Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks

In October 2024 the Indigenous Stewardship Policy was enacted at Parks Canada. This landmark policy is the result of decades of listening to and working with Inuit, First Nations and Métis partners at local, regional, and national levels. The enactment of this policy formalizes efforts at Parks Canada to support Indigenous stewardship. It establishes a foundation for more equitable, effective, and collaborative stewardship between First Nations, Inuit and Métis, and Parks Canada, both now and into the future (IUCN Consultation, 2024).

The National Parks, administered under Parks Canada, are mandated to undertake Indigenous, stakeholder and public engagement and/or consultation via a number of methods (in person and virtual) in the review process for their respective management plans, as well as engaging on draft management plans. This process is carried out prior to their review and eventual renewal. This process includes the publishing of 'What We Heard' reports, which present findings from Indigenous and public engagement, including the views of Indigenous groups with historical connections to the parks. Relationships with Indigenous groups are also presented in the State of the Park reports for each National Park. While this was not rated in three out of the four assessments, acknowledging that 'Parks Canada is in the early days of building its relationship with these groups and in understanding their history, interests and perspectives on this place' it was rated as 'Fair' in the case of Jasper NP (Parks Canada, 2018a; 2018b; 2018c; 2018d). Relationship building is continuously taking place in the mountain national parks. For example, Banff National Park has an Indigenous Advisory Circle, Jasper National Park regularly consults with 30+ Indigenous groups, and Yoho and Kootenay National Parks have begun an Indigenous Guardian program with the Secwepemc Nation, and is working closely with the Secwepemc and Ktunaxa nations on an Aquatic Stewardship Plan (IUCN Consultation, 2024).

The greatest challenge remains in finding ways to braid traditional knowledge into natural resource and park management in a manner than enhances each way of knowing and ensures that cultural integrity, as well as ecological integrity, are recognized as important goals. Parks Canada is committed to achieving reconciliation with Indigenous peoples through renewed nation-to-nation and government-to-government relationships based on recognition of rights, respect, cooperation, and partnership (Parks Canada, 2019b). For example, Parks Canada conducts robust ecological monitoring of the impacts regarding the bison reintroduction in Banff National Park (Parks Canada, 2020b). Yet, there was no monitoring effort made to measure or describe the cultural impacts of bringing bison, a highly significant species to all First Nations in Alberta, back to the Traditional Territories of all Treaty 6 and 7 Nations. The impetus to describe the cultural impact of bison reintroduction, including financial cost, has fallen to the Stoney First Nation, who are working on a cultural monitoring project now. The relationships with local people and stakeholders is improving in terms of frequency and variety of engagement methods. It is still unclear, however, how input impacts resulting management plans. For BC Parks, management plan development processes include both Indigenous and public engagement and consultation with Indigenous Peoples is required when considering management decisions. Mount Robson Provincial Park has a visitor use management planning process underway for the Berg Lake Corridor area; local Indigenous groups have been invited to participate in the planning process. The updated plan will include Indigenous perspective and consider areas of cultural significance in the planning area (IUCN Consultation, 2024).

Relationships with Indigenous Peoples are considered in each of the provincial parks' respective management plans (BC Parks, 2011; 2012; 2015). Also, as a provincial Natural Resource Ministry, BC Parks is often included within government-to-government agreements with Indigenous governments such as the Strategic Engagement Agreement between the Province of British Columbia and the Ktunaxa Nation.

There is strong legal framework in place under the National Parks Act and the British Colombia Parks Act and the rule of law prevails. It is important to note that ecological integrity is a distinct mandate of Parks Canada but implementation varies. BC Parks also has a conservation mandate.

As stated above, governance arrangements vary from park to park. In the provincial parks in British Columbia (Mount Assiniboine, Mount Robson and Hamber), there is more participation of Indigenous People and other stakeholders in the planning process. For parks managed by Parks Canada, there are consultations for management planning, although the inputs still need to be integrated more effectively in planning and management. There is also a need to evaluate how they influence management outcomes.

In 2018, Banff established an Indigenous Advisory Group with the Treaty 6 and Treaty 7 First Nations (Bearspaw, Chiniki and Wesley, Siksika, Kainai, Piikani, Tsuut’ina) and the Métis Nation of Alberta (Region 3). The group meets quarterly to help mangers understand indigenous views and set common priorities for future collaboration (Parks Canada, 2022a).

Regional integration varies across the parks. JNP, KNP, Mt. Robson PP, and Mt Assiniboine are involved in a variety of regional research, land use and industrial collaborations (fRI Research, 2020). However, there is no formal umbrella planning system in place for the entire World Heritage site. The disbandment of the Central Rockies Ecosystem Interagency Liaison Group, which allowed coordination with provincial and federal land managers along the Canadian Rockies, is of concern given the lack of any tangible replacement regional planning platform. In Banff, Parks Canada has been engaged in a Human-Wildlife Coexistence working group that involves Alberta Environment and Parks land managers and the Town of Canmore. This group focuses on human-wildlife conflict across the National Park boundary and has had some success. Parks Canada has also implemented the Trans Boundary Planning Group with the Government of Alberta that focuses on shared learning on visitor activities, demand management, policy and development, park management planning etc.

The boundaries of the site are clearly demarcated as per the clarification of the boundaries, provided to the World Heritage Committee in 2014 in response to the retrospective inventory (World Heritage Committee, 2014), when a clear map of the World Heritage site, displaying the boundaries and area in hectares were indicated. Previously, Mt Robson PP and Mt Assiniboine PP both had proposed expansions to extend protection to adjacent lands with conservation value (BC Parks Division, 2006, BC Government and Service Employees Union, 2012). However, the expansion was only completed for Mt. Robson PP (BC Parks Division, 2006). The Assiniboine and Aurora Creek drainages subsequently experienced forest harvest that somewhat compromised the original values (BC Government and Service Employees Union, 2012).

No overlap with Biosphere Reserves, Geoparks or Ramsar sites.

This World Heritage site has not been examined by the Committee since 2006.

The Federal and provincial parks that compose the Canadian Rocky Mountain parks protect ecosystems that are key for adaptation to climate change and also affected by climate change.The management plans for the national parks of Banff, Kootenay, Jasper and Yoho include strategies to adapt to the expected effects of climate change on ecosystems, species and visitor use (see Parks Canada 2022a,c,d,e).The increase in global temperature is accelerating slope erosion and glacial melting, affecting natural and historic sites. For example, mangers of Banff National Park decided to dismantle the historic cabin at Abbot Pass because of failures to protect it on site (Parks Canada 2022a). Management strategies consider the adaptation of operations to expected effects of climate change and increased visitor use within the parks. Establishing partnerships and collaborations with owners of adjacent lands and regional organizations will help address regional stressors (Parks Canada 2022e). Park managers are establishing partnerships to increase research on the influence of climate change on landscapes, ecosystems and key species. One of the priorities is to manage the risks of wildfires on natural and cultural resources (Parks Canada 2022a,c,d,e). Park residents and staff are also at high risk. The 2024 wildfire in Jasper National Park damaged 30% of the town’s structures (Bartko 2024) and burned around 33,000 ha (Snowdon 2024). However, the magnitude of natural hazards such as floods and wildfires can easily make planned responses ineffective, as it happened with all the efforts to contain the wildfires in Jasper (Jasper National Park 2024).

The Canadian Rocky Mountain Parks is a serial site, comprised of a number of National and Provincial Parks, each with individual management plans which inform and provide the framework for the management of each component. However, there is no integrated management plan for the entire site. That being said, the four national and provincial parks collaborate on the development of transboundary relevance, and the mountain national parks are collaborating on their respective management planning processes to ensure alignment across these parks. Federal and BC parks are managed by designated government departments (Parks Canada and BC Parks), both of which have built capacity in recent years having suffered from funding cutbacks at the turn of the last decade as governments worked to address the recession economy (Parks Canada, 2012a; Parks Canada, 2012c; BC Parks Division, 2011).

Laws and regulations are well enforced in the National Park components of the site by National Park Wardens who enforce the Canada National Parks Act and Regulations (Government of British Columbia, 1996). For the provincial parks, enforcement of park and wildlife conservation law is by Park Rangers and Conservation Officers (e.g. responsible for enforcement of park and wildlife conservation law, such as the Park Act, Ecological Reserve Act and Wildlife Act). Typically, Park Rangers and Conservation Officers cover a large geographical area, not single protected lands; however, full time and seasonal Park Ranger staff are stationed in Mount Robson Provincial Park during the busy summer season and nearby during the winter. Proximity to the park provides an increased ability to respond to enforcement concerns (IUCN Consultation, 2024).

Though financial sustainably remains an ongoing challenge, new and innovative revenue sources have been developed by BC Parks to support financial sustainability through the implementation of the BC Parks Future Strategy including the specialty License Plates program initiated in January 2017 and the development of the BC Parks Foundation. BC Parks has been allocated a minor budget reduction for 2020 to $40.6-million, from $41.7 in 2019 (City News, 2020), which is deemed to be well below that of basic management and the ability to deal with threats and take management action, especially considering the growing tourism industry in the Province. Reduced budgets to BC Parks and Parks Canada also reduce staff numbers and the resources to implement their management plans (e.g. The Canadian Press, 2022; Elders Council for Parks in B.C. 2024).

Planned spending for core responsibilities of Parks Canada Agency (through the Ministry of Environment and Climate Change) has remained relatively stable between 2021-2024. The decrease in fiscal year 2024 to 2025 planned spending is primarily attributed to funding received for the wildfire response in fiscal year 2023 to 2024 and a diminution of goods and services in fiscal year 2024 to 2025 for supporting Long-Term Asset Sustainability (Parks Canada Agency, 2024).

Staff are well trained but there is considerable variation between the national parks and provincial parks (IUCN Consultation, 2017). BC Parks as an organization does not have the same staff capacity as does Parks Canada, as well the staffed positions in BC Parks are often more generalized in nature and serve protected area landscapes versus individual parks (IUCN Consultation, 2024).

Visitors report high satisfaction levels in Parks Canada surveys (IUCN Consultation, 2017). Some commercial operators also do an excellent job of interpretation. Visitors in recent studies have expressed a strong desire for educational materials and programming (Groulx et al., 2017; Weber et al., 2019). The State of Parks reports for the Rocky Mountain National Parks refer to education and outreach programs sharing material regarding species at risk and habitat restoration initiatives. Parks Canada offers a varied interpretive program, including Indigenous interpretation, theatre programming, guided hikes, roving stations at popular day use areas and trails, and wildlife guardians. There are also a number of self-guided interpretive trails and exhibit panels in key locations throughout the park.

In 2024, BC Parks initiated an update to the Mount Robson Provincial Park visitor use management plan for the highest visitation area in the park. This will ensure conservation objectives in high use areas continue to be met. All new activities, events and development in national parks are subject to environmental assessment, environmental impact assessment or environmental review depending on the project scope, and undertaken within the context of protecting ecological integrity. As well, the Parks Canada Administrative Guidelines for Special Events (2020) direct field units to establish their own carrying capacity for special events. The BC parks attract visitors interested in a wilderness experience, and visitor services are maintained in a manner consistent with environmental goals (BC Parks Division, 2006, BC Government and Service Employees Union, 2012, BC Parks Division, undated (b)). The mountain parks are featured prominently in tourism promotion material in Alberta and British Columbia. Park user fees provide partial funding for park operations for the federal and provincial parks. However, greater effort could be invested in informing visitors that the sites are protected areas and part of World Heritage Site (IUCN Consultation, 2017).

The only formal harvest within the World Heritage site is for recreational fishing, which appears to be well managed. Indigenous peoples can collect flora and natural objects, but this collection is on a small scale for ceremonial and personal use. One Indigenous hunt has been conducted in Jasper NP, but it was small in scale and was carried out with respect to conservation concerns (Jasper Environmental Association, 2017). Indigenous hunts have been of interest in Mount Robson Provincial Park in the last two years, however they have not been conducted yet. It is expected that this interest will only grow and BC Parks is supportive (IUCN Consutlation, 2024).

There is a strong monitoring program in place. The State of the Park reports published for each National Park present information on ecological integrity; cultural resources; external relations; indigenous relations; visitor experience and built assets. As well, the Strategic Environmental Assessments for each of the four national mountain parks, completed as part of the management planning process, are available to the public. Summary ecological condition monitoring is readily available to the public and is centred around four broad ecosystems (varying according to the specific park): Alpine, Forests, Freshwater and Tundra (Parks Canada 2018 a,b,c,d). However, significant ecosystems such as Montane grasslands are no longer covered and there is no information on the results of management interventions (IUCN Consultation, 2017). There is minimal monitoring in the provincial parks in British Columbia provincial parks (IUCN Consultation, 2017). Baseline inventory data is missing, an acknowledged gap (BC Parks Division, 2006, BC Government and Service Employees Union, 2012) and action to address ecological integrity objectives has not been consistently undertaken (BC Fish and Wildlife, 2012c). However, baseline inventory data requirements have been identified in some of the Provincial Park management Plans (BC Parks, 2011; 2012; 2015).

The mountain National Parks continue to support active research programs both internally and through partnerships with other agencies and institutions (B.A. Blackwell & Associates Ltd. And Compass Resource Management; fRI, 2020). In YNP and KNP, Parks Canada supports ongoing scientific research into the Burgess Shale, which has led to the discovery of a significant new fossil deposit, several species new to science and an increased understanding of middle Cambrian ecosystems, and the Burgess Shale continues to be a site of world class research (e.g. Anderson et al., 2018). However, federal funding cuts over the course of the last decade have affected research funding at external agencies as well as within the federal and provincial parks. For example, capacity to conduct social science research (in house) was largely eliminated in the federal mountain parks and the number of external research permits has declined significantly in recent years (IUCN Consultation, 2017), and greater efforts into building partnerships with universities could be made (IUCN Consultation, 2020). BC Parks supports active research programs through partnerships with educational institutions (e.g., geomorphological and glacial change analysis via LiDAR, wildlife coexistence) (IUCN Consultation, 2024).

The WHS is inscribed under criteria (vii) and (viii) and, whilst these values remain relatively intact, there are external pressures such as climate change which are challenging the capacity of management. On biodiversity values with the exception of freshwater ecosystems, Parks Canada ecological forest and tundra (Alpine) indicators all show either good or fair condition, and are stable or improving in trend (Parks Canada, 2018 a,b,c,d), with a few exceptions such as the alpine systems in Jasper (Parks Canada, 2018b). Mountain Caribou are extirpated from Banff and declining rapidly in Jasper. There has been a reintroduction of bison to one area of Banff in 2017, which is proving successful in meeting various ecological indicators from vegetative structure and population viability.

The legal framework supporting park mangement and the existence of enforcement bodies helps address threats inside the park, especially those related to human use. Those resulting from natural phenomena are outside of the managers'control. However, national and provintial parks conduct risks assessments to inform planning and mangement (Parks Canada 2022a,b,c,d, BC Parks 2011,2012, 2015).