Written by: Yutaka Categoly: Reserch paper Mark: A
Have you ever thought that your visiting to
Canadian National Parks may be destroying them? Canada is one of the most
famous countries which have spectacular scenery and wilderness. The National
Parks are especially designed in such places in order to preserve and represent
North-American nature. They are also designed to provide you with education and
enjoyment, so you can enjoy watching wildlife such as an elk grazing, a moose
standing warily, and a grizzly bear howling. However, development to accommodate
mass tourism is affecting the precious heritage of the National Parks’
environment. As a result, conflict between tourism development and nature
preservation has emerged.
Although the first National Park was
established about 110 years ago (Page 21), the accelerated increase of tourists
is a rather recent issue. For example, Banff National Park, which is the most
popular and the first National Park in Canada, had 459,000 visitors in 1950
(Page 27), but had 5,000,000 visitors in 1997 (Page 4), and will have
19,000,000 in 2020 by estimate (Page27). Similarly, the number of residents who
live in the town of Banff to provide services for tourists has increased from
approximately 2,400 in 1950 (Page 27) to approximately 8,000 in 1997 (Eisler
44) and will be 20,000 in 2024 (Page 53). Of course, these increases have
changed the town of Banff from plentiful wilderness to a modern city because of
the construction of many hotels to accommodate tourists, the shopping mall
which has 200 stores (Eisler 44), and the houses for residents. These recent
changes are revealed by Page’s claims that affected by human changes, the
wilderness in the valley is changing so quickly and that we can see the changes
in a few years, not in thousands (21). The increase in the number of tourists
is changing the National Parks, but how did it happen?
Several reasons
have contributed to the increase of tourists such as development of
transportation, changes of lifestyle, and economic reasons. First reason is the
development of transportation: now, everyone can travel across Canada easily by
using railways, highways and airlines. However, these types of transportation
have been fully developed quite recently and are available at inexpensive
fares. For instance, the Trans-Canada Highway was completed in the 1960s (Page
16). These phenomena bring even foreign tourists from many countries. Eisler
says that the estimated number of Japanese tourists to Banff National Park is
160,000 a year (44). Second reason is changes of lifestyle: facing many
environmental problems, people start thinking about ecological issues such as
how to decrease emissions or garbage and how to recycle bottles and cans.
Through this ecological movement, people’s concerns seem to expand even to reserving
wilderness. According to the survey by Angus Reid in 1996, wildlife reserves
are chosen as the most appropriate purpose for the National Parks (qtd. in Page
52). As a result of this interest, more people have been interested in nature
and started exploring and experiencing the wilderness. However, this trend may
be caused by the abundant society which has less working time and surplus of
salary. Saremba claims, “The growing amount of discretionary time, changing
social trends, and increase in disposable income will result in more tourists
being attracted to such sites” (1). Third reason is economic: since the first
National Park was established, National Parks have been targets of
commercialism and economic development. For example, in Banff National Park,
the first National Park in Canada, the first hotel was constructed in 1887, the
beginning of the history of Banff National Park (Page 16). Today, many stores
are open year-round and “In 1995 visitors spent an estimated $709 million in
the Park” (Page 46). Moreover, tourism, one of the most important industries of
Canada, sustains many employees. This is proved by the fact that tourism in
British Colombia created about 100,000 job opportunities which is larger than
the 75,000 in forestry and wood products (Reid 1989. qtd. in Saremba 7). It is
evident that the changes in the National Parks are the result of increase in
tourism; however, tourists’ interests also seem to affect the environment.
The
National Parks provide people with nature, but many tourists’ interests focus
on different aspects of the National Parks, which are called amusement. Page
says that Banff National Park has three commercial ski hills and a 27-hole golf
course (12). If National Parks are the place where people enjoy wilderness and
wildlife, why do people want to ski, play golf, and go shopping in the National
Parks? Many people feel tourists should do those things outside of National
Parks where ski hills, golf courses, and shopping malls are appropriate. As
Labchuk says, the National Parks should be the for the purpose of nature
watching, exploration, and education (qtd. in “New National Park on PEI”
par.6). Although the conflict between tourism developers and environmentalists,
involving park managers, tourists, and several levels of government, doesn’t
seem easy to resolve, several attempts have been being tried.
Most
experts agree that in order to reconcile the conflict, listening to all who are
concerned with each National Park and assessing the influence of each
development before it starts are very important. If all the concerns are
revealed, the problems which should be taken into consideration become clear.
And if an environmental impact assessment is done, the damage to environment
which is given by the development is revealed; therefore, if the damage is
significant, the development could be stopped before it set out. In the case of
Banff, the Task Force whose objectives are “to develop a vision and goals …
that will integrate ecological, social and economic values”, “to complete a
comprehensive analysis of existing information, and to provide direction for
future collection and analysis”, and “to provide direction on the management of
human use and development” has been created (Page, 9). Banff National Park, a
symbolic destination of mass tourism, might be a special case; however, for
many National Parks, systematic assessments, which are called the Environmental
Assessment and Review Process, have been done to manage and plan programs
(Saremba 22). These facts imply that an assessment for a sensitive environment
and careful planning are indispensable to minimize the ecological impact of
development and maximize tourism benefit.
The
National Parks have provided many tourists with the spectacular view of
wilderness and interesting observation of wildlife, which are considered not
only the Canadian but also the international heritages. However, the recent
mass tourism, accompanied with constructions of transportation, building of
facilities, and development of amusements, is threatening the environments
which made the places National Parks. The conflict between mass tourism and
nature preservation doesn’t seem easy to reconcile, but supported by many
peoples’ tremendous efforts, each National Park will find the best way which
satisfies both ecological needs and economic needs.
Works Cited
Eisler, Dale. “The Battle over Banff: Millions of
Tourists May Be Threatening a Treasured National Park.” Macleans’s 4 August 1997: 44. Canadian Business
and Current Affairs. Online. Electronic Library Network. 24 Mar. 2000.
“New National Park on PEI Means Development Not
Protection [Greenwich Dunes].” Natural Life May/June 1999. Canadian Business and Current Affairs.
Online. Electronic Library Network. 15 Mar. 2000.
Page, Robert et al. Banff-Bow Valley at the
Crossroads Summary Report. Minister of Supply and Services Canada, 1996.
Saremba, John. Environmental Impact Assessment,
Planning and Management of Tourism Developments in and adjacent to Park and
Wilderness Areas: A Case Study of Ski Area Expansion at Whistler, B.C.. Canadian
Environmental Assessment Research Council, 1990.
Research Paper Outline: The Dilemma of National Parks
Introduction:
Grabber:
Have you ever thought that your visiting to National Parks may be destroying
them?
Thesis:
Mass tourism to National Parks impoverishing the environment; as a result,
conflict between tourism developments and nature preservation emerged.
Body:
I.
Number of
tourists is increasing
a.
The numbers
of tourists and residents in Banff National Park – from Page 4, 27, 53, Eisler
44
b.
200 stores in
Banff National Park – from Eisler 44
c.
Change is
measured in several years - from Page 21
II.
The reason of
increase
a.
developments
of transportations
1.
Highway –
from Page 16
2.
Japanese
tourists – from Eisler 44
b.
changes of
lifestyle
1.
wild life
reserve is the most appropriate activity – from Page 52
2.
Abundant
society – from Saremba 1
c.
economical
reasons
1.
the first
hotel in Banff National Park was built in 1887 – from Page 16
2.
visitors
spend $709 million a year in Banff National Park – Page 46
3.
job
opportunities – from qtd. in Saremba 7
III.
Tourists’
interests affect environment
a.
ski hills and
golf course – from Page 12
b.
purposes –
from “New National Park on PEI” par.6
IV.
How to avoid
conflict
a.
Task Force –
from Page 9
b.
Assessment –
from Saremba 22
Conclusion:
Review:
National Parks have provided people with nature, but conflicts happened.
Clincher:
By many peoples’ efforts, Nationl Parks will find the ways.