Forrest, Kenneth, "A Cooperative Approach to Greater Ecosystem Management in Gros Morne National Park"

Gros Morne National Park is the largest federally protected area in Atlantic Canada but its ecological integrity is increasingly being threatened by external land uses. Logging, mining, oil and gas exploration, tourism development and other land uses are locating near (and in some cases, within) the park. Greater ecosystem management is a planning system which seeks to integrate the management of a core protected area and adjacent lands. Existing examples of greater ecosystem management in the Yellowstone area in the United States, the Miramichi watershed in New Brunswick, the Rideau Canal Corridor in Ontario, and the Waterton Lakes area in Alberta are examined separately to determine the strengths and weaknesses of the approach used in each case. A framework of greater ecosystem management is then proposed for Gros Morne National Park. The system is based on the external threats to the park, potential partnerships, and the experiences documented in the case studies. The emphasis is on a cooperative approach which will involve all interested economic and emotional (e.g. interest groups) stakeholders in the Gros Morne area. A combination of scientific data collection, policy development, planning, and cooperative problem solving is proposed to protect the ecological diversity and integrity of Gros Morne National Park and the economic interests of local industry and residents.

Atlantic Planners Institute

This page and all contents are produced by the Atlantic Planners Institute, an affiliate of the Canadian Institute of Planners.

This document was last modified on November 14, 2000.