More Protection for Algonquin

Toronto - CPAWS Wildlands League is applauding an announcement to protect more of Algonquin Provincial Park. Today, the province posted a notice on the Environmental Bill of Rights registry accepting the report by the Algonquin Forestry Authority (AFA) Board and Ontario Parks Board to increase the amount of protection from the current 22% to 35%, a more than 50% increase.  The total area off limits to logging will now be 371,238 hectares - an area equal to six times the size of Toronto. Currently logging is illegal in all of Ontario’s 631 protected areas with the exception of Algonquin.  

In 2008 Minister of Natural Resources Donna Cansfield charged the two boards to work together to undertake focused consultation with the Algonquins of Ontario, the forest industry, and key stakeholder groups to develop joint recommendations. Their joint proposal recommendations include:

• Expanding the area within protection zones by approximately 98,000 hectares, to enhance protection for canoe routes, brook trout lakes and cultural heritage values
• Implementing best management practices that lessen the impact of roads and other forest operations, including continuation of the existing roads strategy
• Clarifying the forested areas available for logging by recommending everything else, including areas zoned for protection; forested areas protected by park policy, such as buffer zones along waterways and portages, and non-forested areas such as lakes/rock barrens not be available for logging

“We’re pleased with the decision to protect more of Algonquin Park” said Janet Sumner, Executive Director, CPAWS Wildlands League, “This increase in protection is better for Algonquin AND guarantees the current level of wood supply to area mills.”

“Algonquin is as Canadian as maple sugar and the Group of Seven” Evan Ferrari, Director, Parks Program, CPAWS Wildlands League.  “This moves us closer to protecting the ecological integrity of one of our country’s most famous parks.”

Decisions like this are especially important in an era of global warming. Large forests like the ones in Algonquin are critical in providing wildlife with room to adapt as the planet warms.

“Ultimately we want to see logging phased out of Algonquin, with a plan to diversify local economies that have depended in the past on logging” concluded Sumner.

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For more information, contact:

Evan Ferrari
Director, Parks Program
416.971.9453 x 43
416. 986.4147 cell

Janet Sumner
Executive Director
416.971.9453 x 39
416.579.7370 cell

The Wildlands League\'s mission is to protect wilderness through the establishment of protected areas and through the promotion of natural resource use that is sustainable for nature, communities and the economy.