Conservation Authorities feel that their recreation areas should also have 

 educational value. For instance, erosion control demonstrations and other examples 

 of good land practices and good forestry foster general public interest as do also 

 historic sites. Demonstrations of good land use and forestry practices are an 

 integral part of the plan of development of most of the major conservation areas. 



The creation of conservation areas, with their attendant recreation facilities 

 included, has been one of the most spectacular developments in Ontario in the 

 years since the first Conservation Authority was established. The fact that there 

 has been such spectacular growth in conservation areas indicates, first, the need 

 for such facilities and, second, the fact that these facilities can be developed as 

 an adjunct to other conservation programs as required under The Conservation 

 Authorities Act. 



Parts of many conservation areas have already been developed for intensive 

 public use. Some other conservation areas have been acquired and are now being 

 held until either the need for their use increases, or the funds become available 

 for more intensive development. Some lands are attractive for recreation without 

 any development at all. 



The Metropolitan Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, as a part 

 of its ten-year water control plan already referred to in the Water Section of this 

 report, is planning extensive recreational development around some of the reser- 

 voirs. The Authority has already acquired over one thousand acres of flood plain 

 and river valley land. Where these lands lie within the boundary of the Corpora- 

 tion of Metropolitan Toronto, the Authority and that Municipality have entered 

 into an agreement Whereby such lands are developed and managed by the 

 Metropolitan Toronto Parks Department. Approval of all developments on 

 Authority-acquired valley land by the Parks Department must be given by the 

 Authority. All other conservation areas acquired outside Metropolitan Toronto 

 are developed directly by the Authority. 



The acquisition and development of land for conservation areas usually 

 receives a grant of 50 per cent from the Province. Maintenance costs, however, 

 are borne entirely by the Authority. To meet these costs, most Authorities charge 

 an admission fee to the major areas. Authorities are free to set such admission 

 fees as they see fit — a charge levied by many Authorities is 50 cents per car. 



Public Relations 



Public relations are an important and, sometimes, delicate problem in the 

 work of Conservation Authorities. Much good work is being done by many public 

 and private agencies to put before the public the case for conservation in its own 

 particular field. The fact, however, that each group is working separately in the 

 field of forestry or recreation or wildlife conservation tends to result in some 

 confusion and, sometimes, over-emphasis on particular aspects of the problem. 

 The section of the public that had become aware of the need for action was 

 often inclined to regard conservation as involved only with one or two fields of 

 activity and so affecting only those directly concerned with these fields. 



A major problem of the Conservation Authorities in their public relations 

 program has been to convince the public of the need for a co-ordinated approach 

 to the development of the resources of a watershed. Conservation Authorities face 

 the task of telling people why the Authority was formed, What its objectives are, 

 and how these Objectives can be met. There is also the necessity of overcoming 

 the natural resistance of many people to a course of action which involves the 

 spending of public money at a municipal level. The need of the people to 



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