Final Park Management Plan Web.Indd
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Sleeping Giant Park Management Plan ©2007, Queen’s Printer for Ontario Printed in Ontario, Canada Additional copies of this publication are available from the Ministry of Natural Resources at the following location: Sleeping Giant Provincial Park c/o Ontario Parks Northwest Zone Suite 221d 435 James St. S. Thunder Bay, Ontario P7E 6S8 (807) 475-1321 51883 0.5k P.R. 01 03 07 ISBN – 978-1-4249-3309-9 Table of Contents 1.0 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................................................2 2.0 PARK CLASSIFICATION ...............................................................................................................................3 3.0 GOAL................................................................................................................................................................4 4.0 OBJECTIVES....................................................................................................................................................4 4.1 Protection Objective ............................................................................................................................................4 4.2 Heritage Appreciation Objective .........................................................................................................................6 4.3 Tourism Objective ...............................................................................................................................................7 4.4 Recreation Objective ...........................................................................................................................................7 5.0 PARK BOUNDARY.........................................................................................................................................7 6.0 PARK ZONING ................................................................................................................................................8 6.1 Nature Reserve Zones..........................................................................................................................................8 6.2 Historical Zones...................................................................................................................................................9 6.3 Wilderness Zones ..............................................................................................................................................10 6.4 Natural Environment Zones...............................................................................................................................11 6.5 Development Zones...........................................................................................................................................12 6.6 Access Zone.......................................................................................................................................................12 7.0 RESOURCE STEWARDSHIP POLICIES .....................................................................................................13 7.1 Natural Resources..............................................................................................................................................13 7.2 Cultural Resources.............................................................................................................................................16 8.0 OPERATIONAL POLICIES...........................................................................................................................17 8.1 Natural Heritage Education ...............................................................................................................................17 8.2 Recreation Management ....................................................................................................................................18 8.3 Tourism..............................................................................................................................................................20 8.4 Marketing ..........................................................................................................................................................21 9.0 DEVELOPMENT POLICIES .........................................................................................................................21 9.1 Access and Circulation ......................................................................................................................................21 9.2 Campgrounds.....................................................................................................................................................22 9.3 Comfort Stations................................................................................................................................................22 9.4 Day-use Areas....................................................................................................................................................22 9.5 Trails..................................................................................................................................................................22 9.6 Utilities ..............................................................................................................................................................22 9.7 Recreation and Tourism Services ......................................................................................................................23 9.8 Interpretive Facilities.........................................................................................................................................23 9.9 Park Maintenance and Operation.......................................................................................................................23 9.10 Friends of Sleeping Giant ................................................................................................................................23 10.0 PLAN IMPLEMENTATION ..........................................................................................................................23 10.1 Resource Stewardship......................................................................................................................................23 10.2 Development....................................................................................................................................................24 10.3 Operations/Administration ..............................................................................................................................24 11.0 SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC IMPACT ANALYSIS ......................................................................................24 11.1 Benefits of Provincial Parks ............................................................................................................................24 11.2 Economic Impacts (Benefits from expenditures).............................................................................................25 12.0 PLAN REVIEW AND AMENDMENT..........................................................................................................25 13.0 SUMMARY OF PUBLIC AND ABORIGINAL CONSULTATION ............................................................25 14.0 REFERENCES ................................................................................................................................................28 Appendix B Social and Economic Analysis Notes and Definitions .......................................................................30 List of Figures Figure 1 Regional Context 3 Figure 2 Adjacent Land Use 31 Figure 3 Park Zoning and Development 32 Figure 4 Zoning and Development – Marie Louise Lake and Silver Islet 33 Sleeping Giant Provincial Park Management Plan -2- Statement of Environmental Values and the The community of Pass Lake abuts the northern park Environmental Bill of Rights boundary. Silver Islet, a mostly seasonal community on Lake Superior, is a park neighbour to the southeast. Nearby communities to the east on the Trans-Canada In accordance with the provisions of the Environmental Highway (11/17), include Dorion, Red Rock and Nipigon. Bill of Rights, the Ministry of Natural Resources prepared The Fort William First Nation borders the city of Thunder a Statement of Environmental Values. It describes how the Bay to the south. purposes of the Environmental Bill of Rights are to be considered whenever decisions are made which might Sleeping Giant Provincial Park occupies most of the significantly affect the environment. This includes Sibley Peninsula. The park’s eastern lowlands rise gently decisions made as a result of the park management from Lake Superior, while the western shore is dominated planning process. by rugged topography that includes sheer cliffs, deep valleys, and the distinctive mesa–cuestas that form the The primary purpose of the Environmental Bill of Rights is Sleeping Giant. This varied terrain and the effect of Lake “to protect conserve and, wherever reasonable, restore the Superior on the park’s microclimates provide a variety of integrity of the environment.” From the Ministry’s habitats for a great diversity of plants including rare perspective, that broad statement of purpose translates into orchids and arctic-alpine disjuncts. The park is home to four objectives in its Statement of Environmental Values: wolf