Progress report on park management plan implementation for the period of April 1, 2014 – February 1, 2016
Banff National Park
Banff National Park of Canada – 2015-2020 Priorities
Parks Canada’s vision is captured in a few powerful words: “Canada’s treasured and historic places will be a living legacy, connecting hearts and minds to a stronger, deeper understanding of the very essence of Canada.” Parks Canada’s specific efforts towards achieving this vision for each national park are reflected through Park Management Plans.
This version of the Banff National Park Year in Review report outlines progress made toward implementing the 2010 Park Management Plan from April 1, 2014 to February 1, 2016. This is not intended to be a comprehensive list of every action that Parks Canada undertook in that period, but rather a reporting on activities and accomplishments specific to the goals and objectives of the Park Management Plan.
This document also outlines priorities for attention during the last 5 years of the Park Management Plan’s lifespan.
Selected Highlights
CONSERVATION LEADERSHIP
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Bow Valley Parkway : Implementation of the Bow Valley Parkway Five-Year Action Plan continued. This plan, resulting from the work of the Bow Valley Parkway Area Advisory Committee, identifies a number of actions relating to education, visitor experience and ecological integrity. Parks Canada has made substantial progress on the planned short and medium term actions including: implementation of a mandatory travel restriction for the protection of wildlife from March 1 to June 25. While overall traffic to the Parkway increased from previous years, compliance with the travel restriction ranged from 95% to 99%. Wildlife monitoring has begun but it is expected that a few more years will be required to enable wildlife to adapt to changing traffic patterns and evaluate the results. Wildlife surveys have confirmed that wary species, such as cougar and wolves, are using this valuable montane habitat during the travel restriction period.
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Prescribed Fire:
- In October 2014 Parks Canada completed a 676 hectare – an area 1.5 times the size of the Banff townsite – prescribed fire in the Sawback Range along the Bow Valley Parkway, 10 kilometres west of the Town of Banff. The Sawback Prescribed Fire plays an important role in supporting the continued use of prescribed fire to improve habitat, a key element of the Bow Valley Parkway Action Plan. This will contribute to the achievement of the future best vision for the area and support broader landscape ecological efforts. This fire also serves to improve opportunities for wildlife viewing along the Bow Valley Parkway and will help provide attractive habitat for grizzly bears away from the Canadian Pacific Railway right of way. Parks staff will produce a final report on this restoration effort in 2016.
- In the fall of 2015, Parks Canada completed prescribed fires in the remote Panther (820 ha) and Dormer (540 ha) Valleys in the northeast portion of Banff Park. These fires were designed to renew and restore montane habitats (open grasslands) to support increased biodiversity in these watersheds. Restoring these areas, through the use of fire, will improve habitat quality for various ungulates including bighorn sheep, elk, goats, and potentially bison. A larger (6,800 ha), stand replacing, prescribed fire is planned for the Dormer valley with a goal of renewing forested areas within this watershed – weather permitting this fire will occur in 2016.
- In October 2014 Parks Canada completed a 676 hectare – an area 1.5 times the size of the Banff townsite – prescribed fire in the Sawback Range along the Bow Valley Parkway, 10 kilometres west of the Town of Banff. The Sawback Prescribed Fire plays an important role in supporting the continued use of prescribed fire to improve habitat, a key element of the Bow Valley Parkway Action Plan. This will contribute to the achievement of the future best vision for the area and support broader landscape ecological efforts. This fire also serves to improve opportunities for wildlife viewing along the Bow Valley Parkway and will help provide attractive habitat for grizzly bears away from the Canadian Pacific Railway right of way. Parks staff will produce a final report on this restoration effort in 2016.
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Managing Wildfires for Ecological Benefits and Public Safety:
- Spreading Creek Wildfire: Started by a lightning strike on July 3, 2014, the Spreading Creek wildfire burned on Alberta provincial lands and within Banff National Park adjacent to the Icefields Parkway (Highway 93N) and the David Thompson Highway (Highway 11). In total, 9,000 hectares burned, including 2,300 hectares within the park. Parks Canada fire management personnel successfully contained the fire and reduced the threat to the Icefields Parkway, Saskatchewan Crossing Warden Station, and the Saskatchewan Crossing Resort. The Spreading Creek wildfire is an excellent example of Parks Canada demonstrating world-class fire management strategies in challenging operations. Staff minimised impact to the travelling public and local stakeholders while respecting the role of fire on the landscape. The wildfire provided opportunities to reach Canadians through on-site visitor education, a proactive media tour, and multiple social media, web and digital media posts. Also of note, near the time of the Spreading Creek wildfire, Parks Canada, successfully suppressed 5 lightning-started wildfires in the Bow Valley in a span of only two days, before any of them exceeded the park’s initial attack capacity.
- Snarl Creek Wildfire : This fire was likely started by a lightning strike on July 11, 2015 and detected by Parks Canada staff on July 14, 2015 at five hectares. This fire was located in the Clearwater valley, approximately 80 km northeast of the Town of Banff, 2 km from the Banff National Park boundary with the Province of Alberta. Parks Canada fire management personnel successfully managed this fire using indirect fire management methods (burning off of established control lines and natural features) and contained the fire to within Banff National Park. Parks Canada used established fire management zoning principles to manage the wildfire to protect the public, infrastructure and neighbouring lands, while allowing fire to play its natural role in the ecosystem. Parks Canada worked very closely with the Government of Alberta in the sharing of facilities and resources to work effectively and efficiently in a very remote valley of the park. As such this wildfire contributed 900 hectares of managed wildfire to the Banff National Park landscape.
- Spreading Creek Wildfire: Started by a lightning strike on July 3, 2014, the Spreading Creek wildfire burned on Alberta provincial lands and within Banff National Park adjacent to the Icefields Parkway (Highway 93N) and the David Thompson Highway (Highway 11). In total, 9,000 hectares burned, including 2,300 hectares within the park. Parks Canada fire management personnel successfully contained the fire and reduced the threat to the Icefields Parkway, Saskatchewan Crossing Warden Station, and the Saskatchewan Crossing Resort. The Spreading Creek wildfire is an excellent example of Parks Canada demonstrating world-class fire management strategies in challenging operations. Staff minimised impact to the travelling public and local stakeholders while respecting the role of fire on the landscape. The wildfire provided opportunities to reach Canadians through on-site visitor education, a proactive media tour, and multiple social media, web and digital media posts. Also of note, near the time of the Spreading Creek wildfire, Parks Canada, successfully suppressed 5 lightning-started wildfires in the Bow Valley in a span of only two days, before any of them exceeded the park’s initial attack capacity.
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Re-introducing Bison : In 2015 Parks Canada continued to work to restore a small herd of free-roaming plains bison in the Panther Valley area of Banff National Park. Key activities focussed on installing and testing small sections of fence, which will play a role in encouraging the bison to remain inside Banff Park, to ensure they are permeable to other target wildlife species such as elk, deer and bighorn sheep. Researchers also worked to collect baseline data on vegetation, songbirds, and aquatic indicator species so we can better understand the ecological effects of restoring bison to this ecosystem. Work is currently underway to complete an environmental assessment and develop various contingency plans, in cooperation with key partners, to ensure we are adequately prepared for to manage issues should they arise (e.g. excursion and disease management). Prescribed fire was applied in the Panther and Dormer valleys to improve forage inside the park, as another key approach for encouraging bison to remain on park lands.
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“FireSmart” and Forest Thinning at Mount Norquay: This project is intended to improve the ability for wildlife to move through this important wildlife corridor. Over the last 3 years, Parks Canada has completed 37 hectares of thinning (primarily the removal of downed timber) along the lower slopes on the south side of Mt. Norquay. Parks Canada also completed 12 hectares of FireSmart work directly adjacent to the leasehold. This work was identified as part of a series of mitigations to offset impacts of increased human use with the approval of various summer operations that the ski hill (e.g. tea house, gondola and via ferrata). In 2016, parks staff will produce a final report on this forest management project.
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Monitoring Grizzly Bears: In 2014 and 2015, Parks Canada completed the final two seasons of grizzly bear capture and collaring as part of the cooperative Canadian Pacific Railway (CPR)/Parks Canada Grizzly Bear Research Project. Over the past four years, Parks Canada wildlife specialists safely captured and handled grizzly bears on 44 occasions without incident. This project has provided unprecedented GPS collar data describing the behaviour and habitat use of 26 individual grizzly bears in the Bow Valley during this time period. Work continues, with various research partners including the University of Alberta, to analyze how bears are using this complex landscape and is providing insights into how best to reduce risks of grizzly bear mortality along the railway. Results from these initiatives will inform short-term and long-term solutions for reducing grizzly bear-train collisions.
- Testing Electrified Mats for Fence Exclusion: Parks Canada specialists completed a third and final season of the off-site electrified mat trials for potential application on the CPR. These two test plots were designed and managed to test the effectiveness of new electrified mat technologies at keeping bears and other wildlife from entering into fenced areas. This approach appears to have good potential for excluding grizzly bears and other wildlife from some of the higher risk sections of the CPR right-of-way. Results from this testing have also helped inform the implementation of electrified mats to augment, and perhaps eventually replace, Texas gates (cattle guards) that are used to deter wildlife from accessing the fenced TransCanada Highway (TCH). Parks staff will produce a final report on this research in 2016.
Aquatic Restoration:
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Establishing a new population of Westslope Cutthroat Trout in Rainbow Lake
- In July 2015, Parks Canada worked with volunteers from Trout Unlimited Canada to complete this project by capturing just over 100 pure westslope cutthroat trout, a species at risk, from Sawback Lake and transplant these native fish into Rainbow Lake. The bulk of this project involved three seasons of netting and electrofishing by PC staff to remove non-native rainbow from Rainbow Lake. As a result, Rainbow Lake is home to a population of genetically pure cutthroat trout. The final component in the Upper Cascade restoration will be to remove non-native brook trout from Badger Lake – this work will begin in 2016.
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Establishing a new core population of Westslope Cutthroat Trout in Sawback Creek
- Over the past 3 years, Parks Canada successfully removed non-native Rainbow trout from Rainbow Lake, a small alpine lake in the Upper Cascade Watershed of Banff National Park. Downstream movement of these rainbow trout had impacted the native population of Westslope Cutthroat Trout in Sawback Creek. Parks Canada staff also used mark and recapture techniques, combined with genetic testing to remove hybridized trout from Sawback Creek. This project was so successful, that this stream population now meets COSEWIC criteria necessary to qualify as Banff’s 11th “core” population of westslope cutthroat trout. This represents the first new core population established anywhere in Canada since westslope cutthroat trout were listed as threatened under the federal Species at Risk Act in 2013. Parks staff will produce a final report on this research in 2016.
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Restoring Connectivity in 40 Mile Creek
- In 2014, the Town of Banff and Parks Canada cooperated to safely and effectively remove a portion of the 40 Mile Dam on Forty Mile Creek behind Mt. Norquay in Banff National Park. This 20m high concrete structure has prevented native fish, such as bull trout from accessing spawning habitat for almost 100 years. A short film, documenting this effort, debuted at the Banff Film Festival as the opener for Yvon Chouinards’ full-length feature film “Damnation” and is now available on the Town of Banff website. Parks Canada aquatics specialists are currently working with telemetry specialists from Carleton University in Ottawa to use telemetry techniques to properly assess the actual permeability of the remaining dam structure, for bull trout during low fall flows that occur during their spawning season.
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Restoring Connectivity in Bath Creek
- In May 2014, Parks Canada staff collected Bull trout DNA samples to test for restoration of habitat connectivity as part of the Bath Creek culvert work. Four species of fish were caught: Bull, Westslope Cutthroat and Brook trout, and Mountain Whitefish. This indicates successful restoration of habitat connectivity as there are now three native fish – Bull and Westslope Cutthroat trout (a species at risk), and Mountain Whitefish – above the replaced culvert.
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Improving Cascade Creek Connectivity
– In 2014, Parks Canada made significant progress toward the restoration of aquatic habitat in Cascade Creek, below the Minnewanka Reservoir. Progress included installing a large capacity box culvert under the Minnewanka Loop road, establishing an overflow channel through the partially reclaimed Cascade Gravel Pits, restoring the control weir (riffle) at the lower end of Cascade Ponds and restoring sections of the stream adjacent to the Legacy Trail. Parks Canada is now working with CPR to restore the most downstream section between the Legacy Trail and the TransAlta tailrace, and is also working with Trans Alta to support their upgrades to the riparian valve, near the Minnewanka dam, to eventually allow for increased flow rates in the restored stream.
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Restoring
Westslope Cutthroat Trout to Hidden Lake
– The goal of this project is to remove non-native Brook trout from this lake and reintroduce threatened Westslope Cutthroat trout. During the 2014 field season, 4728 Brook trout were removed from the lake and tributaries and in 2015, 7270 fish were removed. A two year grant from the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise provided additional funding for a student who worked at Hidden Lake as well as providing additional education and outreach about fish conservation issues.
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Planning and Preparing for Caribou Recovery: As part of the Conservation Strategy for Southern Mountain Caribou, Parks Canada continued to monitor changes in predator-prey dynamics to inform future caribou reintroduction efforts. Twenty-four remote cameras distributed throughout historic caribou range north of Lake Louise helped estimate wolf abundance, overlap with caribou range, and changes in the relative abundance of elk, deer, and moose, which all influence caribou predation risk. Continued monitoring of wolves and other wildlife species in caribou range will provide Parks Canada with information required to prioritize where caribou translocations will have the greatest likelihood of success and conservation value.
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Wolf Monitoring: Parks Canada captured and radio collared 6 wolves (representing 3 different wolf packs throughout Banff Park), to support several key research projects. These include monitoring the response of wolves to the spring travel restriction on the Bow Valley Parkway (no vehicles between dusk and dawn – see above), understanding the potential effects of wolf density on caribou habitat viability in BNP, and understanding year round effectiveness of wildlife corridors which are monitored for multi-species through the winter corridor tracking program. These data will also provide insight into alternate prey selection (e.g deer, sheep, goats) by wolves as we continue to manage their primary prey (elk) in the Bow Valley.
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Restoring Abbot Pass Refuge Cabin National Historic Site: A collaboration between the Alpine Club of Canada and Parks Canada saw the 92-year old Swiss-designed refuge hut get a much deserved face lift in August 2014. Masons from the Parks Canada Heritage Restoration Workshop repointed cracked and weathered mortar with the help of the Alpine Club of Canada facility maintenance team. This project received high public interest, with over 22,000 people introduced to the project on Facebook and Twitter.
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Restoring Skoki Ski Lodge National Historic Site: Parks Canada collaborated with the Lake Louise Ski Area to do restoration work on the Honeymoon Cabin at Skoki Ski Lodge National Historic Site in June 2015. Parks Canada’s Heritage Restoration Workshop Team completed stone mason work and ensured that the rustic characteristics and commemorative integrity of the building were maintained. Working off old photographs, the original 1936 stone fireplace was restored, along with new foundation piers and stonework, repairs to log chinking and restoration of the front deck.
BRINGING PARKS CANADA PLACES TO CANADIANS
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Reaching Out in Calgary: From mid-June to Labour Day in September 2015, Parks Canada engaged more than 65,600 young families through the “Get into the Wild Program” at the Calgary Zoo - an increase of almost 50% over 2014. The program encourages understanding, support and visitation to Canada’s National Parks and features threatened species from Wood Buffalo (Whooping Crane), Grasslands (Black-Tailed Prairie Dog), Jasper/Banff (Caribou), Elk Island (Wood Bison) and the Mountain Parks (Grizzly Bear).
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Reaching Out in Toronto:
- Banff National Park was featured in a Parks Canada outreach initiative at the Toronto Zoo and Canadian National Exhibition which engaged over 129,000 persons. The program encourages understanding, support and visitation to Canada’s National Parks. It featured multiple national parks and species including Banff National Park (Grizzlies).
- Banff National Park’s wildlife crossings were highlighted at the Royal Ontario Museum in Toronto in March 2015. For seven days, Parks Canada staff engaged young families (2,000 contacts) with an interactive activity about the role of Banff’s wildlife crossing structures. Other Parks Canada activities (including spray-on tattoos, a green screen postcard activity, and build-a-wildlife-crossing postcard), social media posts and news media coverage ensured this Banff National Park story and visitor information reached additional Toronto audiences.
- Banff National Park was featured in a Parks Canada outreach initiative at the Toronto Zoo and Canadian National Exhibition which engaged over 129,000 persons. The program encourages understanding, support and visitation to Canada’s National Parks. It featured multiple national parks and species including Banff National Park (Grizzlies).
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Reaching out in Vancouver:
- Banff National Park stories, including woodland caribou and fire management, were highlighted as part of Parks Canada’s Vancouver urban outreach program. In addition to 16,119 contacts made at Science World, 17,065 contacts were made at special events where potential visitors from throughout the Vancouver area were introduced to Parks Canada places, including Banff National Park.
- Banff National Park stories, including woodland caribou and fire management, were highlighted as part of Parks Canada’s Vancouver urban outreach program. In addition to 16,119 contacts made at Science World, 17,065 contacts were made at special events where potential visitors from throughout the Vancouver area were introduced to Parks Canada places, including Banff National Park.
- Connecting with Canadians Online: Banff National Park continues to connect with Canadians through popular social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter and YouTube. The BanffNP Facebook Page has grown 13% to date this year from 15,181 to 17,105 fans. The @BanffNP Twitter channel has grown 25% and continues to be one of the largest channels in the national park system. The single YouTube video published in 2015 saw more than 49,000 views. A second video produced with time lapse footage provided by Parks Canada was screened to an audience of 1,000 at the Banff Mountain Film Festival. Travel Alberta also created 2 new video’s in their “Remember to Breathe” series featuring the Cave and Basin NHS (37,000 views) and the Wildlife Guardians (62,000 views).
CONNECTING VISITORS WITH THEIR NATIONAL PARK AND HISTORIC SITES
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Federal Infrastructure Investments in Banff National Park : In July 2015, project funding of $117 million was announced for highway infrastructure in Banff National Park. . An additional $44 million of Federal Infrastructure Investment was provided for extensive rehabilitation work on other park roads and parking lots. This important work is an investment in the national park legacy – it will improve visitor safety and experience, protect built assets, and support conservation of natural or historical resources. Projects completed this year include: 12 kms of the Trans-Canada highway re-paved, re-paving of the golf course road, and flood repairs at Cascade Pond day use area and the Cascade Valley trail system. Projects underway include: Johnston Canyon rock scaling work and railing replacement, improvements to the wildlife fence at the east end of the park; replacement of the Spray River Bridge, replacement of the underground utilities in Tunnel Mountain Village II Campground, replacement of the Banff East Gate gantry sign, repairs to Banff Visitor Centre and park septic systems, installation of new privies at Redearth Creek, Valleyview and Bourgeau Lake, and repairs to the Cascade of Time gardens and ponds.
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Interpretation:
- During the summer of 2015, Parks Canada delivered a very robust program offer which included: evening theatre programs in three campgrounds, informal talks at eight popular day-use areas, four programmed activities, and provided roadside wildlife viewing education along the Bow Valley Parkway and Highway 93 N. A new Day-Use Area program was added to our offer on the Minnewanka Loop providing education on wildlife attractants and the importance of properly disposing garbage. Together these programs provided the opportunity for Parks Canada to connect directly with over 83,000 visitors (an increase of 60% from 2014) about the ecology and history of Banff National Park.
Interpretive programs are offered year round at the Cave and Basin NHS with guided tours running every day the site is open and a range of enhanced and after hours interpretive programs also available as ticketed events. The Cave and Basin was awarded Interpretation Canada’s Bronze Award in September 2014 for the Cave Lantern Tour in the Personal Interpretation category.
- In collaboration with Brewster Travel Canada, an interpretive plan for Sulphur Mountain was implemented, focusing on renewal of all interpretive media along the Sulphur Mountain boardwalk, at the Cosmic Ray Station National Historic Site and the Sulphur Mountain Weather Observatory.
- A new Xplorers booklet for the Icefields Parkway was developed in conjunction with Jasper National Park to share the Icefields Parkway 75th anniversary with visitors.
- During the summer of 2015, Parks Canada delivered a very robust program offer which included: evening theatre programs in three campgrounds, informal talks at eight popular day-use areas, four programmed activities, and provided roadside wildlife viewing education along the Bow Valley Parkway and Highway 93 N. A new Day-Use Area program was added to our offer on the Minnewanka Loop providing education on wildlife attractants and the importance of properly disposing garbage. Together these programs provided the opportunity for Parks Canada to connect directly with over 83,000 visitors (an increase of 60% from 2014) about the ecology and history of Banff National Park.
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Sharing Our Science – Wildlife Crossings Exhibit: The exhibit on the Trans-Canada Highway near Castle Junction opened in July 2015.
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Increasing Visitor Convenience – Camping Reservations: With a fully operational Tunnel Mountain Trailer Court campground in 2014, and the addition of the 76-site Two Jack Lakeside campground to the reservation system in 2014, Banff National Park added over 300 campsites into the national campground reservation system inventory for summer of 2014. The summer of 2015 saw the addition of Johnston Canyon campground and 22 Equipped Campsites at Two Jack Main added to the national reservation inventory. The availability of these additional campsites contributed to an overall increase in camping of 10% in 2015/16. Visitors continue to increase their use of the reservation system for more convenient and easier planning of the national park visits. The oTENTik program has continued to be successful in 2014, and 2015 with a 88% occupancy rate in 2015, a 14% increase over 2014.
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Increasing Visitor Convenience – Park Pass Sales: Entering the park and acquiring a park pass was made easier through several new national park entry pass sales arrangements with third party retailers such as Tourism Calgary and Tourism Canmore, along with the continuation of existing arrangements with Mountain Equipment Co-op, Alberta Motor Association and Husky. This has increased efficiency at the Banff East Gate through reduced lineups. This, along with additional (2014) signage, a new drive-through lane and a more stable Point of Sale System and gate attendant team together have made it easier and more convenient for visitors to enter and begin their national park experience.
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Equipped campsites: No gear? No problem! Piloted during summer 2014 and expanded to 22 reservable sites in 2015, equipped campsites at Two Jack Main campground gave a broad range of visitors a chance to experience camping without bringing along all of the gear. The equipped sites were popular, (73% occupancy) with high satisfaction indicated from visitors.
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Visitation to Banff National Park: A record number of visitors seized the opportunity to experience and connect with Banff National Park during 2014-2015, yielding an increase of 10.4% for a total of 3.6 million visitors. In 2015-2016, through the end of November 2015, there has been a 7.6% increase over the same period last year.
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Visitation to the Cave and Basin National Historic Site: Increasing numbers of visitors are learning about the story of the Birthplace of Canada’s National Parks at the Cave and Basin NHS. Visitation is increasingly steadily month after month. As of January 1, 2016 the site has welcomed 127,000 visitors making it one of the most visited National Historic Sites in the Parks Canada system with paid visits up by 55% compared to 2014/15.
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A New Experience - Red Chairs: In fall of 2014, installed and promoted 12 sets of red chairs at high visitation day-use areas and along park trails, in support of the national Parks Canada Red Chair Experience - #Sharethechair. The Red Chair Experience Program provides opportunities for visitors to connect with nature and to experience the most unique and treasured places within Canada. Visitors are encouraged to seek out the “red chairs” to enjoy these special places and to share their experience through social media and other communication channels. In Banff there has been very positive reception from visitors with many special memories shared via social media.
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Connecting to Our History and Culture: L eading up to our 150th anniversary of Confederation in 2017, Parks Canada is sharing the stories of Canada. Over the past 2 years, a series of special events and activities have commemorated milestones in Canada’s history including: the 50th anniversary of the Canadian flag, interpretive programs about Sir John A MacDonald and special after hours programs such as World War I Tavern nights. These special events and enhanced interpretive programs provide diverse and accessible opportunities for visitors to engage in Canada’s history.
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WonderFall Shuttle to Moraine Lake: For the third year in a row Parks Canada offered shuttle service between Moraine Lake and Lake Louise Overflow to provide larch viewing access to visitors during the annual fall festival. In 2015 a total of 12 days of service were provided to approximately 7000 passengers, almost doubling the program from the previous year.
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Engaging Experiences – ‘Learn To’ Programs: Building on the programming piloted in 2014- Learn to Snowshoe was provided to visitors during late January and early February 2015. The program was expanded to capture interested morning and afternoon visitors over 3 weekends. Visitors could register and pay for the program through the visitor centre or on location. Thanks in part to some television promotion, the program had 67 participants (up from 15 the previous year).
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Lake Louise Ski Area Site Guidelines: The Lake Louise Ski Area Site Guidelines for Development and Use were approved in July 2015. These Site Guidelines contribute to ensuring ecological integrity is maintained or restored, while encouraging enhanced visitor experiences and learning opportunities consistent with our mandate. Under the Site Guidelines, the footprint for commercial use at the Lake Louise Ski Area will shrink. An area 1.5 times the size of the Town of Banff will be will be added to the 95 percent plus of Banff National Park that is already designated wilderness. The Guidelines set permanent limits to growth and outline conditions that must be met for Parks Canada to consider proposed changes. They do not constitute approval of specific proposals within them. Under this framework, the ski area can develop Long-Range Plans that are subject to a detailed impact analysis and further public consultation.
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Enhancing Public Safety: In 2014/2015, Parks Canada developed and implemented a suite of communications strategies ranging from social media posts, media stories, updated trail guides, and web pages with specialized messaging around avalanche safety in the Lake Louise area.
2010 - 2014 Priority Actions by Program Activity |
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Program |
In Support of (Indicator): |
Priority Action |
Progress in the Reporting Period |
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Heritage Resource Conservation |
Native Biodiversity: Species at Risk |
Complete investigation of the feasibility of restoring a breeding population of woodland caribou. (Jasper National Park is the lead on this mountain park team project.) |
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Native Biodiversity: Grizzly Bears |
Develop evidence-based estimates of grizzly bear population numbers. Safely use high quality habitat |
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Heritage Resource Conservation |
Aquatic Ecosystems: Eliminating non-native fish populations |
Complete the restoration of Devon Lakes’ ecosystem. |
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Heritage Resource Conservation |
Aquatic Ecosystems: Ensuring Connectivity |
Restore aquatic connectivity in at least three tributary streams to the Bow River. |
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Heritage Resource Conservation |
Aquatic Ecosystems: Eliminating non-native fish populations |
Reduce non-native fish populations to ecologically insignificant levels by 2013-2014 in two sub-alpine watersheds. |
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Heritage Resource Conservation |
Native Biodiversity: Species at Risk |
Ensure that the integrity of thermal springs is maintained or improved. |
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Heritage Resource Conservation |
Native Biodiversity |
Initiate planning for reintroduction of plains bison. |
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Heritage Resource Conservation |
Terrestrial Ecosystems: Restoration of Vegetation Patterns, Structure and Health Terrestrial Ecosystems: Ungulate Browsing Native Biodiversity Public Awareness: Building Understanding and Support for Conservation Initiatives |
Continue implementation of the prescribed fire program. |
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Heritage Resource Conservation |
Terrestrial Ecosystems: Restoration of Vegetation Patterns, Structure and Health Native Biodiversity: Species at Risk |
Continue active management measures aimed at restoring and understanding interactions between prescribed fire, forest health, ungulates, predators and people. |
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Heritage Resource Conservation |
Awareness: Building Understanding and Support for Conservation Initiatives |
Integrate protection and education measures for the endangered Banff Springs snail into a renewed visitor experience at the Cave and Basin National Historic Site. |
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Heritage Resource Conservation |
Native Biodiversity Awareness: Building Understanding and Support for Conservation Initiatives |
Design a citizen science program around core ecological monitoring programs and other ecosystem studies. Share the stories of citizen scientists widely through the Internet & new media. |
- Hidden Lake Fish Restoration (Volunteers logged a total of 225 hours in 2014.) - Harlequin Duck Monitoring - Aquatic Invertebrate Monitoring - Canadian Aquatic Biomonitoring Network (CABIN) - Breeding Bird Surveys - Avian Survivorship - Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS) - Pika Monitoring - Winter snow tracking Occupancy - Grizzly Trends from DNA - Grizzly Cub Index
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Heritage Resource Conservation |
Public Awareness: Building Understanding and Support for Conservation Initiatives |
Begin implementation of the management plan for National Historic Sites, notably renewal of the Cave and Basin NHS. |
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Public Appreciation and Understanding |
Engagement with First Nations |
Invite strengthened involvement of Aboriginal people in the park and develop a working protocol on consultation with elders. |
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Public Appreciation and Understanding |
Increasing Visitor Enjoyment and Satisfaction |
Create a user-friendly website that incorporates enhanced trip planning information. |
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Public Appreciation and Understanding |
Increasing Visitor Enjoyment and Satisfaction Fostering Learning and Engagement |
Develop and implement an outreach program for new target audiences. |
- Trail Signage Inventory Project where volunteers hiked over 600 kms and inventoried 1,000 signs in 2 months. - Corporate Group Volunteer Pilot Program which involved a Wildlife Fence Check with a corporate group, including pre and post trip learning.
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Public Awareness and Appreciation |
Engagement |
Link the work of all park advisory groups more closely to the round table and the park management plan. |
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Visitor Experience |
Enjoyment and Satisfaction |
With tourism and community partners, create a communications and learning strategy around the concept of welcome and employ it throughout the park. |
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Visitor Experience |
Enjoyment and Satisfaction |
Refine and renew visitor facilities, information, and promotions, based on visitor experience planning and opportunity development that provides for five types of engagement. |
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Visitor Experience |
Enjoyment and Satisfaction Learning and Engagement |
Develop and promote new programs and services that facilitate “virtual experience” and “drive through awareness” experiences. |
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Visitor Experience |
Engagement Enjoyment and Satisfaction |
Increase knowledge of the park’s visitors and target markets. |
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Visitor Experience |
Enjoyment and Satisfaction |
Complete components of a long distance cycle route from Canmore to Jasper. |
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Visitor Experience |
Enjoyment and Satisfaction |
Review and revitalize the park’s camping offer. |
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Visitor Experience |
Enjoyment and Satisfaction |
Develop a strategy for enhancing winter opportunities in addition to downhill skiing. |
- Providing 6 weekend interpretation programs, and supported BLLT Ice Climbing Wall located in Banff Avenue Square during January and February; - Partnering with BLLT to host an ice sculpture event in Central Park from January to March that focused on outdoor winter activities and the 50th anniversary of the Canadian flag; - Partnering with Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise and Baker Creek stakeholders to develop and promote new cross country and snowshoeing trails in the Lake Louise area; Developed a new winter offer at the Cave and Basin with skating and curling on the synthetic ice rink · Initiated development of a cross-country skiing experience on the Bow Valley Parkway with Baker Creek Chalets and Castle Mountain Chalets. |
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Visitor Experience |
Enjoyment and Satisfaction |
Establish site guidelines and growth limits for the three ski areas in support of their importance as cornerstones of winter tourism. |
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6.1 Lower Bow Valley |
Visitor Experience: Enjoyment and Satisfaction |
Initiate a phased approach to revitalize the arrival experience at the East Gate. |
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Visitor Experience: Enjoyment and Satisfaction |
Design and install improved directional signage. |
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Visitor Experience: Enjoyment and Satisfaction |
Complete the Banff Legacy Trail and register it as part of the Trans-Canada Trail. |
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6.2 The Montane Heart of the Park |
Visitor Experience: Enjoyment and Satisfaction Learning and Engagement |
Town of Banff Renew the Cave and Basin National Historic Site as the birthplace of Canada’s national parks. |
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Visitor Experience: Enjoyment and Satisfaction |
With the Town, develop integrated trail connections and way-finding media to adjacent areas. |
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Visitor Experience: Enjoyment and Satisfaction |
With the Town, develop a sustainability strategy in advance of commercial build-out. |
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Visitor Experience: Enjoyment and Satisfaction |
Lands Adjacent to the Town of Banff (LATB) Continue implementation of the LATB Strategy. |
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Visitor Experience: Enjoyment and Satisfaction |
Support development of a regional transit system. |
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Native Biodiversity Aquatic Ecosystem Restoration Visitor Experience: Enjoyment and Satisfaction |
Restore the Cascade Pit. |
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Visitor Safety |
Re-list the airstrip. |
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Area Concept |
In Support of (Indicator): |
Priority Action |
Progress in the Reporting Period |
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6.3 Spray river |
Visitor Experience: Enjoyment and Satisfaction |
Remove or relocate the Bryant shelter. |
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6.4 East Slopes |
Visitor Experience: Enjoyment and Satisfaction Habitat Effectiveness |
Begin reducing the Cascade Trail to a single track north of Stoney Creek. |
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Terrestrial Ecosystem Resoration Habitat Effectiveness |
Implement at least four large-scale prescribed burns. |
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Visitor Experience: Enjoyment and Satisfaction |
License outfitters for day-rides. |
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Habitat Effectiveness Visitor Experience: Enjoyment and Satisfaction |
With the Province of Alberta, restrict vehicle access east of Lake Minnewanka. |
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6.5 Middle Bow Valley |
Habitat Effectiveness Visitor Experience: Enjoyment and Satisfaction |
With an advisory group, complete an action plan for the Bow Valley Parkway. |
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Visitor Learning and Engagement |
Implement a “drive-through awareness” product focused on interpretation of the TCH wildlife crossings. |
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6.6 Main Ranges |
Visitor Experience and Satisfaction |
Investigate options to replace the Egypt Lake shelter. |
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Visitor Experience and Satisfaction |
Develop at least 5 kilometers of new trail. |
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6.7 The Subalpine Heart of the Park |
Visitor Experience and Satisfaction |
Park community of Lake Louise Continue implementation of the community plan. |
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Visitor Safety Habitat Effectiveness Native Biodiversity |
Lake Louise area Continue implementation of the Lake Louise Area Strategy. |
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Habitat Effectiveness Native Biodiversity |
Complete the twinning, fencing and provision of wildlife highway crossing structures for the TCH. |
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Visitor Experience and Satisfaction |
Support development of a regional transit system. |
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Visitor Experience and Satisfaction Visitor Safety |
Provide 2-kilometers of bike trail between Bow Valley Parkway and Icefields Parkway. |
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6.8 Icefields Parkway |
Visitor Experience and Satisfaction Visitor Safety |
Begin implementation of the 2009 Action Plan. |
- Installing new “welcome" signs at picnic areas and campgrounds. - Replacing picnic tables replaced at all campgrounds and picnic areas, and new fire rings in campgrounds. - Removing trees to improve the alignment and sight lines within campgrounds on loop roads to improve maneuverability of larger vehicles.
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Banff National Park of Canada – 2015-2020 Priorities
Based on outstanding commitments from the 2010 Park Management Plan and feedback from stakeholders, a number of priorities have been identified for the last five years of the current plan. They include:
1. Conserving Natural and Cultural Heritage
Objective: To maintain Banff’s role as a protected area leader by restoring and improving ecological conditions in key areas of the park. Actions include (but are not limited to):
- Implementing bison re-introduction
- Continuing to investigate the feasibility of re-introducing woodland caribou; implement actions if feasible
- Preparing and implementing action plans for Species-At-Risk
- Developing more accurate estimates of grizzly populations and more robust methods of evaluating habitat security
- Continuing fire restoration and maintaining restored landscapes through periodic burning
- Developing long-term aggregate plans that respect valued ecosystem and cultural components
- Expanding the use of environmental technologies and green building in park facilities to improve environmental performance
Objective: To support Canada’s reputation for environmental leadership by sharing the results of our science and engaging others in science and stewardship related activities. Actions include (but are not limited to):
- Sharing ongoing research and monitoring findings in the park and around the world through the use of new technologies.
- Developing new Citizen Science opportunities, and investigating the feasibility of Field Schools
- Under the Citizen Science program, explore the potential to host a bio-blitz with expert and novice naturalists to capture a biodiversity snapshot. A bio-blitz is an intensive survey of all living things in a given area within a set time, usually within the span of 24 hours. An outdoor, family-friendly and hands-on learning experience, it contributes to the park’s monitoring program.
2. Strengthening Relationships with Indigenous Peoples
Objective : To renew and strengthen connections between Indigenous People and the national park. Actions include (but are not limited to):
- Continuing consultation with First Nations on matters that may impact their interests.
- Collaborating with First Nations on interpretation of First Nations heritage and culture within the park and at national historic sites.
3. Fostering exceptional visitor experiences and opportunities
Objective : Support the needs of visitors by upgrading services, programs and assets. Actions include (but are not limited to):
- Collaborating with partners on programs that make visiting the park more convenient and accessible.
- Planning programs and services informed by an improved understanding of park visitor needs and expectations.
- Working with ski areas to complete the planning processes for Site Guidelines and Long Range Plans.
- Refreshing the Icefields Parkway experience through upgraded campground and day-use infrastructure.
- Revitalizing services at the Lake Minnewanka area
- Implementing a user-friendly, effective transit system at Moraine Lake and Lake Louise
- Completing repairs to park infrastructure
Objective : To revitalize backcountry opportunities. Actions include (but are not limited to):
- Upgrading backcountry shelters into modern huts that are suitable and affordable to families and youth groups.
- Working with stakeholders and the Government of Alberta to create a seamless, high quality experience for those entering the park wilderness areas through the province.
- Planning for upgrade of Big Horn Campground.
- Renewing the park trail system with the emphasis on heavily used trails in the Bow watershed, and adjusting / re-routing loop trail systems to remove certain trails from high quality grizzly habitat.
4. Connecting Canadians to their natural and cultural heritage
Objective : To encourage learning and appreciation of the environment by bringing the park to the people where they are. Actions (include but are not limited to):
- Bringing seldom seen landscapes and wildlife of the park into town through the use of remote camera technology, interpretation, special events and interactive technology in the visitor centre.
- Developing new ‘Learn To’ opportunities
- Building programs that increase our presence in Toronto and Calgary
- Continuing to renew content on the website and on social media.
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