Algonquin Provincial Park from the Algonquin Park advisory 

 Committee under the Chairmanship of Hon. Leslie M. Frost. 

 A thorough review of this policy paper will lead to the 

 establishment of a master plan which will guide future 

 development and management. 



An Advisory Committee was established for Quetico Pro- 

 vincial Park. This committee has undertaken an extensive 

 program of documentation and public participation which 

 will provide the basis for sound future management of this 

 significant area. 



As a result of extensive planning studies, Killarney Pro- 

 vincial Park vv'as designated as the second Primitive Park in 

 Ontario. This outstanding landscape will provide an excel- 

 lent opportunity for wilderness recreation within reach of 

 an urban population. 



With these major planning programs, and with the con- 

 tinuing studies on Lake Superior Provincial Park and 10 

 other parks, a major percentage of parks acreage is now 

 under intensive management review. 



PARK MANAGEMENT 



Park use increased substantially in the 1970 season. The 

 number of visitors increased by 16.4 per cent, and the num- 

 ber of campers by 12.6 per cent, compared with 1969. A 

 total of 12,172,254 visitors was accommodated in Provincial 

 Parks during 1970; this number included 1,531,528 campers. 



As detailed below, eleven Provincial Parks were added to 

 our parks system during 1970, bringing the total to 108. In 

 addition, many natural and primitive zones were recom- 

 mended during master planning. 



Carillon Provincial Park is a Natural Environment Park of 

 1,600 acres between Highway No. 17 and the enlargement 

 of the Ottawa River caused by the construction of the Caril- 

 lon hydro-electric power development. The park is located 

 10 miles east of Hawkesbury, not far from the Quebec 

 border. 



Iroquois Beach Provincial Park is a Recreation Park of 345 

 acres with 7,000 feet of attractive sand beach on Lake Erie. 

 It is located at the foot of Highway No. 19, beside Port 

 Burwell. 



Sandbar Lake Provincial Park is a Recreation Park of 7,787 

 acres, midway between Kenora and Thunder Bay. It pro- 

 vides camping and day-use facilities for travellers on High- 

 way No. 17. It is situated on the forested area surrounding 

 Sandbar Lake, five miles north from Ignace on Highway 

 No. 599. 



Wild River Parks were established on the Mattawa River 

 (8,143 acres) and the VVinisk River (415,400 acres). 



Six Nature Reserve Parks were established as follows: Gibson 

 River, 415 acres; Matawatchan, 160 acres; Montreal River, 

 108 acres; Porphyry Island, 264 acres; Trillium Woods, 25 

 acres; and Waubaushene Beaches, 84 acres. 



INTERPRETIVE SERVICES 



Interpretation of natural and cultural resources to visitors in 

 Provincial Parks is gradually developing into a program of 

 services which is outstanding among comparable North 

 American park systems. The interpretive goals are to trans- 

 mit information about the environment, primarily to park 

 visitors, and thereby to motivate wise use of resources, 

 stimulate appreciation of park facilities, and enhance the 

 visitors' recreational experience. 



Since 1944, when the interpretive program was begun, the 

 annual number of interpretive contacts made with the public 

 has increased to three-quarters of a million individual mes- 

 sages. This spectacular growth has thus been more rapid than 

 the growth in total annual visits to the parks. However, as 

 increasing numbers of outdoor recreationists come from 

 city centres, they require additional informational-educa- 

 tional services for their proper orientation to park facilities 

 and their enjoyment of the outdoors. 



Moreover, in serving sheer masses of recreationists, the 

 Department must seek public participation In protecting 

 the public trust; and interpretive messages have proven to 

 be an important means of tackling conservation problems 

 such as wilderness littering, overcrowding and vandalism. 

 Through interpretive services, increased protection has been 

 won for fragile components of the park environments; and 

 current interpretive projects are helping to combat abuse of 

 \\ ild flowers and threatened faunal species. 



Important program additions in 1970 included the de- 

 velopment of several audio-visual programs. These slide-tape 

 presentations were designed to help orient visitors to the 

 provincial parks system, especially the park classification 

 system; to encourage traditionally southern-park visitors to 

 visit northern areas; and to enhance the visitors' under- 

 standing of park management policies and environmental 

 features. Over 100 publications were created; these related 

 to individual provincial parks, interpretive trails, and natural 

 and historical themes. New exhibits were developed for 

 Algonquin Park bird life and mammals. Plans were con- 

 ceived for an extensive series of exhibits relating visitors to 

 the James and Hudson Bay lowlands. 



Services were expanded at Tweed District with the ap- 

 pointment of an interpretive naturalist to the permanent 

 park staff. A seasonal staff naturalist was assigned to Bon 



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