Community Atlas Initiative
Helping communities be good park neighbours
CPAWS works with communities near national parks to create atlases that compile information about land use and the natural environment.
Gulf Islands Community Atlas
British Columbia
Dotted with magnificent islands and blessed with a wonderful Mediterranean climate, the southern Strait of Georgia is home to a remarkable array of natural wonders. The waters are patrolled by Southern resident orcas, humpbacks, seals and sealions. Some of the world's largest marine invertebrates such as the giant Pacific octopus and giant acorn barnacle inhabit an array of diverse habitats. On the islands, endangered Garry Oak forests are found interspersed with coastal Douglas Fir and rocky bluff ecosystems. Located between British Columbia's two largest urban centers, Victoria and Vancouver, the islands and surrounding waters are buzzing with activity. Nearly 20,000 people make the Southern Gulf Islands their home, and the region supports a healthy tourism industry dependent on the health of the natural environment.
Download
Gulf Islands Atlas
PDF, 9MB
Visit the CPAWS BC Gulf Islands Atlas page
Riding Mountain Community Atlas
Manitoba
Given that ecosystem boundaries are not easily defined, this atlas focuses on a portion of the Riding Mountain greater ecosystem: the Riding Mountain Biosphere Reserve. The Biosphere Reserve consists of Riding Mountain National Park and the rural municipalities surrounding the Park, as defined by their physical boundaries. The atlas includes text, figures, tables, photographs, and a series of maps covering items of interest such as soil, wetlands, vegetation, human history, and key wildlife areas. We hope the atlas will contribute to a broader and more complete understanding of the Riding Mountain region, its people, and biological communities.
Download the atlas:
Riding Mountain Atlas
(Zipped PDF, 8MB)
Visit the CPAWS Manitoba atlas page
St. Lawrence Islands Atlas
Ontario
In November 2002 the triangular area between Brockville, Gananoque and Westport was designated by the United Nations as a Biosphere Reserve. While the designation does not create any regulatory restrictions, it focuses attention on local efforts to achieve sustainable communities in a healthy natural environment that includes a national park, two provincial parks, and other protected natural areas.
The study area for this mapping project corresponds to the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, and the primary goal of the project is to put the best possible information in the hands of decision makers. The main local partners in this project include the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS), St Lawrence Islands National Park and The Watershed nature and history network, as well as the Eastern Ontario Model Forest and the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville.
Download the atlas
St. Lawrence Islands National Park Atlas
(10MB, Zipped PDF)
Bruce Penninsula Community Atlas
Ontario
The Northern Bruce Peninsula is a unique region in Ontario with important ecological, cultural and economic values. As part of the Niagara Escarpment, which extends from Niagara Falls to Tobermory, it is internationally recognized as a United Nations Biosphere Reserve. The Bruce Peninsula National Park covers the northern tip of the peninsula and provides a core natural area within the Northern Bruce Peninsula. Aboriginal people have lived in the area for at least 5000 years, and many species of rare plants and animals can be found there.
Get the atlas
Purchase a hard copy
Contact CPAWS Wildlands League to purchase the published edition for $74.95.