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Phase 1 - What possibilities are there for the expanded area?
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
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Comment 1 30 Nov 2009, 1:05 PM
If I can't experience the park in it's full wildness - not fit enough, only a recreation level paddler etc - can I still get some access to parts of the park and begin to get a sense of it? Example; a few days of biking or maybe hiking between cabins. I could introduce by children to the fringes of wilderness while still having access to safety and security. I am smart enough to know I am not longer fit enough to travel the park safely but if I don't introduce my children to the park, they may never want to see it.
Comment 1.1 2 Dec 2009, 9:13 AM
I don't believe the only way a person can inspire children is to physically bring them to a specific area. You can begin by educating them on the importance of conservation and by exposing them to outdoor opportunities in your area. There are beautiful photography books and video documetaries about the Nahanni. Why not experience the park in that manner and leave the park in its wild, untouched state. If you children later want to see the park, there are ways they can: guided trips, learn whitewater paddling/wilderness skills.
There are enough fringes of wilderness and easily accessible backcountry areas, lets preserve the Nahanni in all its untouched magnificance.
Comment 2 1 Dec 2009, 12:40 PM
motorized access within the park should be banned. If this is not possible, then all motorized access should be banned from all significant cultural, historical, sensitive and wildlife areas.
Comment 2.1 3 Dec 2009, 6:58 PM
current motorized access in the form of float planes to allow access for canoeists and rafters to initiate a downriver trip should be maintained.
Chuck - Parks Canada Comment 2.2 NNPR Superintendent 8 Dec 2009, 4:59 PM
Your comment about restricting motorized access in areas of significiant cultural, historical and ecologically sensitive areas is reflected in the zoning system Parks Canada uses. Sites such as you mention, can be identified as special preservation (Zone 1) areas, where motorized access is prohibited.
The original park identifies seven special preservation areas. The majority of the rest of the original park is Wilderness (Zone 2) where motorized access is not permitted for visitors, except by air - ith permission of the superintendent. There are two natural environment (Zone 3) areas, where controlled motorized access is allowed - Rabbitkettle Lake and Nailicho/Virginia Falls.
Comment 3 2 Dec 2009, 9:02 AM
I think a challenge will be to preserve the Cirque of the Unclimbables. This is a spectacular area but also vulnerable to large numbers of people. While people canoeing the river may only visit the Cirque for a few days, I have met climbers who have spent 3 weeks or more there. The area is small and I have concerns about the impacts of foot traffic, where people relieve themselves (and as a result, affect water quality) and how people are interacting with wildlife (mountain goats, marmots, grizzlies, etc).
Comment 3.1 2 Dec 2009, 9:26 AM
The major threat to the Cirque is the helicopter access that is currently granted to tour companies. This should be discontinued now that the Cirque is part of the Park proper.
Comment 4 6 Dec 2009, 5:55 PM
I think the Nahanni experience is primarily the river, and a few backcountry areas like the Cirque. Maybe a new hiking route along the plateau region?
But otherwise I'd leave the watershed to the wildlife.
Comment 5 30 Dec 2009, 3:36 PM
Significant opportunities for outdoor recreation exists in the expanded areas.
Parks Canada should work to make the potential visitor aware of the alternate access point to the NNP-R via the Nahanni Range Road. Nahanni headwater tributaries such as the Little Nahanni and the Flat River both fall within the expanded area. The marking of a few portage trails would make the technical sections of these two rivers doable by the average Nahanni canoeist.
Close to the eastern boundary is found the Ram Plateau. The Ram is a karst-land of world significance with great potential for Nahanni hiking visitors under a managed system.
