Services were expanded in Parry Sound Forest District 

 with the appointment of a planner-naturalist to the park 

 staff; and seasonal staff members participated with per- 

 manent interpretive naturalists in a five-day training session 

 intended to upgrade Interpretive skills. 



Research data was gathered in an ambitious program of 

 environmental analysis for both parks facility planning and 

 interpretive messages. Beside an intensive, broadly-based 

 data collection program expanded for Algonquin Park, his- 

 torical and archaelogical material was researched at each 

 of the following parks and reserves: Lake Superior, Mattawa 

 River, Samuel de Champlain, Fort La Cloche, Methodist 

 Point, Sibbald Point, Peterborough-Petroglyphs, Darlington, 

 and Polar Bear. 



NATURE RESERVES 



Nature reserves are Class V parks as described under the 

 Park Classification System (1967), or they may be zones 

 within other classes of park. These designated reserves will 

 be living museums, encompassing both unique and repre- 

 sentative segments of our flora, fauna, geology and physio- 

 graphy. Nature reserves serve an important role in research 

 and education when such use does not damage the values 

 the reserve was established to protect. 



To assist the Branch in this program, there is an advisory 

 committee to the Minister, consisting of experts in all 

 fields of the natural sciences and representing naturalists in 

 the public sector. This committee is working with the 

 Branch to establish an outline of a system of nature re- 

 serves, an indication of the broad fields of interest and study 

 which should be represented. They also concern themselves 

 with recommending specific areas which should be estab- 

 lished. 



A start was made, in the summer of 1969, on the natural 

 surveys of park areas with an ecologist spending the sum- 

 mer investigating, identifying, and reporting on potential 

 Natural and Primitive Zones in Algonquin Park, thus con- 

 tributing to the data necessary for the planning of that park. 



SNOWMOBILE TRAILS 



Ontario Provincial Parks were made available, where pos- 

 sible, for snowmobiling during the winter of 1969-70. It was 

 necessary to prohibit or restrict the use of snowmobiles in 

 certain parks to protect the wilderness environment, deer 

 wintering areas, or fragile ecological, geological and his- 

 toric areas within these parks. Damage to landscape and 

 dune stabilizing plantings, young forest growth and lawns 

 was reported in some parks, particularly in southern Ontario, 

 due to insufficient snow cover or heavy use. Damage was 



also incurred when snowmobiles entered prohibited zones 

 including nature trails and other areas of fragile ground 

 cover. 



Snowmobiles were prohibited in Sandbanks, Serpent 

 Mounds, Killbear and Springwater Provincial Parks. 



Snowmobiles were restricted in: 



1. Algonquin Provincial Park — to travel only on Canoe, 

 Cache, Bonita, South Tea and Smoke Lakes. 



2. Lake Superior Provincial Park — to travel only on the 

 Midjin Lake road and Midjin, Magwon, Almonte, 

 Wabigoon and Mirimake Lakes. 



3. Quetico Provincial Park — to travel only on those lakes 

 forming the north and south boundaries of the park. 



Specific trails for snowmobiling were marked out in a 

 number of parks in central and southern Ontario. In addi- 

 tion, the cross-country trails in the Coldwater and Parry 

 Sound areas received increased use. 



ACCESS POINTS 



During 1969, maintenance and improvements were carried 

 out on 500 public access points across the province. These 

 facilities are intended to supplement the provincial park 

 system in providing access to a greater number of our major 

 waterways and include boat launching ramps, vehicle park- 

 ing areas, toilets and garbage receptacles. No overnight 

 camping or prolonged boat dockage is permitted at these 

 locations which are serviced regularly throughout the sum- 

 mer season. 



Improvements, completed on 230 separate sites in 1969, 

 included the construction of 59 boat ramps, 24 loading 

 docks and 39 toilets. Protection of our total environment is 

 a major consideration in the development and maintenance 

 of access points. These maintenance crews collect garbage 

 wherever it is encountered on Crown lands. 



CANOE ROUTES 



The program of documenting, mapping and improving of 

 portages on major canoe routes across the province was 

 continued in 1969. A considerable number of detailed route 

 descriptions are now available for both northern and cen- 

 tral Ontario. 



HIKING TRAILS 



The existing hiking trails established on Crown lands are 

 receiving an increasing amount of public use, and addi- 

 tional trails are in the planning stage. Three overnight trail 

 shelters were constructed along the Bruce Trail on the 

 Niagara Escarpment. A number of trails, with picnic stops 

 and toilets, were developed on Agreement Forest areas. 



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