Management plan implementation

Management Plans identify the long-term strategic direction and vision for sites and provide a framework for how they will be managed, consistent with Parks Canada’s mandate, vision and strategic outcomes. Management Plans are guiding documents for decision-making and planning.

The following updates serve as a progress report to partners, interest holders, and the public.

2024

• Supported the Clayoquot Biosphere Trust in organizing the Vital Conversation on Coastal Safety, Prevention, and Regional Coordination Meeting. This meeting brought together surf and tourism industry representatives, interest-holders, incident response agencies, governments, and Parks Canada, to advance shared efforts to reduce the frequency and severity of incidents at waterfront facilities in the region.
• Completed the Wild about Wolves project. The goals of this five-year project were to better understand local wolf populations and the factors that contribute to potential conflict with people. This research incorporates Indigenous and Western ways of knowing—two-eyed seeing—to help Parks Canada and local First Nations make informed decisions to reduce conflict between people and wolves.
• Met with Ditidaht First Nation and Huu-ay-aht First Nations to present and share cultural perspectives, field data, and analyses and assessments related to the salmon populations of the West Coast Trail Unit, and to develop collective statements on the current and desired future state of these salmon populations.
• Re-opened the Kwisitis Visitor Centre in the Long Beach Unit after completing infrastructure upgrades to restore the building exterior and beginning repairs to interior spaces that had sustained water damage.
• Continued the partnership approach to co-develop the next management plan for the national park reserve by establishing Management Planning Working Groups with representatives from Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation and YuułuɁiłɁatḥ Government for the Long Beach Unit, and with representatives from Tseshaht First Nation for the Broken Group Islands Unit. Continued communications with representatives from Toquaht Nation Government, Uchucklesaht Tribe, and Hupačasath First Nation.
• Gathered with YuułuɁiłɁatḥ Government and the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District to unveil a new carving at the southern entrance to the ʔapsčiik t̓ašii (ups-cheek ta-shee) multi-use pathway in the Long Beach Unit. The c̓ixʷatin (tsi-hwa-tin, eagle) carving is part of the cultural interpretation experience on the pathway.
• Supported the launch of the Indigenous Coastal Youth Safety Program, an initiative run by the Nuu-chah-nulth Youth Warrior Family Society, which is an Indigenous-led non-profit. This initiative focusses on bringing Nuu-chah-nulth cultural perspectives to coastal safety education, and complements Parks Canada’s existing Coastal Stewards Program in the Long Beach Unit.
• Replaced two existing crosswalks on Wick Road in the Long Beach Unit with rainbow crosswalks, to welcome and celebrate 2SLGBTQIA+ communities.

2023

• Completed an updated five-year Visitor Experience Strategy for Pacific Rim National Park Reserve with input from eight of nine First Nation partners as well as additional interest-holders. Concurrently completed Visitor Information Program surveys for the West Coast Trail and Long Beach Units that provide information about visitor demographics, site usage, and satisfaction.
• Published the Multi-species Action Plan for Pacific Rim National Park Reserve of Canada (2017 – 2022) to update the action plan implementation status for 38 species.
• Created an adaptive approach to return stewardship of lands through a co-developed process with Pacheedaht First Nation. Pacheedaht First Nation and the Government of Canada signed an agreement that returns land use and stewardship of ʔA:ʔbʔe:ʔs (aah-bee-ay-s, formerly Middle Beach), which forms part of the West Coast Trail Unit of the national park reserve, to the Nation in advance of treaty settlement.
• Collaborated with Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, YuułuɁiłɁatḥ Government, Toquaht Nation Government, the District of Tofino, the District of Ucluelet, the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District, and local tourism organizations on a joint news release to encourage and promote respectful visitor behaviour in the region.
• Collaborated with Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation and YuułuɁiłɁatḥ Government to create and promote a “Visiting with respect” video that demonstrates how visitors can respect Nuu-chah-nulth guiding principles when visiting First Nations ḥaw̓iiḥ ḥaḥahuułi (ha-wee-ah ha-ha-houl-thee, the ancestral territories and homelands of the Chiefs), where the Long Beach Unit, Tofino, and Ucluelet now stand.
• Established five-year Licences of Occupation with the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District for regional transit service with stops at two locations within the Long Beach Unit, and with the District of Tofino for seasonal beach bus service to the Long Beach Day Use Area.
• Finalized a three-year service contract with Ditidaht First Nation’s Ditidaht Development Corporation to operate the West Coast Trail orientation centre in Balaats’adt (Nitinaht Village) This centre provides safety orientation, information services, and sales for all hikers starting or ending at the Balaats’adt access point.
• Strengthened operational relationships with Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation and YuułuɁiłɁatḥ Elders by supporting the Elder’s Working Group in the Long Beach Unit. The intent of this initiative is to offer the support and cultural advisory services of First Nation Elders for Indigenous and non-Indigenous employees.

2022

• Celebrated the opening of the ʔapsčiik t̓ašii (ups-cheek ta-shee) 25 km multi-use pathway through the Long Beach Unit. The pathway was built in consultation and partnership with Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation and Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government using best practices and innovative strategies to minimize environmental and cultural impacts. The pathway provides access to new and existing viewpoints and facilities, and helps connect communities.
• Established a Management Planning Working Group for the West Coast Trail Unit with representatives from Huu-ay-aht, Ditidaht, and Pacheedaht First Nations, to begin a partnership approach to co-develop the next management plan for the national park reserve.
• Launched the Comber’s Beach seasonal dog closure in the Long Beach Unit from April to October to decrease the disturbance of shorebirds during migration. This closure has become an annual closure.
• Worked with Huu-ay-aht First Nations to install a plaque at Kiix̣in Village and Fortress near Bamfield to officially commemorate its designation as a national historic site. Kiix̣in (kee-hin) is an ancient site that exhibits evidence of continuous occupation of the area for almost 3,000 years. It is also the only known traditional First Nations village, among more than a hundred villages on the southern BC coast, that still features significant and standing traditional architecture.
• Gathered with Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation, YuułuɁiłɁatḥ Government, members of the Elders Working Group, and contractors to unveil the commemorative installation of the Wolf Watchmen at C̓ašiiwa (tsa-shee-wa, Incinerator Rock parking lot) in the Long Beach Unit. These wolf figures are part of the cultural interpretation experience on the ʔapsčiik t̓ašii (ups-cheek ta-shee) multi-use pathway. They represent ongoing intergenerational Indigenous protocols, roles, and responsibilities, as these are important teachings and laws represented by qʷayaćiik (kwhy-yat-seek, wolves) in the ḥaḥahuułi (ha-ha-houl-thee, ancestral territories and homelands) of the Tla-o-qui-aht ḥaw̓iiḥ (ha-wee-ah, Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation’s hereditary leadership).
• Resumed full Interpretive programming in the Long Beach Unit, including the Ḥaahuupa (haa-hoo-pah, teachings) Learning Series that invites community members and visitors to meet local First Nations members, artisans, and Elders, who share their Nuu-chah-nulth culture through various workshops and experiences.
• Facilitated and supported a training workshop for the Connecting Coastal Communities and Conserving Kelp Project with Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government and local non-profit restoration and education organizations to develop a collaborative approach for kelp monitoring, mapping, and research in the region.
• Developed and installed safety signage for the Broken Group Islands Unit in partnership with Tseshaht First Nation. The trilingual signs were crafted to provide Nuu-chah-nulth language place names for each of the seven island campsites as well as to inform, guide, direct, regulate, and warn visitors as they experience the Broken Group Islands.
• Completed a two-year project to replace Day Use Area kiosk structures within the Long Beach Unit, including Shorepine Bog Trail, Kwisitis Visitor Centre, Lower Radar Hill, Wickaninnish Beach, Long Beach, and Incinerator Parking lots. These structures provide safety information, closure notifications, and National Park Reserve Entry Pass information.
• Responded to calls from Huu-ay-aht, Ditidaht, Pacheedaht, Tseshaht, and Tla-o-qui-aht First Nations, and Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government for more equitable funding agreements by transitioning Indigenous stewardship programs—guardians, beach keepers, and marine monitors—to a funding model outlined in Contribution Agreements.

2021

• Continued gradual business resumption (in response to the COVID-19 pandemic) in collaboration with First Nations partners.
• Completed a large-scale maintenance project for the Long Beach Unit’s potable water system, ensuring a continuous and clean supply of drinking water to visitors as well as two First Nation communities.
• Implemented an Elder-in-Residence Cultural Advisor and Support Program for Indigenous and non-Indigenous employees. The intent of this initiative is to offer the counselling, support, and cultural advisory services of a First Nation Elder, in addition to educational sessions.
• Developed and published a rip current brochure in support of the CoastSmart regional coastal safety education campaign highlighting hazardous water recreation areas between Ucluelet and Tofino, and strategies to avoid or escape these hazards.
• Completed an accessibility audit with Spinal Cord Injury BC, which provided several recommendations for accessibility improvements in the Long Beach Unit. The audit focused primarily on physical, visual, and sensory accessibility, and was conducted by a team that included people with physical and visual disabilities.
• Completed roof and siding repairs, maintenance, and upgrades to employee accommodation units with the goal of improving the health of the building envelopes and increasing energy efficiency.

2020

• Planned and implemented health and safety measures related to the COVID-19 pandemic with local First Nations communities and the communities of Ucluelet, Tofino, Bamfield, and Port Renfrew, to help protect community members, visitors, and employees. Worked collaboratively with nine First Nations to co-develop a gradual business resumption strategy.
• Evolved the in-person Coastal Steward Program in the Long Beach Unit. Through this seasonal program visitors learn about ocean safety and wildlife etiquette from Parks Canada team members. This program reaches approximately 20,000 visitors each year.
• Launched the Cheewhat Lake watershed restoration project in collaboration with Ditidaht First Nation, beginning a process to restore a total of 1.1 km of Sockeye and Coho Salmon-bearing streams. By October, adult Sockeye and Coho began returning to the watershed, spawning in all three of the restored streams, as well as an additional 100 metres of habitat that had not been accessible for over two decades. Parks Canada and Ditidaht First Nation will continue to monitor salmon numbers in the watershed.  
• Began implementation of the Parks Canada Southern Resident Killer Whale Recovery Program. Worked collaboratively with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Transport Canada, First Nations, non-government organizations, and academia to learn more about Southern Resident Killer Whales. Over the next five years, the Southern Resident Killer Whale science and monitoring program will address three key threats to Southern Resident Killer Whales: prey availability (food), physical and acoustic disturbance, and contaminants.
• Launched two Junior Guardian Programs that fostered awareness and protection of the Tla-o-qui-aht First Nation and Yuułuʔiłʔatḥ Government territories that overlap with the Long Beach Unit. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Junior Guardian responsibilities focused on patrolling the communities, providing visitor information, and supporting operations within the national park reserve and adjacent First Nation communities. Junior Guardians also engaged in educational opportunities with Parks Canada’s Resource Conservation and Visitor Experience teams, strengthening ties between the communities and Parks Canada.