

The Achray and Kiosk work centres are small, seasonaladministrative and operational centres.

Achray Campground and Offices and the Sand Lake Gateprovide administrative offices, access point office, main-tenance equipment storage and staff accommodations forthe Achray campground and Park Interior program on theeast side.

The year-round operational headquarters for the Kioskmanagement area in the Park’s northwest corner is atSamuel de Champlain Provincial Park, with a seasonaloffice, residence and campground located at Kiosk.


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The Pembroke District Office also functions as an admin-istrative centre for Algonquin Park. Park staff manageoperations on the north and east sides of the Park fromthis facility, which also acts as a base for the two smalleradministrative centres at Achray and Kiosk.

10.7 Utilities

The services or systems required to operate AlgonquinPark are numerous. They include water, sanitation, sew-age, waste removal (including recyclables), hydro, gaso-line, propane and telephone systems. Each system has itsown maintenance requirements and must meet provincialhealth, safety and environmental standards.• The Park Superintendent must approve the location of

any new systems or extensions to systems, includingprivate services such as hydro and telephone distribu-tion lines (the latter are underground wherever possi-ble).

• Additional development of transmission lines is prohib-ited.

• There will be no new landfill sites permitted in the Park,and the existing landfill site at Achray has been elimi-nated.

• The transfer facility at Lake of Two Rivers will continueto handle refuse material, non-household waste andthe storage of construction and recyclable materials.

58 Algonquin Provincial Park • Management PlanImplementation

11.0 ImplementationAlgonquin Park has had a significant impact on theregional and provincial economies for over100 years and that impact has grown andbecome well established over theseyears. The two major components ofthat impact are the recreation/tourismand forest industries.

11.1 Recreation/tourism Industry

The recreation/tourism industry impact of aprovincial park normally includes the expenditures forpublic sector facility operations and capital development,and the spending by campers and day visitors. However,in Algonquin Park, there are also expenditures for privatesector facility operations and capital development (e.g.concessions, lodges, youth camps and private cottages)and the spending by patrons of these facilities. Althoughnot all of this spending can be easily identified andmonitored, from what is known of public sector spending,it would appear to be substantial.

Indeed, 1996/97 expenditures by the public sector andtheir patrons in the Park* are indicative of the scale ofimpact that exists. Based on initial expenditures of ap-proximately $29.8 million there was an estimated provin-cial impact of $75.9 million. Of this total $35.4 million wasspent on wages and salaries creating 843 person years ofprovincial employment. Of this total, 446 person yearsoccurred in the region, mostly within the Park itself.

If data were available for the private sector facilities notedabove, these figures would likely be considerably higher.

11.2 Forest IndustryAlthough forest management is not permitted within theprovincial park system it does occur in Algonquin Park asan ‘exception’ to provincial policy. The forest industry inthe Park is controlled and operated by the AlgonquinForest Authority (AFA), a crown corporation which sup-plies forest products to manufacturing industries in theregion and across southern Ontario. The economic impactfrom forest management within the park itself is associ-ated with the planning, harvesting, renewal and mainte-nance of the forest resource based on an ecologicallysustainable basis. There is also considerable economicactivity associated with secondary processing and manu-facturing of forest products in adjacent communities.

* Prepared by Ontario Parks using a ministry socio-economic impact model.

Although figures comparable to recrea-tion/tourism are not currently availablefor the forest industry for 1996/97, it isknown that the total impact of thisactivity in 1991/92 (East Side WildernessStudy) was in the order of $70.0 million

(In this same period the impact for thepublic part of the recreation/tourism industry

was in the order of $50.0 million). Theemployment opportunities created by the forest

industry occurred primarily within the communitiesimmediately adjacent to the park.

Since the socio-economic impact of these two Park-basedindustries is substantial both regionally and provincially itis important to continue to maintain and upgrade theseindustries to enhance their contribution. It is also importantto ensure that the Park has an up to date analysis of thetotal socio-economic impact of these industries. Therefore,studies will be undertaken to determine these impactsprior to the next management plan review.

11.3 Plan Implementation

From a recreation/tourism perspective the implementationof this Park Management Plan is crucial to maintaining thesocio-economic impact of the Park. The following AncillaryPlans will be developed, revised and/or completed toassist overall park management plan implementation: Ag-gregrate Resources, Water, Vegetation, Wildlife, Fisher-ies, Cultural Resources, Forest Management and Re-search.

In addition, a comprehensive ecosystem managementstrategy is being developed to ensure that park zoning,natural and cultural heritage protection, and recreationaland forest management are dealt with in an integratedfashion.

Projects and activities that may be proposed for the Parkbut lack specific direction in the Park Management Plan orAncillary Plans will be examined for their conformancewith provincial park system policies, the objectives of thePark Management Plan and other relevant Ministry poli-cies. Their potential environmental impacts will be as-sessed in terms of effects on the Park and the surroundingarea.

Algonquin Provincial Park • Management PlanImplementation

59

In the implementation of this plan, the EnvironmentalAssessment Act, Environmental Bill of Rights and otherlegal requirements will be adhered to at all times. TheAlgonquin Provincial Park Management Plan will be re-viewed at least once every 10 years, but more frequentreviews may occur if deemed necessary. Minor amend-ments to the plan may be made at any time, should theneed be identified, following the prescribed planning pro-cess. Major amendments will be subject to public consul-tation.

Nevertheless, the actual implementation of the projectsand activities described in this Plan and any ancillaryplans is dependent on the availability and allocation offunding in accordance with priorities established byAlgonquin Park, the Ministry of Natural Resources and theGovernment of Ontario

60 Algonquin Provincial Park • Management PlanPublic Consultation

12.0 Public ConsultationThe planning process for AlgonquinPark has included many internalreviews and several public reviews.Internal reviews by Park staff havegenerated small op-erational/administrative changes orproposed larger development or man-agement issues for public review. Public reviews provide ameans for Park managers to determine the public’sopinion on specific issues, and current and futuremanagement and development policies.

12.1 Algonquin Park Master Plan — 1974

Initially, Algonquin Park operated under a series of internalDepartment of Lands and Forests management and de-velopment plans. In 1966, work was begun on an officialmaster plan for the Park. A provisional Master Plan wasreleased on November 4, 1968 for public review, andpublic hearings were held in Pembroke, Huntsville andToronto. The Algonquin Park Task Force (APATAF)was subsequently appointed to prepare a revised provi-sional Master Plan for the period January 1, 1970 toDecember31, 1974 and to undertake background studiesthat would lead to the production of a final Master Plan byJanuary 1, 1975. The task force also provided recommen-dations for immediate operating decisions and a reportentitled Interim Guidelines for Planning and Managementin December 1970.

In August 1969, the Algonquin Park Advisory Commit-tee, a government-appointed body with representativesfrom a wide variety of interest groups, was established.This Committee was given a mandate to undertake stud-ies and advise the Department of Lands and Forests onmanagement policies for the Park. APATAF assisted theCommittee by providing the background studies and infor-mation. By July 1973, the Committee had completed itswork and submitted a report, entitled the Algonquin Pro-vincial Park Advisory Committee Report: GovernmentPolicy, which contained 36 specific recommendationsconcerning the management of the Park. These recom-mendations and APATAF’s information studies providedthe direction and background for completion of the 1974Algonquin Park Master Plan.

The completed 1974 Algonquin Park Master Plan estab-lished detailed policy guidelines for the protection, man-agement and future development of the Park. However, toensure that the plan remained current and relevant,periodic reviews were carried out.

12.2 Master Plan Review — 1979

In 1979, the first public review of theMaster Plan was carried out by theProvincial Parks Council, a citizens’advisory body. The Council reviewed

letters from the public and chairedseven public meetings at which 1,123

people attended and 167 formal briefs were presented.After evaluating the public input in conjunction with otherrelevant background information, the Council presented102 recommendations dealing with 35 different issues tothe Minister of Natural Resources for his consideration.These recommendations and the Minister’s response areoutlined in the Parks Council’s Fifth Annual Report.

Results of the review included: close the Lake of TwoRivers Airfield; continue to allow mechanical devices forportage aids; upgrade and expand the interpretive mu-seum and logging exhibit; eliminate the Madawaska MotorTrail and upgrade Highway 60; administer campsites atthe Kiosk, Achray and Brent perimeter access points ascar campgrounds; continue to allow the use of hydro lineright-of-way for snowmobile use; provide full-time admini-stration of remote access points; empower Interior rangersto enforce all regulations; allow no new concession facili-ties; retain Clyde and Bruton Townships in the Park; andallow hunting to continue until a policy on hunting in allprovincial parks was drafted. During this review, the appli-cation of the 1978 Ontario Provincial Parks Planning andManagement Policies to Algonquin Park was also de-scribed.

12.3 Review of Cottage Leaseholds — 1986

In 1986, the Provincial Parks Council reviewed the termsof the Cottage Leasehold Policies for Algonquin andRondeau Provincial Parks and recommended that thelong-term goal of phasing out cottages in Algonquin Parkbe maintained. The Minister agreed with this recommen-dation to terminate the leases in or before the year 2017.Conditions attached to the renewal of the leases alsoincluded: rents would be based on fair market values;leases would be subject to the standards of maintenanceand construction as deemed appropriate by the Park Su-perintendent; and written approval would be required forany lease transfers, improvements, landscaping, excava-tions or earth moving.

Algonquin Provincial Park • Management Plan 61Public Consultation

12.4 Pre-1989 Review Amendments

In 1983 the Master Plan was first amended to moreadequately protect the Swan Lake Forest Research Areaby including it within the Parkway Development Zonerather than the Recreation/Utilization Zone. In 1988 thePlan was amended to permit the development of the newVisitor Centre and Logging Museum (in place of the his-toric Mowat Complex proposed in the 1974 plan). In 1989,in response to the recommendations of the 1979 Review,the existing Wilderness Zone boundary was modified toexclude two existing non-conforming uses — ArowhonPines Lodge and Sasajewun Wildlife Research Station.The boundary of the Parkway Development Zone wasextended to enclose these two facilities, slightly reducingthe size of the Wilderness Zone. Also in 1989 an amend-ment was approved to permit the development of threenew interpretive trails along Highway 60 (supported by the1979 Review).

12.5 Master Plan Review — 1989

In May 1989, the Ministerof Natural Resources once againasked the Provincial Parks Council to undertake a publicreview of the Algonquin Park Master Plan. Eight publicmeetings were held with a total of 802 people in atten-dance, and 87 briefs were presented by individuals,groups or organizations. The Council also received nu-merous letters from interested parties and 1,904 question-naire responses from the 54,000 tabloids distributed toMinistry offices, Park visitors and 482 interest groups andindividuals on the Park’s mailing list. After an analysis ofthe public input and relevant information, the Councilmade 117 recommendations dealing with 37 issues to theMinister.

Results of the review included: phase out public hunting,hunt camps and trapping in Clyde and Bruton Townshipsand the McRae Addition by 2010; impose 20 horsepowerlimits on all but two unlimited horsepower lakes; ban waterskiing; revise the Interior quota system; upgrade existingfacilities in the Park; establish Areas of Concern aroundthe Park; introduce other recreational activities to thePark, such as mountain bike trails and horseback ridingtrails; study the development needs of the peripheralareas of the Park; promote new marketing initiativesthrough facilities such as a new Park lodge, skilldevelopment centre or alternative accommodations; addapproximately 10,000 hectares to Nature Reserve Zones;and conduct a Wilderness Zone study on the east side ofthe Park.

12.6 Post-1989 Review Amendments

In response to the 1989 Review, action was taken toimplement a number of the key recommendations throughamendments to the 1974 Master Plan.

A review of the earth and life science value/feature repre-sentation in the Park’s system of Nature Reserve Zonesresulted in a net increase in the total area of the NatureReserve Zones. Following on the recommendations of D.F. Brunton, a life science consultant, several new zoneswere added and existing ones enlarged to provide greatersite district representation. The boundaries of a number ofthe zones were also modified to provide more ecologicallyreasonable boundaries (easily identifiable on the ground).Some zones were excluded from the new system becausethe studies established that the zone boundaries did notinclude the feature originally designated for protection(e.g., Weasel Lake White Pine) or because the featurewas not substantiated (e.g., Carl Wilson Addition). Also,as a result of the recommendations of C. M. Spek, anearth science consultant, 14 Nature Reserve Zones and26 Special Management Areas were established to protectearth science features and values. These Nature ReserveZone changes were implemented through a plan amend-ment in 1992.

As a result of the Algonquin Park East Side WildernessZone Study, recommended in the 1989 Review, five can-didate wilderness zones were identified on the east side ofthe Park. These candidates had the potential to provideadditional protection of east-side natural and cultural val-ues and to act as an area of wilderness where naturalprocesses could continue uninterrupted in the presence ofInterior recreation use. Of the five candidate areas, theLavieille-Dickson candidate was far superior and wasapproved in 1993 and established as a new WildernessZone in 1994 through a plan amendment.

In 1994, a plan amendment was approved to develop anew bicycle trail along the bed of the old Ottawa, Arnprior& Parry Sound Railway between the Mew Lake and RockLake campgrounds in the Park.

62 Algonquin Provincial Park • Management PlanPublic Consultation

12.7 Algonquin Park Management Plan

The new Algonquin Park Management Plan is a com-posite of the old Master Plan and changes proposed in the1979 and 1989 reviews (changes introduced in the 1989Review supersede changes made during the 1979 Re-view). This Plan incorporates all amendments made todate. The Plan has also been revised to conform with thestandard Park Management Plan format and to incorpo-rate changes in zoning policies as a result of the OntarioProvincial Parks Planning and Management Policies intro-duced in May 1978 and revised in 1992.

Some of the more notable differences in the Plan as aresult of recommendations from previous reviews includean increase in the area of Nature Reserve Zones, thecreation of a new Wilderness Zone, the introduction ofNatural Environment Zones and the reduction/addition ofsome Development Zones.

Natural Environment Zones permit back-country activitieswhile excluding high-intensity development and resource-extraction activities. This type of zone was established toreplace areas in Development Zones that would not bedeveloped in the future and to create buffers betweenDevelopment Zones and other zones. A reduced Devel-opment Zone — the Achray Development Zone — and thenew Stratton Lake Natural Environment Zone have re-placed the former Stratton Lake Development Zone, anarea that was determined to be unsuitable for campgrounddevelopment.

The Lake Travers Natural Environment Zones were es-tablished to create a buffer between the Lake Traversdevelopments and adjacent Nature Reserve Zones. Sev-eral Natural Environment Zones were also establishedalong the Parkway Corridor to replace areas of the Devel-opment Zone that will not be used for future development.

In addition to some of the reductions in the DevelopmentZones mentioned earlier, some new Development Zonesare established in this Plan. In the 1989 Master PlanReview, campgrounds at several access points were rec-ommended to be retained at or above their present capac-ity and upgraded. Further development studies were alsorecommended for the peripheral areas of the Park toprovide economic benefits to local communities. There-fore, in those areas of existing campground developmentand to accommodate future development, DevelopmentZones were established in the Kiosk, Achray and Brentareas. Since Rain Lake is primarily used for Interioraccess and has few sites and limited capacity forexpansion, it is retained as an Access Zone.

The Park Management Plan and the noted implementationplans will meet the applicable requirements of theEnvironmentalAssessmentActand the Environmental Bill

of Rights. Subsequent reviews of the Algonquin ParkManagement Plan will be undertaken every 10 years.However, changes may be made to the Plan as the needarises and in accordance with the policy requirements forpublic review.

The production of this Management Plan has been de-layed by many factors. The province’s financial situation,the restructuring of the Ministry and changes made withthe creation of the Ontario Parks agency have all contrib-uted to the delay. However, this Plan stands as a signifi-cant consolidation of Algonquin Park policy. This Plan willserve as the official working document for the day to dayadministration and management of the Park from the daythat it is approved. Any concerns with the directions takenfor the implementation of any new or amended policiescan be brought to the attention of the Park Superintendentand will be dealt with through the next Park ManagementPlan Review.

Algonquin Provincial Park • Management Plan 63

APPENDIX AConstruction and DevelopmentStandards Algonquin Park Cottage

Leaseholds

Purpose of Standards

These standards are intended to clarify specificinformation as to type, number and size of improvementsthat will be permitted on a lease and to outlinerequirements of the approval process.

When Approval Required

Algonquin Park leases contain conditions that require theapproval of the Park Superintendent prior to carrying outsuch activities as building, additions or improvement to ex-isting buildings, docks, shoreline work and cutting ofvegetation and landscaping.

Approval Process

Such approval will be in the form of a work permit.Applications for a work permit are available from the staffat the East Gate. An application must be accompanied byproperly prepared plans of the work and must besubmitted at least 30 days prior to the anticipated start-update to enable an adequate review. Plans will include: thelocation of all existing buildings, size, setback from waterand type of construction. Applications improperlycompleted will be returned.

Standards

These standards were developed after a review of zoningby-laws and construction standards in municipalities adjoining the Park and are provided for reference whenconsidering improvements and for guidance in thepreparation of an application.

1. Only one “cottaging unit” (1) will be allowed per leasedlot (existing situations will remain, but any upgrading/redevelopment will be judged on a case by case basis).2. A new or replacement “self-contained cottage” (2) shallnot exceed 119 square metres (1280 square feet).3. A new or replacement “sleep cabin” (3) shall notexceed 22.3 square metres (240 square feet).4. Applications for replacement sleep cabins on leasesthat currently have more than one cottaging unit will bejudged on a case by case basis.5. All new or replacement self-contained cottages andsleep cabins must be located a minimum of 20 metres (66feet) from the water’s edge. Requests for replacementswill be judged on a case by case basis.

6. Applications for new boathouses on the water will notbe approved. Requests for replacements will be judged ona case by case basis pending a site review.7. New boathouses shall not contain sleeping quarters,kitchen or toilet facilities.

8. The height of all buildings shall not exceed one storey,with an inside bearing wall not exceeding 2.44 metres (8feet).9. New buildings shall be painted, stained and shingled ina colour that will blend with the natural surroundings (e.g.,dark brown or green). Existing buildings of non-compatiblecolour will be brought into conformity with these standardsat the time of repainting.10. The installation of sewage disposal facilities will beconsidered. All installations must be approved andinstalled in accordance with the standards of the Ministryof Environment and requests for installation must beaccompanied by MOE approval.11. All waste water from sinks, showers, etc. (gray water)must not be discharged directly into the lake and must bedisposed of in properly constructed dry wells.12. Requests for tent platforms will be judged on a caseby case basis.

General

The aesthetic impact of any proposal will form part ofthe review process.

The planting of non-indigenous tree species is notpermitted.

Projects that would involve disruption of fish habitatwill not be approved (docks).

Ontario must comply with the Federal Fisheries Act. ThisAct ensures Canadian fisheries are protected bymaintaining a “no net loss of habitat” policy. Fisheryhabitat is defined as “spawning grounds and nursery,rearing, food supply and migration areas on which fishdepend directly or indirectly in order to carry out their lifeprocesses.” It has therefore become increasingly morecritical to review requests for work in and along water in adifferent way in order to prevent harmful alteration ordestruction of fish habitat. In areas where habitatprecludes a construction project, cantilever or floatingdocks may be an acceptable alteration.

64 Algonquin Provincial Park • Management Plan

Definitions

(1) “Cottaging Unit” — consists of one main cottage, asleep cabin, a boathouse and one shed.(2) “Self-Contained Cottage” — a building designed foruse by one family and may have one or more habitablerooms, including a kitchen, sanitary facilities and commonsitting area for exclusive use of the family. Such a buildingmay be used for vacation, recreation, rest and relaxationbut shall not be used as a year-round dwelling.(3) “Sleep Cabin” — a habitable building or structure de-signed to provide accommodation and that is anaccessory to a permitted main cottage. It shall contain noform of cooking, kitchen facilities or washroom facilitiesand no common sitting area.


APPENDIX BConstruction and Development StandardsAlgonquin Park Commercial LeaseholdPurpose of Standards

These standards are intended to clarify specific informa-tion as to type, number and size of improvements that willbe permitted on a lease and to outline requirements of theapproval process.

When Approval Required

Algonquin Park leases contain conditions that requireapproval of the Park Superintendent prior to carrying outsuch activities as building, additions or improvement toexisting buildings, docks, shoreline work and cutting ofvegetation and landscaping.

Approval Process

Such approval will be in the form of a work permit. Appli-cations for a work permit are available from the staff at theEast Gate. An application must be accompanied by prop-erly prepared plans of the work and must be submitted atleast 30 days prior to the anticipated start-up date toenable an adequate review. Plans will include: the locationof all existing buildings, size, setback from water and typeof construction. Applications improperly completed willbe returned.

Standards

These standards were developed after a review of zoningby-laws and construction standards in municipalities ad-joining the Park and are provided for reference whenconsidering improvements and for guidance in the prepa-ration of an application.

1. All new or replacement self-contained cottages andsleep cabins must be located a minimum of 20 metres (66feet) from the water’s edge. Requests for replacementswill be judged on a case by case basis.2. Applications for new boathouses on the water will notbe approved. Requests for replacments will be judged ona case by case basis pending a site review.3. New boathouses shall not contain sleeping quarters,kitchen or toilet facilities.4. The height of all buildings shall not exceed one storey,with an inside bearing wall not exceeding 2.44 metres (8feet).5. New buildings shall be painted, stained and shingled ina colour that will blend with the natural surroundings (e.g.,dark brown or green). Existing buildings of non-compatiblecolour will be brought into conformity with these standardsat the time of repainting.

6. The installation of sewage disposal facilities will beconsidered. All installations must be approved and in-stalled in accordance with standards of the Ministry ofEnvironment and requests for installation must be accom-panied by MOE approval.7. All waste water from sinks, showers, etc. (gray water)must not be discharged directly into the lake and must bedisposed of in properly constructed dry wells.8. Requests for tent platforms will be judged on a case bycase basis.

General

The aesthetic impact of any proposal will form part ofthe review process.

The planting of non-indigenous tree species is notpermitted.

Projects that would involve disruption of fish habitatwill not be approved (docks).

Ontario must comply with the Federal Fisheries Act. ThisAct ensures Canadian fisheries are protected by maintain-ing a “no net loss of habitat” policy. Fishery habitat isdefined as “spawning grounds and nursery, rearing, foodsupply and migration areas on which fish depend directlyor indirectly in order to carry out their life processes.” Ithas therefore become increasingly more critical to reviewrequests for work in and along water in a different way inorder to prevent harmful alteration or destruction of fishhabitat. In areas where habitat precludes a constructionproject, cantilever or floating docks may be an acceptablealteration.


APPENDIX CGuidelines for Resource Management and Land Use Activities alongthe Perimeter of Algonquin Park (see also Section 5.0)Guideline Principles:

1) The goals and objectives of Algonquin Provincial Parkwill provide the basis for ensuring the protection of valueswithin the Park.

2) Land use activities will not be unduly restricted, butrather resource management activities will be encouragedto take place in a manner that does not have a negativeimpact on Park values.

Park Goal and Objectives:The Goal of Algonquin Provincial Park is:

To provide protection of natural and cultural features,continuing opportunities for a diversity of low-intensityrecreational, wilderness, and natural environmentalexperiences and, within this provision, continue andenhance the Park’s contribution to the economic, socialand cultural life of the region.

The Objectives of Algonquin Provincial Park are:

Protection Objective:To protect provincially significant elements of thenatural and cultural landscape of Algonquin Park.

Recreation Objective:To provide outdoor recreation opportunities rangingfrom high-intensity day use to low-intensity wildernessexperiences.

Heritage Appreciation Objective:To provide opportunities for exploration and appre-ciation of the outdoor natural and cultural heritage ofAlgonquin Park.

Tourism Objective:To provide Ontario’s residents and out-of-provincevisitors with opportunities to discover and experiencethe distinctive regions of Algonquin Park.

Resource Management Objective:To practise sustainable resource management inAlgonquin Park for the long-term health of the Park’secosystems and to provide recreational, cultural andeconomic benefits.

Protection of Values Within the Park:

Protection of values within the Park can be addressedthrough the Management Plan, public reviews, Park

policy and existing legislation and guidelines. Examples ofexisting legislation and guidelines include: ProvincialParks Act, Environmental Protection Act, Ontario WaterResources Act, Lake and Rivers Improvement Act, Fish-eries Act, Mining Amendment Act, as well as the Environ-mental Guidelines for Access Roads and Water Cross-ings, Timber Management Guidelines for the Protection ofFish Habitat, Timber Management Guidelines for the Pro-tection of Tourism Values, Timber Management Guide-lines for the Protection of Cultural Heritage Resources andTimber Management Guidelines for the Provision ofMoose Habitat. Other Acts and regulations that may alsohave applicability include the MunicipalAct, Planning Act,Public Health Act and Highway Traffic Act.

Legislation and guidelines can also be used to regulateactivities outside the Park to ensure that Park values areprotected. Districts bordering Algonquin Park will consultwith the Algonquin Park Office on any development ormanagement activities proposed near the Park that mayaffect its values. Values within the Park that can beaffected by adjacent land use and that are important to theachievement of the goal and objectives of AlgonquinProvincial Park include:

1) Environmental Values:Water Quality, Water Levels

Activities or development occurring on or adjacent towaterbodies entering Algonquin Park (e.g., Tim River)have the greatest potential to affect the Park’s naturalwater quality. Input into water quality and water levelconcerns will be through existing legislation and guide-lines. However, additional setbacks or provisions may berequested.

2) Aesthetic Values:Visual, Acoustic

The aesthetic values of Algonquin Park contribute directlyto the recreational values of the Park and thus the recrea-tional opportunities for Park visitors. Visitors perceive anatural or semi-wilderness setting. These aesthetic valuesmay be affected by changes in water quality and unnaturalvisual conditions or noises. Land use activities immedi-ately adjacent to the Park have the greatest potential toaffect aesthetic values. Potential impacts will be reviewedand mitigated by such means as adjusting operating prac-tices or altering the timing of the activity.


3) Social Values:Crowding, Travel Patterns, User Activities, UserCharacteristics

New and unplanned access to the Park has the potentialto seriously and negatively impact the Park’s socialvalues. This includes direct access (immediately adjacent

to the Park) or indirect access (through an outside watersource).Unplanned access to Algonquin Provincial Park will beavoided by input to and review of plans for road locationsand standards. Access restrictions, such as the posting ofsigns or the use of a gate, are not acceptable if the road inquestion would lead to a watercourse or waterbodyultimately leading into the Park. There should be no ac-cess impact problems for the Park if a road were proposedfor an area that was not near a watercourse or waterbody.

Assessment of Activities or Developments along the perimeter of Algonquin Park Description of ProposedActivity:

Location:

Assessment:1) Are there any concerns about water quality or water levels that have not already been dealt with by existing

legislation or guidelines?2) Are there potential acoustic or visual impacts to be mitigated?3) Is there potential for unplanned access to the Park that needs to be mitigated?

RecommendationYes No

Recommended Mitigation Plan:

Assessed by: Mitigation Plan Approved by:

Date: Date:


APPENDIX DSignificant Earth and Life Science Sites in Algonquin ParkZONE AREA (HA) NATURAL VALUES AND FEATURES

Community/Complexl/LandformLife Science Earth Science

1. NATURE RESERVE ZONESN-i Cameron Creek Bog 165 Wetland complex-PN-2 David Creek Bog 214 Peatland complex-PN-3 Sunkitten Lake Bog 240 Peatland complex-LN-4 Keegos Lake Bog 418 Peatland complex-PN-S Thomas Lake Kettle Bog 17 Peatland-LN-6 Hogan Lake Mog 770 Wetland complex-P Morainic Ridges-LN-7 Bonanza Bay Marsh 92 Marsh & deciduous

swamp forest-PN-8 Grand Lake Marsh 51 Wetland complex-RN-9 Cedar-Nipissing Marsh 121 Marsh complex-PN-b Costello Creek Bog 614 Wetland & granitic

Outcrop complex-RN-i 1 Grassy Bay Mog 942 Wetland-L Kame complex-LN-i2 Hailstorm Creek & 1613 Wetland complex-P Kame complex-R

Kame ComplexN-13 Booth Lake Bog 319 Wetland complex-RN-14 Bonnechere Sedge Meadow 31 Wetland complex-RN-iS Clyde Marsh 183 Wetland & cliff

complex-RN-16 Carcajou Sedge Meadow 133 Wetland complex-RN-17 Nipissing River Sedge 180 Wetland complex-R

MeadowN-i 8 Kingscote Lake Hardwoods 96 Hardwood forest-RN-i9 Nadine Lake Hardwoods 1091 Upland hardwood &

Shoreline complex-PN-20 Carl Wilson L. Hardwoods 504 Upland forest &

outcrop complex-PN-2i Dickson Lake Hardwoods 104 Upland forest &

wetland complex-PN-22 Minto Lake Hardwoods 259 Upland forest-RN-23 Wenda Lake Hardwoods 730 Upland forest-PN-24 Whitson Lake 755 Upland, lowland forest

& wetland complex-PN-25 Oxtongue River Silver Maple 144 Lowland forest-LN-26 Rana Lake Red Oak 487 Upland forest-PN-27 McManus Lake Basswood 47 Upland forest &

shore vegetation-RN-28 Wilkes Lake Basswood 28 Upland forest-LN-29 Hurdman Creek Black Ash 63 Lowland forest complex-RN-30 Dickson Lake 39 Upland forest-PN-3i Cayuga Lake Hemlock 660 Upland forest complex-PN-32 Dividing Lake/Livingstone 496(*) Upland forest &

Township White Pine old growth-PN-33 Big Crow White Pine 208 Upland forest-PN-34 Old Pine Reserve 78 Upland forest-R

(*) Majority of this area is protected outside Algonquin Park through Dividing Lake Provincial Park**significance: N = national, P = provincial, R = regional, L = local


ZONE AREA (HA) NATURAL VALUES AND FEATURESCommunity/Complex/LandformLife Science Earth Science

N-35 Anglin-Dickson White Pine 290 Upland forest-PN-36 Carl Wilson White Pine & 256 Upland forest Kame moraine-R

Kame Moraine Complex-RN-37 Crow River Young Wh. Pine 38 Upland forest-LN-38 Nipissing Valley Wh. Pine 24 Upland forest-LN-40 Lavieillé Red Pine 79 Upland forest-RN-41 Opeongo Red Pine 104 Upland forest

Upland forest-LN-42 Crow River Jack Pine 33 Upland forest-LN-43 Bonnechere Jack Pine 47 Upland forest-RN-44 Carcajou Jack Pine 398 Upland forest-PN-45 Cauliflower Lake Red Spruce 25 Upland & lowland

Forest complex-LN-46 Bruton and Clyde 585 Upland forest

Red Spruce complex-PN-47 Oak Lake Red Spruce 174 Upland forest &

Wetland complex-PN-48 Rosebary Lake 746 Beach & upland

Forest complex-PN-49 Tarn Lake 1483 Upland forest, open

outcrop & wetlandcomplex-P

N-SO Carcajou Bay! 1084 Upland forest &Spectacle Lakes wetland complex-P

N-Si Devils Chute 542 Upland & shorelinecomplex-R

N-52 Found Lake 95 Floristic site-RN-53 Upper Pine River 1109 Wetland & intolerant

upland forestcomplex-P

N-54 High Falls 100 Upland complex-LN-55 Petawawa Rapids 1927 Upland forest, Part of Ottawa

lowland & shoreline Bonnechere Grabencomplex-P (fault)-R

N-56 Bog Lemming Site 18 Mammal population-LN-57 Barron River Canyon 1076 Upland forest and Part of Ottawa

outcrop complex-P Bonnechere Graben

(fault)-R, talus-LN-58 White Partridge Cliff 100 Floristic site-RN-59 Crow Lake Cliff 40 Cliff complex-RN-60 Eustache Lake 835 Aquatic & upland

complex-PN-61 Hilliard Lake Fern Stand 33 Floristic site-RN-62 Brent Crater 1199 Upland and lowland Meteor crate r-L

complex-PN-63 Brent Limestone Cliff 8 Bedrock complex-RN-64 Tim River Burn 1014 Upland meadow

complex-PN-65 Cauchon Lake Burn 263 Upland & forest

complex-R

**significance: N national, P = provincial, R = regional, L = local


ZONE AREA (HA) NATURAL VALUES AND FEATURESCommunity/Complex, LandformLife Science Earth Science

N-66 Merchant Lake Blowdown 96 Upland forest-LN-67 Crow Lake Blowdown 609 Natural succession

process-R(SD 5E-9)- L(SD SE-b)

N-68 Manitou Lake Blowdown 112 Upland forest-LN-69 Coldspring Watershed 4914 Watershed unit-P Kame moraine & eskers-RN-70 Greenleaf Crk Watershed 4041 Watershed-P Moraine-LN-7i Berm Lake Bog 53 Peatland-RN-72 Charles Lake White Pine 102 Forest stand-RN-73 Lake Lavieillé Hemlock 45 Upland forest-PN-74 Lake Travers Dune Complex 59 Upland forest & Inland dune field -P

Wetland-P (see N-85)N-75 Mud Bay Aquatics 131 Aquatic floristic

complex-RN-76 Spoor Lake 552 Upland & wetland

complex-PN-77 Chainfern Bog 17 Wetland-RN-78 Minnehaha Lake Kame 839 Glaciofluvial

Moraine landforms(eskers, kettles,kame moraines)-R

N-80 Loontail Lake Gravelly 490 Gravelly moraine-RMoraine

N-81 Wilkes L. Ice Marginal Delta 99 Kame complex-RN-82 Robitaille Creek Terraces 95 Erosional terraces-flN-84 Lake Travers DeGeer 178 Degeer-type moraines-P

MorainesN-85 Lake Travers Sand Dunes 314 Inland dune field-PN-86 Radiant L. Kame Terrace 176 Ice contact kame

Terraces-PN-87 Big Crow L. Esker Complex 260 Esker complex-flN-88 White Partridge Lake 245 Erosional terraces-P

Erosional TerracesN-89 McKaskill L. Kame Complex 259 Kame-esker complex,

Ice contact face-RN-90 Grand Lake Ice 183 Ice marginal channels-fl

Marginal ChannelsN-9i Fitzgerald Township Moraine 226 Large moraine-fl

Although the above list of nature reserve zones is numbered consecutively, there are three zones missing — 39, 79 and83. These zones have been either combined with other zones or been deleted from the list because further studies haveshown that the values to be protected no longer exist within the area of the zone.

**significance: N = national, P = provincial, R = regional, L = local


ZONE AREA (HA) NATURAL VALUES AND FEATURESCommunity/Complex/ LandformLife Science Earth Science

2. SPECIALMANAGEMENT AREAS (SMA)CLASS IPetawawa Terraces 318 Erosional terraces-flSunfish L. Morainic Ridge 91 Small moraine-LGrosbeak Creek Outwash/Kame T. 546 Ice contact material,

eskers, kettle-flNorth Rouge Creek Drurnlins 1697 Drumlins, drumlinoidal

features-flGrassy Bay Kame Complex (737*) Kame-esker complex-LRadiant Lake Kame Terraces 508 Kame esker complex-flProulx Lake Outwash 492 Outwash plain, kame

complex-flModern Fluvial Deltas (3) 69 Modern fluvial deposits-LGrand Lake Boulder Pavement 42 Boulder lag-flAchray Beaches/Deposits 37 Beach ridges, off-shore

deposits-LLake Travers Outwash Plain 7416 Glaciofluvial landforms-RWhite Partridge L. Spillway 3185 Outwash plain, meltwater

channels-LNotsolong Lake Esker 299 Large esker-LHogan Lake Esker 225 Esker kame-L

(*) Protected within N-i 1 Nature Reserve and Burnt Island Wilderness Zones

CLASS IIColdspring L/Carl Wilson 11640 Kame-esker complex-fl ComplexBiggar Twp Gravelly Moraine 13414 Gravelly moraine-RClemow Lake Drumlin Group 91 Drumlins-RIndian River Meltwater Channel 2730 Meltwater channel-flBonnechere Valley Outwash 2933 Outwash system-fl SystemBooth Lake Delta 128 Outwash delta-flLake of Two Rivers Outwash Plain 1391 Outwash plain-LOxtongue River Outwash Plain (674*) Outwash plain-LBrent Fluted Till Plain 150 Fluted till, drumlins-RBronson-Stratton Outwash Plain 7575 Outwash plain, meltwater

channels-flForbes Creek Meltwater Channel 1911 Meltwater channel-LGrand Lake Tombolo 22 Tombolo-L

(*) Protected within the Parkway Development Zone

3. W1LDERNESS ZONESGaleairy Wilderness Zone 5280 Landscape cornplex-PHarness Lake Wilderness Zone 10960 Landscape complex-PBurnt Island Wilderness Zone 48870 Upland forest-fl

kame cornplexes-fl,LLaviellé/Dickson Wilderness Zone 25365 Landscape complex & old

growth pine-P

**significance: N = national, P = provincial, R = regional, L = local


APPENDIX EHistorical Zones in Algonquin ParkZone Number Description of Value Location TownshipH-1 Fassett Lake Lumber Camp S. of Fassett Lake BallantyneH-2 Amable du Fond Farm N. of Manitou Lake WilkesH-3 Pentland Skidway S. of Lauder Lake PentlandH-4 Meda Lake Lumber Camp E. of Meda Lake BiggarH-5 Brent Grave Site Brent ListerH-6 Pine River Farm Tim River DevineH-7 McLachlin Depot Farm N. of Trout River BishopH-8 Barnet Depot Farm S. of Burntrout Lake BishopH-9 Phillip’s Depot Farm E. of Phillip Lake AnglinH-10 Phillip’s Chute E. of Phillip Lake AnglinH-11 Turtle Club S. of Lake Travers WhiteH-12 Crooked Chute Petawawa River EdgarH-13 Captain Young’s Depot Farm W. of Emma Lake EdgarH-14 Mackey Farm W. of Trout Lake McLaughlinH-15 Crossbill Lake Lumber Crossbill Lake McLaughlinH-16 Graham Creek Chute Graham Creek (W. of Opeongo) BowerH-17 Dennison Farm E. arm Opeongo Lake BowerH-18 Little Dickson L. Camboose Camp Little Dickson Lake DicksonH-19 Prong Lake Bridge N. of Prong Lake NivenH-20 Bonnechere R. Camboose Camp Bonnechere River NivenH-21 McLachlin Depot Farm N. of Grand Lake BarronH-22 Grand Lake Indian Pictographs E. of Grand Lake StrattonH-23 Tom Thomson Jack Pine Site Grand Lake StrattonH-24 Grand Lake Ranger Cabin Achray StrattonH-25 Whiskey Rapids Oxtongue River PeckH-26 Mowat Town Site N. of Canoe Lake PeckH-27 Nominigan Lodge Site Smoke Lake PeckH-28 Ottawa, Arnprior & P.S. Railway S. of Hwy. 60 CanisbayH-29 Canisbay Lake Cabin Logging Museum AiryH-30 McCrae’s Mill S. of Hwy. 60 CanisbayH-31 W. Smith Lake Sawmill West Smith Lake SprouleH-32 Annie Bay Camboose Camp S. of Annie Bay PrestonH-33 Annie Bay Shanty & Farm Annie Bay on Opeongo PrestonH-34 Tattler-Booth Crib W. of Booth Lake PrestonH-35 Presto Lake Lumber Camp Presto Lake PrestonH-36 Kitty Lake Ranger Cabin S. of Kitty Lake PrestonH-37 Booth Depot Farm W. of Farm Lake PrestonH-38 McCauley Central Railway W. of Farm Lake PrestonH-39 Billy Lake Lumber N. of Billy Lake PrestonH-40 Ryan Lake Lumber Camp Ryan Lake PrestonH-41 McKaskill Lake Ranger Cabin S. of McKaskill Lake ClancyH-42 Basin Depot Farm S. of Basin Lake GuthrieH-43 Upper Pine Lake Ranger Cabin Upper Pine Lake MasterH-44 Rock Lake Cairns W. of Rock Lake NightingaleH-45 Rock Lake Indian Pictographs W. of Rock Lake NightingaleH-46 Rock Lake Indian Pictographs W. of Rock Lake NightingaleH-47 Farm Bay Depot S. of Galeairy Lake NightingaleH-48 Pioneer Logging Exhibit H. Hwy. 69 near East Gate Airy


APPENDIX GOperational Guidelines for Class ISpecial Management AreasThe following are the operational guidelines for all Class ISpecial Management Areas (SMA) identified within Algon-quin Park. The purpose of these guidelines is to provideadequate protection for earth science values (features)while allowing the harvest of timber where site conditionsand existing zoning permit.

The SMA guidelines will ensure this protection occurs bymeans of access provisions, modified operations, or re-serve status (no operations). Normal operations may becarried out where the earth science resource values willnot be diminished.

“Core” areas will be protected from any aggregate re-moval, road building, and site preparation.

The general operational guidelines for the main body ofthe SMA will be discussed first, followed by the morespecific guidelines needed to protect core features.

General Operational Guidelines for SpecialManagement Areas

i) No aggregate extraction: where the size of the SMAexceeds 1 620 hectares (4000 acres), aggregate removalareas may be designated after the impact on the landformhas been assessed. This will allow gravel extraction inthree SMAs — 19, 26, and 27—whose size would createhauling constraints. All other SMAs have gravel adjacentto their boundaries. No material from within an SMA is tobe used for projects outside that particular SMA. No “core”area is to be designated for aggregate removal. Extractionareas are to be located outside core areas (it is moredesirable to utilize a flat-lying outwash deposit or groundmoraine as opposed to a small kame or esker).

ii) No additional primary roads; maintain the route ofpresent existing primary roads.

iii) Secondary roads may be built only where timber isotherwise inaccessible.

iv) Locate tertiary roads and skid trials so as to minimizethe impact on the landscape; avoid small features(DeGeer Moraines, fluvial terraces).

v) Minimize the number of new landings, as these areareas of intense site disturbance. No landings in “core”areas. Where possible utilize existing landings except in‘‘core’’ areas.vii)Minimal road allowances, except where erosion will vi) result from unstable slopes or safety is at issue. All

material should be graded to their natural angle of reposeas this is the only slope at which materials will be stable.These guidelines govern aggregate and access provi-sions. Forest management practices should be close to“normal” within much of the larger SMAs. However, for the‘‘core’’ areas that contain the more sensitive or significantfeatures, more stringent guidelines are necessary to pro-tect these values.

Specific Guidelines for Core Areas

i) No primary, secondary, or tertiary roads; existingroads will be accommodated by means of a boundaryeasement.

ii) No aggregate extraction, including wayside pits.

iii) No clear-cutting, regardless of the species present.

iv) No landings; necessary landings will be located out-side core areas.

v) No mechanical site preparation.

Timber harvesting will be permitted only where all of theabove restrictions have been met and site conditionspermit. These core areas should be carefully monitoredduring operations. If problems such as gullying, winderosion, or excessive surface disturbance are evident, theoperations should cease. If a core area is affected, thenthe cause and results should be documented. It may benecessary to afford the site a higher degree of protectionby designating the affected core area as a reserve withinthe SMA.

The following areas have been identified as Class 1Special Management Areas with identification numberingafter Spek (1993):

l.D. No. SMA Name Area (ha.)16 Petwawa River Terraces 31817 Sunfish Lake Moraine 9118 Grosbeak Creek Outwash 54619 North Rouge Creek Drumlins 169720 Grassy Bay Kame Complex 73721 Radiant Lake Kame Terraces 50822 Proulx Lake Outwash 49223 Modern Fluvial Deltas (3) 6924 Grand Lake Boulder Pavement 4225 Achray Beaches/Deposits 3726 Lake Travers Outwash Plain 741627 White Partridge Lake Spillway 318528 Notsolong Lake Esker 29929 Hogan Lake Esker 225


GLOSSARY

Allowable cut — The amount of forest produce, howevermeasured, that can be cut in a given period under sus-tained yield management.

Annual Work Schedule — A statement, mainly in tabularform, showing the order and extent of all work of anynature to be carried out during one year, consistent withthe Forest Management Plan.

Baitfish — Any fish that are legally harvested by thecommercial bait fish industry.

Carrying capacity — The amount of goods and servicesthat a site can support and sustain without deterioration.

Calcicolous — A plant normally growing on calcareous(lime-rich) soils.

Clear-cut system — An even-aged silvicultural systemwhere the entire growth is harvested over a variable areain one operation, with or without leaving seed-trees.

COSSARIO — Committee on the Status of Species atRisk in Ontario is a committee of representatives from theMinistry of Natural Resources and private agencies thatassigns provincial status on species at risk in Ontario.

COSEWIC — Committee on the Status of EndangeredWildlife in Canada is a committee of representatives fromfederal, provincial and territorial governments, and privateagencies that assigns national status to species at risk inCanada.

Endangered — Any native species that, on the basis ofthe best available scientific evidence, is at risk ofextinction or extirpation throughout all or a significantportion of its Ontario range if the limiting factors are notreversed.

Forest Management Plan — A written document con-taining pertinent information and prescriptions by meansof which forest policy, aims and objectives are translatedinto a continuity of specific treatments on a forest estatefor a specified period of years.

Hand cart — A conveyance (portable or otherwise) onwheels, which is pulled by human muscle-power and usedforthe transport and movement of supplies over a portage.

Mast-producing tree — A tree producing nuts (e.g.,acorns or beechnuts) that serve as food for a variety ofanimals.Non-productive forest land — That part of the forestecosystem that consists of treed muskeg, open muskeg,rock, and bush and alder.

Old growth red and white pine forest — Old growthforest ecosystems characterized by the presence of oldtrees and their associated plants, animals and ecologicalprocesses showing little or no evidence of human distur-bance. Structural traits include but are not limited tosnags, trees with dead or dying tops, downed logs invarying stages of decay, a multi-layered canopy and (forred and white pine) trees 121 years of age and older.

Patch-cutting — A type of clear-cutting in which the cutarea may be as small as 1 hectare in size.

Personal electronic device — A radio, cassette player orsimilar listening device that is incapable of emitting audiblesounds without headphones and includes two-way radios.

Primary roads — Constructed, maintained and used asthe main all-weather road system providing access toCrown land for a variety of uses. They are essentiallypermanent roads with an expected life in excess of 15years.

Recreation Opportunity — A measure of recreationsupply that is used to describe the number of times aresource or facility can be used in a given time period. Anopportunity is considered not to be greater than one day.

Secondary roads — Designed for use as all-weatherroads and are essentially branches of primary roads,providing access to Crown land with an expected life of 5to 15 years.

Selection system —An uneven-aged silvicultural systemwhere mature and/or undesirable trees, individually or insmall groups, are removed over the whole area, usually inthe course of a cutting cycle.

Shelterwood — An even-aged silvicultural system systemwhere mature trees are harvested in a series of two ormore cuts for the purpose of obtaining natural regen-eration under the shelter of the residual trees, whether bycutting uniformly over the entire stand area or in narrowstrips.

Sportfish — Any fish that are legally caught by angling.

Sustainable forestry — The practice of forest manage-ment that ensures the long-term health of forest ecosys-tems and that contributes to global environmental benefitswhile providing an array of social, cultural and economicopportunities now and in the future.

Sustained yield — Production of a biological resourceunder management procedures that ensure replacementof the part harvested by regrowth or reproduction beforeanother harvest occurs.


Tertiary roads — Constructed to provide for short-termuse (up to 5 years) and usually used to provideaccess for annual harvest and subsequent renewalactivities, and becoming reforested over time.

Threatened — Any native species that, on the basis ofthe best availablp scientific evidence, is at risk ofbecoming endangered throughout all or a significantportion of its Ontario range if the limiting factors are notreversed.

Tolerant — The relative capacity of a forest plant tosurvive and thrive in the understorey (shade). A forest tree

that can survive and prosper under a forest canopy is saidto be tolerant while one that can thrive only in the main

canopy or in the open (in the sun) is classified asintolerant.

Viable population — A population that, through naturalreproduction, is maintaining or expanding its numbers.

Vulnerable — Any native species hat, on the basis of thebest available scientific evidence, is a species of specialconcern in Ontario, but is not a threatened or endangeredspecies.

Wetland — Lands that are seasonally or permanentlycovered with shallow water, as well as lands where thewater table is close to or at the surface. In either case thepresence of abundant water has caused the formation ofhydric soils and has favoured the dominance of eitherhydrophytic or water-tolerant plants.


REFERENCESAllester, David. “Algonquin Region Historical SystemsStudy.” Unpublished report, Ontario Ministry of NaturalResources, Algonquin Region, Huntsville, 1980.

Algonquin Forestry Authority. Algonquin Provincial ParkForest Management Plan. Huntsville, 1995-201 5.

Brunton, D. F. Life Science Areas of Natural and ScientificInterest in Site District 5-9. Huntsville: Ontario Ministry ofNatural Resources, Algonquin Region, 1991.

Life Science Areas of Natural and ScientificInterest in Site District 5-10. Huntsville: Ontario Ministry ofNatural Resources, Algonquin Region, 1991.

Crins, W. J. “Algonquin Provincial Park — Life ScienceNature Reserve Zone System Boundary DeterminationGuidelines and Notes.” Unpublished report. OntarioMinistry of Natural Resources, Algonquin Region,Huntsville, 1992.

Davidson, R.J. “A Research and Information Strategy PartOne: Setting Priorities.” Occasional Paper Number 2,Ontario Parks, Planning and Research Section,Peterborough, 1997.

Friends of Algonquin Park. The Raven (newsletter).Whitney, 1985-1997.

Ontario. Department of Lands and Forests. AlgonquinPark Task Force: Interim Guidelines for Planning andManagement. Queen’s Printer, Toronto, 1970.

Ontario. Ministry of Environment. EnvironmentalGuidelines for Access Roads and Water Crossings.Queen’s Printer, Toronto, 1988.

Ontario. Ministry of Natural Resources. A Framework forthe Conservation of Ontario’s Biological Heritage. Parksand Recreational Areas Branch, Toronto, 1980.

A Framework for theConservation of Ontario’s Earth Science Features. Parksand Recreational Areas Branch, Toronto, 1981.

Algonquin ParkFisheries Management Plan 1986-2000. Whitney, 1986.

Algonquin ProvincialPark Advisory Committee Report: Government Policy.Queen’s Printer, Toronto, 1973.

Algonquin ProvincialPark East Side Wilderness Study, Whitney, 1993.

Algonquin ProvincialPark Master Plan. Queen’s Printer, Toronto, 1974.

Algonquin ProvincialPark Master Plan Review 1989-90. Queen’s Printer,Toronto, 1991.

Code of Practice forTimber Management Operations in Riparian Areas.Queen’s Printer, Toronto, 1991.

Aggregate Re-sources in Provincial Parks. Ontario Parks, ‘Draft’ PolicyP.M.11.03.03. Toronto, 1993.

Forest ManagementGuidelines for the Protection of Cultural HeritageResources. Queen’s Printer, Toronto, 1991.

Lands for Life: ACommitment to the Future. Queen’s Printer, Toronto,1997.

Nature’s Best—On-tario’s Parks and Protected Areas: A Framework andAction Plan. Queen’s Printer, Toronto, 1997.

Ontario PrescribedBurn Planning Manual. Queen’s Printer, Toronto, 1988.

Ontario ProvincialPark Operating Standards. Queen’s Printer, Toronto,1992.

Ontario ProvincialParks Planning and Management Policies. Queen’sPrinter, Toronto, 1978, rev. 1992.

“Research Activitiesin Provincial Parks.” Ontario Parks, Policy P.M. 2.45.Toronto, 1994.

Rules and Regula-tions for Hunting: Algonquin Provincial Park. Whitney,1997.

The ProvincialParks Council Fifth Annual Report: Algonquin ProvincialPark First Five-Year Review 1978-79. Toronto, 1979.

Timber Manage-ment Guidelines for the Protection of Fish Habitat..Queen’s Printer, Toronto, 1988.


Timber ManagementGuidelines for the Protection of Tourism Values. Queen’sPrinter, Toronto, 1986.

Timber ManagementGuidelines for the Provision of Moose Habitat.. Queen’sPrinter, Toronto, 1988.

Spek, C. M. Protecting and Managing Significant Glacial

Landforms in Algonquin Provincial Park with Emphasis onNature Reserve Zones and Areas of Concern: Open FileEarth Science Report 9301. Huntsville: Ontario Ministry ofNatural Resources, Central Region, 1993.

Regional EarthScience Systems Plan. Huntsville Ontario Ministry ofNatural Resources, Algonquin Region, 1990.

Strickland et al. “Algonquin Provincial Park VisitorServices Plan.” Unpublished report, Ontario Ministry ofNatural Resources, Whitney, 1981.


INDEX

A

Access Point 22, 36, 45, 49, 52-56, 59Access Zone 13, 22, 40, 49, 53, 61acid rain, monitoring 27, 30, 47additions, land 11 buildings 62-63administration 24, 36aircraft, use 41aggregate, use 9, 25-26, 44, 57, 73, 75Algonquin Gallery 46, 55Algonquin Forestry Authority (AFA) 24, 26, 28, 38, 43-45, 53Algonquin Park Advisory Committee 59Algonquin Radio Observatory 11, 47, 55Algonquins of Ontario 9, 32, 39amendment, legislation 32 management plan 58-61animal control 32-34, 38-39Areas of Concern 34-35, 42

B

backpacking 5,7, 19,23,37,53backpacking, trails 36-37, 52bait use 39bicycling, trails 20-23, 37, 40, 43, 49, 57boat motor, use 18, 38, 40-41, 50, 55boundary, park 1,7,11-12,42-43,54bridges 25, 43, 54, 74

Ccabins, historic 8, 20, 22, 52, 55, 57caching, boat 41camping sites, drive-in 7-8, 21-22, 36-37, 50, 52-54, 57, 60-62

interior, boat-in 50, 57walk-in see backpackingcanoe-in 5, 7, 19-20, 24, 36-38, 40, 52-53, 60-61

campground facilities 50, 52carrying capacity 7, 33-34, 37, 40, 61-62chainsaw, use 28, 38Classification 5,10commercial, development 12, 55

leases 12, 47, 55, 61commercial vegetation management 23, 28-30, 42-44compliance monitoring 44concentration yard 42-43, 74concessions 2 1-22, 36, 47, 50, 55-56Construction and Development Standards 11-12, 25, 62-63consultation, public 58-62co-operating associations 24, 36, 44, 49, 56cross-country skiing, trails 5, 7, 18-21, 37, 40, 46, 49cottages (private) vii, 11, 25, 44, 58, 60, 63cultural resources management 1-2, 8, 20, 34-35, 55-56, 60


D

dams, construction/management 27, 34, 54day use, areas 7-9, 20-22, 39-41, 44-46, 49-50, 55-57

trails 20-22, 37, 46, 49, 57deer 29, 31-32, 38-39Departure Points 22, 54Development Zone 13, 20-22, 33-34, 37-40, 50-51, 54, 56-57disease 28, 30-32diversity, biological 1-2, 7, 9, 13,15-19, 28-34, 47-48

geological 2, 7, 9,13,15-16, 47cultural 2, 7, 9-10, 20, 34-35, 47

docks 25, 54, 63-65dogsledding, use 8, 23, 37, 40, 43, 49, 52-54, 57

Eearth science values, protection 2,7, 9, 13, 15-16,25-26,38,42,47, 61-62,

67-70, 77East Gate 24, 45, 54-56ecosystem, management 7,13, 15-18, 28-34, 47education, natural 8, 45-46, 55-57, 60-61enforcement, regulations 36, 44extraction, wood 42-44

F

facilities, recreational 20-23, 49-50, 52-57research 11, 30, 33-34, 47-48, 56-57other 11-12, 42-44, 54-56

fauna 7,16-18, 30-34, 38-39fire management 29-30firearms, possession/use 39First Nations 2fisheries management, Parkway corridor 33-34, 39

Interior 34, 39fisheries research 34, 47fishing, Parkway corridor 33-34, 39

Interior 34, 39flora 13,15-18, 27-28forest management, general 23, 28-30, 42-44, 72-77

roads 25-26, 43-44, 54Forest Management Plan 23, 28-29, 42forest research 30, 47-48Friends of Algonquin Park 24, 45, 55-56

G

garbage, Parkway corridor 36, 57Interior 38

Goals 6

H

habitat management 13,15-18, 25-34, 38-39, 42-44hand carts, use 40hauling, timber 42-44herbicides, use 30, 44


Heritage Appreciation 8hiking trails see walking trailshistorical resources, management 2, 7-9, 20, 23, 34-35, 43- 45, 55-56historic cabins, protection/use 2, 20, 52, 55Historical Zone 13, 21, 34-35, 72horeseback trails, location/use 7, 20-21, 23, 37, 40, 49, 54, 57hunting, use 8-9, 23, 32, 39-40

campsite 11, 39transport 40

hydro line 11-12, 40, 57, 60-61

I

implementation, plan 58-59information 8, 36, 38-39, 45, 55-56insects and diseases 30Interior, access see Access Points

camping 37-38, 52-54, 57capacity 37-38

interpretation, program 36, 45-46, 55-56facilities 20-22, 46, 55-57, 60-61

J

jet skiing 41

L

land tenure 11-12, 25-26, 32, 39, 55-57landings, timber 42-43, 75Lands for Life viileases, cottage (private) 11, 26, 40-41, 44, 57, 60, 63

commercial 8, 12, 25, 40-41, 44, 55, 57, 61, 64legislation 1, 11, 28, 32, 35-36, 39, 44, 49life science values, protection 2, 7, 13, 15-18, 28-34, 37-44lodge policy 12, 40-41, 44, 47, 55, 57, 58, 61, 64Logging Museum 21, 35, 44-47, 50, 56, 61

M

marketing plan 36, 46-47Master Plan vii, 60-62Master Plan Review vii, 19, 60-62military use 41minerals exploration 25moose 31, 33, 38-39motors, use of 36-38, 40-41, 61motorized vehicle, use 40-41, 54, 60-61mountain biking, use 8, 20-21, 23, 37, 40, 49, 61

N

Natural Environment Class 5,10,13, 60, 62Natural Environment Zone 13, 20, 62Natural Heritage Education 8, 21, 36, 44-46, 50-51, 55-57, 60-61Natural Heritage Values, representative 13

special 15


Nature Reserve Zone 13, 15-18, 26, 34, 37, 42-43, 52-54, 61-62, 67-69noise, recreation 28, 36-38, 40

forest use 42non-commercial vegetation management 28

0

Objectives 7-9old growth pine, occurrence 19

protection 19, 28-30, 42outfitting see concessions

Ppaddle-in campsites see camping sites, canoe-inPark Management Plan vii, 2, 12, 28, 31, 44, 46, 54, 58-59,62Park Perimeter 12, 25, 30, 43-44Parkway Corridor (Highway 60) Zone 21, 33-34, 39, 49-50, 52, 55-57patent land 11,55permits, tenure 11-12,39,44

land use 11-12, 25-26, 32, 38-4 1pits see aggregateportages 26, 28, 40, 42-44, 52-54prescribed burning 30Protection 7,13,15-19,26-35, 42Provincial Parks Council 60-61publications 38-40, 44-47, 55-56

Rradios, use of 38, 45railway 11,20,22recreation, management 32, 37-41, 43-44

development 49-50, 52-56Recreation/Utilization Zone 9,13, 23, 25-26, 28-30, 32, 34, 37, 39-40, 42-44, 49-50rehabilitation 25-26, 28, 32, 34, 37, 43-44, 50research 30, 33-34, 47-48, 56-57resource management 25-36Reviews vii, 8, 60-62roads, public 26, 54

non-public 40, 43-44, 54road crossings 43-44rock climbing 38roofed accommodation 8,12,21,47,55, 57-58,61

S

safety 7, 27, 29-30, 32, 38, 42-44salvage, wood 44sanitation 22, 27, 36, 38, 42-43, 49-50, 57sawmills 43, 76search and rescue 38, 44significant, provincially 15, 42signs 38, 44-47silvicultural systems 23, 29, 42site district 1-2, 13, 15site region 1,13skiing see cross-country skiingslash 42, 76


snowmobiles 40snowshoeing 7-8, 40, 49, 52soils 1, 25, 37Special Management Area (SMA) 16, 26, 42, 77Statement of Environmental Values (5EV) vii, 62stoves, use 28-29, 38, 52structures see facilitiesSuperintendent, authority 11-12, 24, 28, 38, 40-41, 48, 56-57

Ttenure 11-12,32,39,55tourism 8, 36, 45-47trail systems 37, 49, 52, 55, 57, 61transmission lines 11-12,57transportation 40-4 1, 54trapping 9, 23, 32, 40trucks, hauling 42, 44

UUtilities 11-12,57

Vvalues, cultural 1-2, 7-8, 20, 34-35, 47, 55

natural 1-2, 5, 7-8, 13, 15-18, 26, 28, 30-34, 38-39, 60-62vegetation management 28-32Visitor Centre 8, 21, 36, 45-47, 50, 54-55, 60visitor services 36, see interpretationvolunteers 24, 36, 49, 56vulnerable, threatened, endangered (VTE) 31-32, 34

Wwalking trail see day use trailswater quality 27water quantity 27water-skiing 38, 42, 60watershed 18, 26-27, 33wetland 17Wilderness Zone 13,18-19, 28, 30, 34, 37, 40, 43, 49, 54, 60-62wildlife communities 2,17-18, 30-34, 38-39wildlife research 33, 47-48, 56winter camping 8, 52-54wolves 2, 31-32, 39, 46work camp 42-43work permit 11-12, 25, 44, 60

Yyouth camps 12, 38, 40-41, 55, 64

Zzone types 10,13zoning map 14, back pocket

algonquin provincial park

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