Transcript Visitor Management Policy of Protected Areas in Canada and the

Visitor Management Policy of
Protected
Areas in Canada and the United
States
By Kris Hyslop
Advisor: Dr. Paul Eagles
ERS 491
Introduction
Purpose: To determine whether or
not visitor policy exists, what type,
and the policy environment of each
type of protected area management
agency
Definition of ‘visitor’
Definition of ‘policy’
Methodology
Initial literature search including
agency websites
Search for suggested visitor
management policies
Creation of Table 1 – Visitor
Management Policy
Locate policy documents
Review of findings
History
Similar histories of national parks
Similar purposes
Initially divergent strategies
Legal separation of wildlife areas
Main function
Current protected areas
management
4 responsible agencies
Findings – Parks Canada
Main sources of policy information
Guiding Principles and Operational
Policies
Agency reports and a guide for
managers
22 of 30 visitor policy topics
addressed
Ability to attain agency objectives
Education opportunities
Expansion of system
Findings – U.S. National
Park Service
Main sources of policy information
Management Policies 2001
24 of 30 visitor policy topics
addressed
Ability to attain agency objectives
Substantial budget and staff numbers
Visitor tracking and surveys
Findings – Canadian
National Wildlife Areas
Main sources of policy information
Canadian Nature Federation document
Planning and policy documents
6 of 30 visitor policy topics
addressed
Ability to attain agency objectives
Critical lack of funding and staff
Inability to maintain or expand system
Findings – U.S. National
Wildlife Reserves
Main sources of policy information
Policy document
Document regarding refuge use
15 of 30 visitor policy topics
addressed
Ability to attain agency objectives
Limited funding and staff numbers
Lack of clear goals
Conclusions: Table 2 – Agency
Policy and Resources
Number of Visitor
Management Policies
Addressed (of a
possible 26)
Parks Canada
U.S. National Park
Service
Canadian Wildlife
Service
(NWAs)
U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (NWRs)
21
23
6
15
190
388
143
542
256,385
209,986
115,000
388,498
500,000 (CDN)
2,361,000 (U.S.)
1,744 (CDN)
387,657 (U.S.)
5,500
20,000
14.5 (FTE)
2,980 (FTE)
26
277
N/A
39
Number of Units in System
2
Total Physical Area (km )
Annual Budget ($000)
Number of Staff
Annual Number of Visitors (in
millions)
*The numbers in this chart are the same as those used in the in-text calculations for this report, as displayed in Table 3
Conclusions: Table 3 – Resources
Available to Each Agency
Parks Canada
U.S. National Park
Service
Canadian Wildlife
Service (NWAs)
U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service (NWRs)
28.9
52
0.1
5.5 or 2.4*
$2.632 million (CDN)
$6.085 million (U.S.)
$12,196 (CDN)
$715,234 or $255,142
(U.S.)*
Funding per Square
Kilometre
$884.19 (CDN)
$11,244 (U.S.)
$15.17 (CDN)
$997.84 or $356 (U.S.)*
Funding per Visit
$5.29 or $19.23
(CDN)*
$8.52 (U.S.)
N/A
$9.94 or $3.55 (U.S.)*
4,727
13,850
N/A
13,087 or 30,421*
Number of Employees per
Unit
Funding per Unit
Number of Visits per
Employee
*See sections 3.3 and 6.3 for explanations of these discrepancies
Conclusions
Positive correlation between
resources available and quality of
visitor policy
Visitor policy often difficult to locate
Single documents more comprehensive
Multiple documents were piece-meal
Link between encouraged visitation
and increased funding
Acknowledgments
Thank you to Dr. Paul Eagles for his
multiple reviews and help with
finding sources.
Thank you also to Dr. Mary-Louise
McAllister for her assistance.