Nahanni National Park Reserve of Canada

A Code of Ethics for the Cirque of Unclimbables (http://home.comcast.net/~gibell/cirque/codeofethics.html) was developed and posted by volunteers with the Cirque 2000 project, an initiative of the climbing community to protect and conserve mountain environments. What do you think of the Code of Ethics?  Do you have suggestions for strengthening the Code of Ethics? What ideas to you have to encourage all climbers to respect the Code of Ethics?

In keeping with the park’s wilderness character, visitor facilities are minimal and visitors are encouraged to camp at random locations of their choosing.  If a location experiences frequent and concentrated use, management actions are considered to minimize impacts. The draft management plan proposes designating an additional four camping areas: The Gate, Lafferty’s, Glacier Lake and Fairy Meadows.  These are in addition to the four currently designated camping areas:  Gahnįhthah Mie (Rabbitkettle Lake); South Nahanni River Island; Náįlįcho (Virginia Falls); and Kraus Hotsprings. 

In order to ensure that the camping areas are compatible with the park’s wilderness qualities, they must be primitive in nature. Potential infrastructure is limited to tent pads or cleared tent sites, food caches, fire rings, and outdoor privies.  Do you have suggestions for appropriate infrastructure at each of the four proposed areas that would provide a quality camping experience, while minimizing environmental impacts? Is there infrastructure that is particularly important at one or more of the camping areas?

What suggestions do you have to ensure a memorable climbing experience with minimal environmental impact?  What types of infrastructure have you seen at other climbing areas that you would like to see in the Cirque? Infrastructure can include anything from bolted routes to facilities for human waste.

What type of climbing experience would bring (or does bring) you to Cirque of the Unclimbables or other areas in Nahanni National Park Reserve? How important is maintaining the wilderness character of the area? Compared to other climbing areas you may have visited, what is unique at the Cirque that should be enhanced or maintained? Is there information you would like to either enhance or facilitate your climbing experience? 

Update December 30, 2009:

This discussion topic received a lot of interest and many participants left detailed comments.  Several participants supported maintaining water quality as an important priority, including monitoring impacts from developments outside park boundaries. Detailed objectives, targets and actions for water quality issues are outlined in the draft management plan under the Key Strategy: Water for Life. Many comments also referred to the importance of rigorous and comprehensive ecological monitoring, as well as the value in working with other scientists and experts to conduct research in the park. The objectives, targets and actions for scientific work are detailed in read more  …

Update December 30, 2009:

Thank you for sharing why Nahanni is important to you.  Many participants expressed how special a place Nahanni is, for reasons such as the spectacular and undisturbed wilderness and wildlife, a premier canoeing destination, the traditional homelands of Aboriginal communities, and as an example of a cooperative conservation initiative that contributes to Canada’s network of protected areas.

Original question (posted November 19, 2009):

For some people the Nahanni watershed is home, for others it provides world-class wilderness recreational activities, for others it is an important protected area for wildlife.  What do you value most about the Nahanni National Park Reserve? What is your personal connection to Nahanni?

Update December 30, 2009:

Several participants suggested that the best way to experience Nahanni is through self-propelled efforts.  Some new activities, such as horseback riding and new hiking trails, were suggested. A Product Development Specialist will be at starting in NNPR in January and will be exploring potential new visitor experiences. Objectives related to enhancing the visitor experience are described in the Key Strategy: Naha Dehé, A gift to be Shared and in the Area Management Approaches for Gahnįhthah (Rabbitkettle Area), Naįlįcho (Virginia Falls) and the Expansion Area. This topic also generated discussion on the appropriateness of plane and helicopter access.  For more information, about the proposed direction for managing air access in the park, please see the Air Access Fact Sheet.

Original question (posted November 23, 2009):

Currently, visitors to the park primarily experience the Nahanni landscape by canoeing, rafting or kayaking down the Nahanni River or flying into Náįlįcho (Virginia Falls). Park expansion has brought new possibilities, including hiking and rock climbing. How would you like to experience Nahanni? What ideas do you have for how Nahanni can be experienced? What opportunities for in-person visits could be developed?

Update December 30, 2009:

Priorities for the expansion area are outlined in the Expansion Area Management Approach and include objectives for building a greater understanding of the expansion area through gathering ecological baseline information and assessing visitor experience potential and requirements; returning impacted sites to a natural state; and expanding the recognition of the Canadian Heritage River and World Heritage Site to the expanded area.  Some participants commented on appropriate motorized air access. For details on how the draft management plan proposes to manage air access, please see the Air Access Fact Sheet.  We invite you to continue the discussion about read more  …

Update December 30 2009:

Although several participants suggested that in-person experiences are hard to replicate, there was strong support in this discussion topic for the development of “virtual visits”, through the development of audio-visual products such as videos and enhanced youth education programs. Parks Canada is starting to use new ways to reach Canadians, such as online videos.  For example, visit Parks Canada’s YouTube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/ParksCanadaAgency, where there are 2 videos of Nahanni posted.  Suggestions under this decision topic are reflected in the Key Strategy: Naha Dehé, A Gift to be Shared, which indicates outreach education as a main objective.

Original Question (posted November 23 2009): 

Because of the remoteness of the park, relatively few people may ever experience the park in person. However, Nahanni National Park Reserve belongs to all Canadians. How can Parks Canada work to build a sense of connection and understanding of the significance of Nahanni people may never have the chance to visit? What opportunities for virtual visits could be developed?

Update December 30, 2009:

Several participants suggested that the wilderness values of Nahanni were important to capture in the vision. The planning team has revised the draft park vision based on the first phase of consultations and a recognition that the initial draft was too long and repetitive.

Original question (posted November 23, 2009):

A vision for Nahanni National Park Reserve is a key element of the management plan. The vision should paint an inspiring picture of the future desired sate of the park. How would you describe the special character of Nahanni? The planning team has developed a draft vision statement. Do you see yourself in this vision? Do you have any suggestions?

The planning team has developed a draft for each of the key strategies and area management approaches, each of which contains objectives, targets and actions. The following key strategies and their corresponding objectives, targets and actions, set park management priorities for the next five years: (1) Taking Care of Naha Dehé (2) Naha Dehé, A Gift to be Shared, and (3) Waters for Life. While key strategies focus on management approaches that affect the park as a whole, there are certain places within the park that merit a special focussed approach. Three areas have been identified for area management approaches (AMA): Gahnįhthah (Rabbitkettle Area); (2) Naįlįcho (Virginia Falls); and (3) the Expansion Area.  Do the objectives capture the key challenges and opportunities facing the park? Will they lead to the achieving the park vision? Are the targets and actions feasible? Do you have feedback or suggestions for any of the objectives, targets, and actions for any of the key strategies or area management approaches?

A zoning system is applied in national parks to designate areas according to their natural and cultural resource protection requirements and suitability to provide visitor experience opportunities. The draft management plan proposes that zoning will be developed for the expansion area over the next 5-10 years as a better understanding of the region is developed through research.  It is anticipated that much of the expansion area will be designated wilderness (Zone 2), as with most of the original park, with some areas designated as Zone 3 to allow for enhanced visitor access (e.g. Glacier Lake).  Special preservation areas (Zone 1) may also be applied in areas that contain unique, threatened or endangered natural or cultural features and require strictly controlled access.  Are there areas in the expansion area that should be considered for Zone 1 or Zone 3 designation? Do you have general comments regarding what should be considered in developing the zoning plan for the expansion area?