What we heard — A new management plan for Grasslands National Park

The vision

Response to draft vision statement for the park was overwhelmingly positive. We received multiple comments reinforcing the need to highlight a commitment to engagement with Indigenous peoples, and to recognize the important past and present contributions of ranchers to conserving the native prairie ecosystem. In response, a statement acknowledging the stewardship of ranchers was added to the vision statement.

Key strategy 1:
Growing land base and sustainable park infrastructure

We received support for continuing to grow Grasslands National Park’s land base toward the boundaries identified in the Federal-Provincial agreement, with a large majority of respondents seeing this as important work. In response to stakeholder input, we added to this strategy a commitment to maintaining cooperative and collaborative relationships with partners and stakeholders after the land assemblage is complete, and strengthened language regarding ensuring future actions contribute to ecological integrity. This includes reaffirming that infrastructure development at Grasslands National Park will not undermine ecological integrity.

Key strategy 2:
Species at risk and resource management

The importance of conservation and resource management objectives resonated strongly with online respondents and with a number of partners and stakeholders. We heard that completing an inventory of the park’s cultural resources is important, and identified that as a target to be achieved by 2030. Stakeholders underlined the value of cattle grazing as a tool to improve ecological integrity in the park. We acknowledge that perspectives on the protection of some Species at Risk are not shared by all stakeholders, and that some stakeholders may oppose management actions for some species.

Key strategy 3:
Completing a basic visitor experience

Feedback on this key strategy emphasized the importance of working with partners, including adjacent communities and park neighbours, in achieving goals related to fostering connection to place and visitor understanding. We also heard, and recognized, the importance of continuing to build relationships with Indigenous partners to facilitate the sharing of their cultural connections to the park. Stakeholders also highlighted the importance of ranching heritage as an underrepresented theme in interpretive programs, which is now recognized in the plan. Online respondents recognized the need to improve and complete visitor infrastructure, but also expressed a desire to keep Grasslands National Park ‘wild’.

Key strategy 4:
Building support and connection with Indigenous Peoples and stakeholders

Canadians strongly support an emphasis on building connections between Indigenous Peoples and Grasslands National Park. Respondents to our online comment card placed Indigenous relations among the top three priorities for the park in the next 10 years. Stakeholders told us that the involvement of Indigenous partners in landscape-level conservation is important, as is creating opportunities for Indigenous to communities to rebuild connections to the land. We also heard about the importance of working with neighbours and local communities in areas of tourism and conservation. Stakeholders clearly voiced the importance of ongoing communication of our progress in implementing the Management Plan.