Management Planning

Looking to the future 

Current Management Plans

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You may wonder why a Management Plan is needed. A management plan ensures that the main purposes of a park are considered when land use decisions are made, and it also provides details on what land uses are appropriate and assures that new activities or developments are compatible with the long-term management of the park. The management plan provides assurance to the public that the park will be managed as outlined in the plan. To learn more about how this process works click on a link below.

• Introducing Manitoba's Parks
• The Character of a Park
• Why a Management Plan?
• A Brief History
• The Management Plan
• How a Management Plan is Developed
• The life of a Management Plan
• We need your Assistance

To comment on any Park Management Plan please email: mgmtplan@gov.mb.ca

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Introducing Manitoba's Parks

Manitobans enjoy a wide variety of outdoor opportunities in their provincial parks. Unique landscapes, pristine lakes, campgrounds, sandy beaches and extensive trail systems are only a few of the offerings in Manitoba's eighty provincial parks. To most people, parks provide a chance to soak up the sun and enjoy time with friends and family. But parks also play a vital role in protecting natural lands, preserving our heritage, and providing jobs through resource use.

With such diversity it is not surprising that each park requires its own management strategy. Manitoba Parks and Natural Areas Branch is committed to preparing a management plan for every provincial park in Manitoba. These plans will help us continue to offer the experiences that you enjoy and better manage our provincial parks.

We want to know how you feel about the parks that are important to you - what aspects you enjoy, your suggestions and your concerns. This information will provide background on why management plans are important and how you can participate in their development.

The Character of a Park

Several different types, or classifications, of parks have been created to describe the overall character of Manitoba's provincial parks.

• Wilderness Parks are vast and distinctive areas whose main purpose is to preserve natural landscapes. They make up over 70% of Manitoba's park land and can be an important area of traditional use for northern communities.
  
  
• Heritage Parks are generally much smaller, but they too have their own special value in preserving areas of land containing a resource or resources of cultural or human heritage value.
  
  
• Natural Parks include some of Manitoba's most popular vacation spots. They serve to protect natural landscapes as well as to provide recreational and resource use opportunities.
  
  
• Recreation Parks, another frequent vacation destination, specialize in providing outdoor recreational opportunities.

Park Reserves are used for short periods of time to assist in the creation of new parks and protected areas. Park Reserves can be put into place for up to five years to provide time for consultation with those potentially affected by the creation of park lands.

Why a Management Plan?

You may wonder why a Management Plan is needed. A management plan ensures that the main purposes of a park are considered when land use decisions are made. It provides details on what land uses are appropriate and assures that new activities or developments are compatible with the long-term management of the park. It provides assurance to the public that the park will be managed as outlined in the plan.

People who visit parks tell us they are seeking a certain experience. This experience could be the excitement of a snowmobile rally, the fellowship of an evening around the campfire with friends and family, or the feeling of quiet solitude in a wilderness park. The management plan will define these areas where people can expect a quality experience and minimal conflict with other users.

Many parks have special natural features such as rare plants or wildlife. There are also unique heritage features such as petroforms or early settlement sites. These may require specific management or protection. The management plan can identify how these features can be protected or managed.

Several parks accommodate commercial resource uses such as logging, mining and agriculture. These uses must occur in a manner that is sustainable and compatible with other activities in the same area. A management plan can specify areas for particular resource uses and methods by which that use may occur.

A Brief History

In 1997, following a series of public meetings and consultations, "A System Plan for Provincial Parks" was released. The system plan established the boundaries and overall purpose of every provincial park in Manitoba, and applied a series of land use categories to establish the main purpose of areas within each park. It also identified park lands that could contribute to Manitoba's network of protected areas. The system plan did not, however, deal with specific land use issues within individual parks. This task was deferred to individual park management plans, as required by The Provincial Parks Act.

The Management Plan

The contents of a management plan are determined by the purpose, needs and requirements of each individual park. Through the management planning process, outstanding or anticipated problems or issues regarding the development, operation or management of a park are identified so that appropriate solutions can be found. Resolution of these issues may come in the form of zoning, where certain uses or levels of activity are restricted to suitable areas of a park, or as objectives outlining actions that must be taken to resolve a given situation.

1. Zoning
   
   Park zones direct conservation, recreation and resource use in a provincial park. They are accompanied by guidelines or policies that specify what can or cannot occur in a specific zone. Each park is designated into one or more zones and a zoning map is prepared for inclusion in the management plan. If there is a need for formal restrictions (for example, a "no vehicle" zone where enforcement is required) a specific regulation could also be enacted for that purpose.
   
   
2. Objectives
   
   While many issues can be resolved through zoning, some may require specific actions. In such cases, the resolution of the issue may be identified as an objective in the management plan. Target dates, costs and a project leader may be described in the management plan.
   
   Some issues such as funding and staffing levels, which are not part of the management planning mandate, will be referred elsewhere for resolution.

How a Management Plan is Developed

All management plans are prepared in consultation with the public. The process varies from park to park, depending on the complexity and number of issues that are identified. Generally, the consultation process has two phases: the first to identify issues, and the second, to review the draft management plan.

The life of a Management Plan

The zoning and objectives established in a management plan are intended to remain in place for five to ten years or more. If revisions are to be considered, by either the government or the public, the plan must be reopened for consultation and review.

We need your Assistance

We will be preparing management plans on a park-by-park basis, and will be seeking your opinion, recommendations and suggestions. Please watch for advertisements and posters in your area, or contact Manitoba Parks and Natural Areas Branch, Box 53 - 200 Saulteaux Crescent, Winnipeg R3J 3W3.

To comment on any Park Management Plan please email: mgmtplan@gov.mb.ca